Birds Of A Feather Episode 27
Paloma was surprised to see Will when she let herself into the farmhouse before going to collect Finn from school.
“I thought you were still working at Bridgwater?” she commented.
“I’m moving cattle to new pasture. I can only take a few at a time in the trailer. How was Finn today?”
“He went off quite happily,” Paloma replied.
In fact, he’d been a lot more outgoing and had chattered away most of the way to school.
Will cleared his throat.
“Laundry’s not included in your list of duties.”
“I realise that,” she said. “I’m one of those strange people who enjoy ironing, so it was my pleasure.”
“And sewing on buttons?” he said, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“That, too.” She grinned. “I’m old fashioned.”
His next question took her by surprise.
“You work at Folly Farm, don’t you?”
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
“I hope not,” he said. “Only I couldn’t help noticing a couple of travellers’ vans in the car park up there.”
“Why should that mean trouble?” she asked.
“We’ve had problems with travellers in the past.”
“They’re not setting up an encampment,” Paloma pointed out.
“One of their vans has broken down and the other van belongs to the man who’s come to fix it. They’ll be gone soon.”
Paloma looked at her watch.
“I’d better collect Finn. He told me that he’s having a recorder lesson today which he was looking forward to.”
“Did he?” Will looked surprised. “Well, you’ve got more out of him in twenty-four hours than I have since he came back from Dorset.”
When Paloma collected Finn from school, she was surprised to see him smile at her as she approached.
He looked a different boy when his scowl was replaced by a smile.
“How did the recorder lesson go?” she asked.
“Good,” he said. “We learned a new note. It’s G. And it’s really hard.”
As she turned into Folly Farm, she noticed the travellers’ vans were still in the car park.
“Go and make yourself comfortable in the tea room, Finn, while I do the milking,” she said. “It won’t take long.”
“Can I come?” he asked.
The question took her by surprise.
“I thought you didn’t like goats?”
He looked serious.
“I could maybe learn to like them.”
But Finn didn’t like the goats – he loved them. Particularly when one of them stretched her neck towards him and began to nibble at his shoes.
“Would you like to give her some hay?” Paloma suggested. “That would be better for her than your shoelaces.”
The inquisitive goat was used to being handled and was eager to take the hay from his hand.
Finn spent the rest of the time there happily feeding the goats.
“They like you, Finn.” Paloma grinned. “You’ve got a way with animals.”
He squirmed with pleasure.
“Can I help tomorrow?”
“You certainly can.”
“Pa – Pavlova?”
Paloma smothered a smile. From the earnestness of his expression, this was no time to correct him.
Besides, she quite liked his version of her name.
“Yes?” she asked gently.
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he smoothed his hand across the goat’s head and spoke in a low voice she had to strain to hear.
“My grandma said –”
He stopped as Lisa came into the dairy.
The moment had passed.