When the Heather Blooms (17 page)

Chapter Sixteen

Peter always glanced over the
Situations Vacant
column in the farming press but the following May there was one in the
Farmers' Weekly
which grabbed his full attention. It was for a working farm manager for Croston Estate, to be responsible for the day-to-day organisation of the three farms which were in hand and to liaise with the factor.

‘I saw it,' Mr Draper greeted him with a wry smile as soon as he saw him crossing the yard. ‘I've just been saying to Mrs D. “if Peter sees this we shall be losing him, like as not.” She has always said you'd head back to Scotland one day.'

‘I don't think I've enough experience for such a job yet,' Peter said, ‘but it's so close to where I belong I must have a go. You do understand, Mr Draper?'

‘I do, lad. We don't want to lose you but you can't keep a good man down. You've worked hard while you've been with us and you're reliable and honest. I shall miss you, but you deserve a good reference so you can count on me for that.'

Peter was pleased to be offered an interview. His two Suffolk ewes had produced three ewe lambs and a ram lamb between them. He would have to sell them all if he did get the job at Croston and that would be a blow. He decided to let fate decide.

‘It will likely be young Mr Gerald and the factor who will interview you,' Andrew told him. ‘Lord Croston has handed the estate over to his son but he still lives up at the Manor himself. His son must be about forty I think but he's not married. He spends a lot of his time abroad, or so I hear. You can borrow the car to go for the interview.' So far Peter had resisted buying a car of his own. He never lost sight of his dream to rent a small farm so he saved his money.

Peter arrived in good time and parked beside two more cars a short distance from the farm office. He wondered if the cars belonged to other applicants. The farm steading appeared to stretch out behind the office. He was early so he strolled to the side of a track which seemed to lead to the fields. He hoped he would get a look round the estate even if they didn't offer him the job. It looked tidy and well maintained as far as he could see. He was deep in thought so he didn't pay much attention when he heard a tractor chugging down the track towards the steading. It was almost abreast of him when he looked up and saw the tractor and trailer slowing ready to turn towards the farm buildings. Everything seemed to happen in a split second. In the instant he recognised John Dunnet as the driver a small figure hurled itself from the tractor, shrieking his name. Peter dived forward instinctively. His fingers clawed at the child's jacket, not a hair's breadth away from the massive rear wheel. He hauled him into the air. They fell backwards together, Peter still clutching the boy.

‘My God, Rory Robin, don't ever, ever, do that again!' he gasped. ‘You could have been killed.'

‘You still call me Rory Robin,' the boy chortled, heedless of his brush with death. ‘I'm Roryeee.'

Peter scrambled to his feet and saw the white face of John Dunnett above him, half out of the tractor, clutching the other twin by the back of his jacket. Apparently he had been about to follow. He closed his eyes again, trying to shut out the picture which flashed through his mind. He was mortified when his stomach lurched and he knew he was going to be sick. He released his grip on the little boy and jerked aside. When he regained control he found John Dunnett had climbed down from the tractor and was holding the boys firmly by their collars. His face was chalky white and he looked apprehensive. The door of the farm office had opened and two men were standing there. The older of the two looked furious.

‘Dunnett,' he bellowed, ‘I've told you before you're not to have those brats of yours with you on the tractor. It's far too dangerous.'

‘I-I'm sorry Mr S-Stacey,' John Dunnett, mumbled. ‘Rory recognised Peter. Before I realised h-he …' He couldn't go on. Like Peter he was visualising what had almost happened. Peter was surprised the twins still remembered him. He knew they had had two more long periods with Charlotte while their mother was in hospital but it must be eight or nine months since he had seen them last.

‘Is your wife in hospital again, John?' the other man asked.

‘No, Mr Gerald, sir. B-but she's not well. I-I brought the boys out with me because Doctor Ritchie is coming in to see her.'

‘I see. And how do the twins know …?' he looked at Peter. ‘Mr Jacobs, is it? You are here for an interview?'

‘That's right.' Peter nodded, still shaken, and embarrassed by his reaction. There was no chance they would be offering the job of manager to a man who reacted like a girl. John Dunnett was explaining how the twins knew him.

‘I'm surprised they remembered me,' he mumbled.

‘I take them to visit Mr and Mrs Pringle and wee Lucy,' John Dunnett said. ‘They always hope ye'll be there. Bairns don't forget folks who are kind to them. My two have had a rough passage since my wife took ill.' He looked towards Mr Stacey and there was faint reproach in his glance. Gerald Croston saw it but he knew his factor deserved his support.

‘We sympathise with your family troubles, John, but we can't allow you to have the boys with you on the tractors,' he said.

‘I understand, sir, but I think my wife will be going back into hospital today,' John Dunnett said. ‘We're hoping Mrs Pringle will foster them again. They'll be starting school in the autumn.'

‘I see, well do your best to keep them out of danger.'

‘Aye, Mr Gerald, thank you.' He turned to Peter. ‘I dinna ken how to thank ye. You saved my laddie's life,' he said.

‘Yes, he did. I expect a cup of hot coffee would be welcome, Mr Jacobs?' Gerald Croston suggested.

‘I'll not waste your time, thank you, sir,' Peter said.

‘But you are here for an interview?' Croston asked in surprise.

‘Would you still consider me after such a display?'

‘That was quick-thinking and courage, man.' Peter looked at him. He had acted on instinct. Now his suit was a dusty mess and he felt as though his insides had been turned outside.

‘I suggest we all go up to the house for a drink of coffee. After that we shall take you for a drive round the three farms, Peter Jacobs. Our questions can wait. You may have a few of your own to ask.'

‘Thank you,' Peter said, dusting down his one decent suit.

It was a long morning of looking and questions and at the end of it Peter felt drained and the beginnings of a headache throbbed in his temple. It was two o' clock by the time he returned to Langmune but Victoria had saved his dinner. He felt better when he had eaten. He began to tell her about the disastrous start to his day, and his subsequent interview.

‘They said they would let all the applicants know by the end of May. Whoever is successful would need to start at the beginning of August.'

‘Oh, that's splendid,' Victoria said. ‘You would be able to give Mr Draper two months' notice and I know you didn't want to leave him in the lurch.' Peter laughed at her enthusiasm.

‘They haven't offered the job to me and I don't think they will. They said they would prefer someone older and married. There's a house available. I told them I live in a cottage on my own in Gloucestershire but they didn't seem impressed. The manager has to live on the estate.'

‘Well that would be all right, except for your sheep of course,' Victoria said. ‘You could continue renting out Ivy Cottage while you live rent free in a tied cottage. Alma is so settled in Darlonachie I think she hopes you will sell her the cottage one day.'

‘Mmm, we'll have to wait and see. The housekeeper remembered me from that time I found Lord Croston injured in the woods. Do you remember? Mr Stacey made some joke about me making a habit of rescuing people. I think he was being sarcastic.'

‘He has a good reputation as a factor, I think,' Victoria said. ‘Andrew will know. He's eager to hear about the estate.'

‘They said it was in my favour to have Andrew Pringle for my uncle and to have had my pre-college experience at Langmune,' Peter told her.

‘Did they?' Victoria beamed with pride.

‘They were not happy about me having sheep of my own. Mr Draper had mentioned them in his reference. Mr Stacey made it clear I wouldn't be permitted to keep them on the estate if I did get the job. I've been lucky with the Drapers.'

‘So you'll not feel all is lost if you don't get the job, Peter?'

‘We-ell … it would have been good to be back near everybody and the pay would be half as much again, but there would be more responsibility.'

Later that evening Charlotte telephoned to say Mrs Dunnett had been taken into hospital again and she had the twins staying.

‘Mr Dunnett told me about Peter saving Rory's life,' she told Victoria. ‘He's tremendously grateful. He asked if I would tell Peter again.'

‘Mmm,' Victoria murmured, ‘I think Peter played that bit down. He was more concerned with being sick in front of them all and showing himself up.'

‘From the way I heard it they all thought it was his prompt action which saved Rory from being crushed under the tractor wheel. It would be wonderful if he gets the job and moves back up here.'

Mimi prayed that Peter would move back to Darlonachie but she was busy studying for her Scottish Certificate of Education. Lachie had had excellent passes at ordinary level last year and he was studying hard for his higher grades this year.

Victoria's first thought was there'd been an accident when Peter telephoned long distance in the middle of the morning towards the end of May.

‘There's nothing wrong!' Peter laughed aloud. ‘I had to tell somebody. I've been offered the job at Croston Estate.'

‘Peter! Oh how wonderful!' Victoria almost wept at the news. ‘We'll phone you tonight so that Andrew can congratulate you too.'

‘All right. I shall not be coming back up to Scotland until I finish working for Mr Draper at the end of July.'

Later that evening, after he had finished congratulating him, Andrew announced, ‘I have another bit of news for you, Peter. I've been down to see Josh since we heard your news. He's willing to rent his fields to you if you want to keep your sheep. He says the rent will be the same as I pay now.'

‘B-but won't you mind giving up the twenty acres, Uncle Andrew?' Peter asked in astonishment.

‘Not now. Lachie has made up his mind to be a vet and I have plenty with Langmune and Throstlebrae. If it hadn't been Josh who was renting out the two fields at Lintysmill I wouldn't have bothered anyway.'

‘I can't believe it!' Peter said. ‘I long to keep my sheep and Lintysmill fields would be ideal. They're not far from where I shall be living at Croston.'

‘There's no shelter for the ewes for lambing,' Andrew reminded him and I imagine your pedigree Suffolks are a lot softer than Willie's Blackface ewes.'

‘We-ell Mr Draper pampers them a bit because they are quite valuable.'

‘Josh says he'll help you erect a shelter in the field near his orchard if you like. It would have to be at weekends, though, and he doesn't want to encourage you to neglect your work as manager.'

‘Oh no, that would never do. I must look after my bread and butter job first. Don't worry Uncle Andrew, much as I enjoy having my few sheep I hope I shall never neglect my work.'

Peter returned to Darlonachie in the summer of nineteen sixty-four. As soon as he crossed the Solway Firth and saw the four tall towers of Scotland's first atomic energy plant a few miles from Annan he knew he was almost home. Home, yes, Darlonachie was his home now.

Mimi was delighted when she knew she had passed all her ordinary level exams with excellent grades. Lachie had done exceptionally well in his higher grades. The results were good enough to gain an acceptance at university but he was still seventeen. His teachers advised him to spend another year at school but Lachie had other ideas. He decided he would work for a year at Langmune if his father would pay him a wage. He would go to Edinburgh University to study veterinary science when he was eighteen.

Fraser thought they should have a celebration of all the good news but it was Peter who suggested Mimi should accompany them to the Saturday night dance. Willie was dismayed.

‘Mimi willna be able to dance. They'll make a fool of her, and then she'll be left sitting at the side. I can't …'

‘Hush, Willie, don't say that,' Mary urged. ‘The boys wouldn't offer to take her with them if they were going to abandon her. Anyway I don't think the dancing is the same as it was when we used to go, and not all the boys are experts like you and George were. Mimi's got to grow up …'

‘She's still a bairn.'

‘Oh, Willie!' Mary sighed with unusual exasperation. ‘She's sixteen. She's not your wee girl any longer. Haven't you noticed she's a pretty young woman, even if I do say it about my own daughter.'

‘I don't care. She's not going to the dancing.' Willie declared and stomped out of the house. He and Mary seldom disagreed and when they did it was never more than a mild difference of opinion. Her heart ached for Mimi. She knew how much she wanted to dress up and go to dances like other girls. Unknown to either of them Mimi had heard their quarrel and she stole out of the house to hide her tears.

She knew it was Peter's idea to take her to the dance and she longed to go with him, but deep down she knew her father was right. Who would want to dance with a girl who limped all the time?

She had walked further than she realised and she found herself near to Home Farm. Libby had always comforted her when she was little and Mimi sought her now. When she heard what had happened Libby was as annoyed with her beloved Uncle Willie as Mary.

‘Most of the dancing these days is doing your own thing. The girls don't wait for a partner to ask them either. Anyway, Peter would never take you and then leave you alone. Shall I talk to Uncle Willie?'