The village of Highfinch sits just on the edge of the Pepperstock Hills and the Lily Green Hollows Golf Club separates the village from the Hamlet of Lily Green, and the combination of those two and Kingfisherbridge made up the parish of St Martins.
It was also the home
of the Strong’s, brother and sister, Ben and Becky, who had a poultry farm on
the Northern side of the village.
They were both the
wrong end of their twenties and there were only the two of them left of the
Strong clan, but they had two people working for them, 22 year old local girl
Kamila Dziewirz, who was full time and thirty year old Greg Mizon, who Ben had
known at Agricultural College, who was just helping out for a few weeks, unless
they could persuade him to stay longer.
Which was something
Becky was particularly keen on from the moment she first saw him, but he’d been
working at the farm for several weeks before there was any impropriety between them,
but when it did occur she felt more alive than she had done for years.
When Ben went downstairs
for breakfast he found Becky in the kitchen, singing, and the reason she was so
happy, apart from the obvious, was that Greg had just told her he was staying
on, indefinitely.
“You’re in a good
mood” Ben said but she didn’t share the complete reason for her good mood with her
brother but replied
“Yes, I am, do you
want eggs babe?”
“Yes please” he
replied taking full advantage of her good humour
“Greg has decided to
stick around a bit longer” she said matter-of-factly
“He’s in the other
room, go and keep him company”
Becky instructed so he
duly obliged
“Morning Mate” he said
“It’s not just any old
morning” he responded, “it’s a magnificent morning?”
“Enough said” Ben answered
and smiled to himself just as Kamila arrived behind him having also experienced
little miss sunshine.
“Hi Kam” he said
“Hey Ben” she retorted
but couldn’t meet his gaze and quickly added “Well Greg, I hear you’re staying on
for a bit”
“That’s right”
“How long for?” Ben
asked
“Indefinitely” he
replied and there was a distinct smugness about him.
“So, what are we up to
today?” Kamila asked
“Well this morning we’re
going to get the enclosure ready for the new birds” Ben replied “So come on let’s
get going”
“Glen! can you bring
the dirty things to the kitchen?” Becky said as she appeared in the doorway.
“We were just heading
out” Ben said
“That’s ok we’ll catch
you up” she said cheerfully
“She’s very happy
today” Kam said as she and Ben walked across the yard
“She’s very something”
he responded enigmatically
“Have I missed
something?” Kamila asked
“I think you must
have” he replied
“So, what is it? What
have I missed?” she asked “Tell me, tell me”
“Well the reason Greg
is staying on with us, is Becky” he said
“Eh?”
“Ok let me put it
another way” he explained “She didn’t want him to help with clearing the
dishes”
“What then?” she asked
and then the penny dropped and then she giggled “Oh”
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