Birds Of A Feather Episode 12
Paloma was restless and unsettled after she left Moor View Farm, and didn’t enjoy milking as much as usual.
The rhythmic swish of the milking machines, the gentle mutterings of the goats and the warm, sweet smell of the hay normally soothed and relaxed her.
But that afternoon the goats were restless, probably picking up on her own distracted mood.
She’d been so tempted to take the job Will offered. As he’d pointed out, she could afford the time.
Maggie was due back from honeymoon the next day, which would give Paloma a lot more free time. Time which could be spent at Moor View Farm.
As much as she enjoyed working at Folly Farm, the business wasn’t well enough established to be able to pay her much. And her limited savings were dwindling fast.
Oh, how Moor View Farm had tugged at her heartstrings and taken her back to a time when she was truly happy.
When she was little, she’d spent a lot of time on her grandparents’ farm, while her mother took her brother from one concert to the next.
Paloma never minded the way Edmund monopolised their mother’s attention. In fact, she welcomed it, particularly when it meant staying with her grandparents.
Edmund was gifted, both academically and musically. He was everything Paloma was not, and her mother seldom passed up the chance to tell her so.
Their father, a country vicar, died when Edmund was fifteen and Paloma ten. He was much loved by his parishioners, but his lack of ambition drove his wife to distraction.
So when their son showed signs of brilliance, as she put it, she gave up on her husband and channelled her energies into her son.
At university Edmund showed leanings towards the priesthood, so she encouraged him and convinced him he could be the youngest ever Archbishop of Canterbury.
Their mother made such a good job of spoiling him rotten that, when she died, not long after he was ordained, he assumed Paloma would take over where she had left off.
Paloma had given up her job in an animal rescue centre, which she’d loved, and come with Edmund to the vicarage at Little Billington.
Paloma never stopped missing her grandparents and their lovely old farmhouse. Some days, alone in the vicarage, she’d close her eyes and imagine herself back in that farmhouse kitchen.
Today, in the kitchen at Moor View Farm, she’d had this crazy moment when it felt she was within touching distance of that dream.
A gentle headbutt on the side of her leg brought her back from the warmth of the kitchen to the dairy.
She released the last goat from the milking bail, let them into their barn and closed up for the night.
As she crossed the yard, she was surprised to see a Land-Rover pull in and Will Gregory jump out.
A grumpy-looking Finn was in the passenger seat, eyes glued to his iPad.
“Miss Brookes,” Will said as he strode across the yard towards her. “I owe you an apology, a thank-you and some money.”
“Mr Gregory,” she replied as she locked the barn door, “you owe me nothing.”
“At least let me pay you for your time. The kitchen looks better than it has since –” He paused. “I didn’t even thank you. That was rude.”
She shook her head.
“You’d had a stressful day and I was glad to help.”
“As for the soup,” he went on. “That was very good. I’m not surprised Finn had second helpings.
“I still don’t understand how you got him to eat it in the first place.”
She glanced across at Finn but he didn’t look up from his game.
“I bribed him with pancakes,” she murmured, “which probably isn’t the right thing to do. Like I said, I’ve no experience with children.”
“I wanted to apologise for the way I snapped at you,” he went on. “It was totally uncalled for and I’m sorry.”
He turned and made his way back to his Land-Rover. Paloma gave Finn a wave, but he didn’t respond as Will started the engine.
Will stopped at the gate then reversed back, pulled up beside her and wound down the window.
“The offer of a job and the flat’s still open if you change your mind,” he said abruptly.
“Oh, right. It’s j-just . . .” Paloma stammered, taken completely off guard.
“Think about it. Here’s my number.” He scribbled on the back of a receipt and thrust it at her. “Don’t take too long. I’m going to try a new agency first thing in the morning.”
“Thanks.” Paloma folded the scrap of paper. “I’ll give it some thought and get back to you.”
The expression on Finn’s face told her what he, at least, hoped her answer would be.