Wait for Me by Caroline Leech

Author:Caroline Leech
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2016-11-25T16:00:00+00:00

Seventeen

On Thursday after breakfast, John Jo told Lorna that he and their father would be going to Dunbar in the afternoon to see the feed merchant. Lorna had a feeling they would also visit a few of the farms and pubs where John Jo was best known. Though part of her wished she could go too, and spend more time with her brother, she was also pleased to know they would be away from the farm till teatime at least.

Over the last week, after she’d come home from school and finished her chores, she’d spent an hour or so helping Paul with his work in the vegetable garden or the lambing shed, until she had to go to serve up the tea, and Lorna enjoyed this brief time together.

That afternoon, she headed out with a bowl of kitchen scraps to feed to the chickens and was delighted to find Paul at the chicken run, filling a hole under the wire netting where a fox had been digging. Caddy, the young collie, sniffed busily around. When she heard Lorna approach, she dashed over with a quick bark and gave Lorna’s shoes, skirt, and the bowl of scraps a cursory sniff before returning to the more interesting smells near Paul.

“Once upon a time, Caddy-girl,” said Lorna, “you and I were inseparable. Look at you now, you fickle besom.”

Paul looked up from where he was crouched and smirked, nodding at the china bowl in her hands.

“My tea is ready early tonight, yes?”

Lorna regarded the chopped mess of potato and carrot peelings, apple cores, and goodness knew what else and grimaced.

“I think there may be something tastier still to come, but if you’re hungry now . . .”

She moved toward Paul, holding the bowl at an angle as if to pour the scraps over his head, but she swerved away at the last second, opening the catch on the gate instead.

“Das wagst du nicht,” said Paul, sitting back onto his heels and shaking his head. Was there a wicked glimmer in his eye?

“I beg your pardon?” Lorna giggled. “You called me a what?”

“I said, ‘You wouldn’t dare.’”

“Oh, wouldn’t I?”

Lorna picked up a handful of the slimy scraps and made to throw it at Paul. He laughed and put up an arm to protect himself, but instead, Lorna just tossed the scraps into the run toward the chickens, which all came over bustling and pecking as if they hadn’t been fed in a week.

“I told you that you would not dare,” singsonged Paul, as Lorna emptied out the remainder of the peelings, and then shut the gate and slid the wide wooden catch back into place.

“Ha! Don’t count on it. I’ll get you next time.” Lorna loved seeing Paul relaxed and having fun, almost as if they shared a normal life.

“Can I help you?” she offered.

“Not right now,” said Paul, “but in a minute, yes, if you have time.”

“Of course. I’d be happy to.”

If only he knew how happy.

Lorna walked over and set the bowl

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