Tess stared at her old friend. He had changed, to be sure, but he was still a boy and the thought of him marrying and taking on the Larkins’ ramshackle old farmhouse was hard to swallow. Jonty saw her staring and gave her a reassuring grin.

‘Ma reckons a farmer wants a wife . . .’ he began, but this was too much for Tess’s gravity and she burst into song.

‘The farmer wants a wife, the farmer wants a wife, ee-aye-endio, the farmer wants a wife.’ At this reminder of their old school game, Jonty began to laugh, and Mrs Bell looked from one to the other, a frown creasing her brow.

‘What’s so funny?’ she asked. ‘A farmer do want a wife. That’s not like other jobs. That take two to run a successful farm.’

‘Yes, I know, Ma, it was just that the words I used are the same in one of the games we played at school,’ Jonty said soothingly. He glanced at the draining board and saw that nothing remained to be done, and jerked his head at Tess. ‘Come on, Tess. I’ve got to shut the hens up before it gets dark – in case of foxes, remember? Going to come with me?’

‘Of course,’ Tess said quickly and was suddenly aware that she did not want to be left in the farmhouse with Mrs Bell. She realised she had never known the older woman very well, because what with school and the multitude of tasks on the farm she’d spent very little time actually talking to her, so she followed Jonty quickly.

Outside in the cool air of evening Jonty led her straight across to the stable where the two big carthorses Solomon and Sheba and the two ponies Rufus and Biddy lived. ‘Actually, Dad and I saw to the stock earlier, knowing you were coming,’ he said. ‘But Tibbs has had kittens in Sheba’s manger, and I thought you’d like to see them. We’ll keep one or two, because they’ll be good mousers like their mother, but the rest will go to neighbours. Want to take a look?’

Albert had a rush of customers after his latest delivery of cigarettes and tobacco, so he did not call on Mr Clarke to stand in for him until four days after Tess had left. He might not have done so then, but he had received a card from his young friend which had cheered him considerably. She said that she had reached Bell Farm safely and was enjoying both the work and meeting old friends, but had only been into the village once, because there’s so much to do here. Mr Bell has bought the farm next door, Willow Farm. The land is rather neglected, but not nearly as bad as the house. The family moved out six months ago and no one’s touched it since, but doubling the acreage has meant double the work. The Bells’ land girl has left as well which means Jonty and I are busy from dawn to dusk. Coming home will be a positive rest cure! Hope you are enjoying your coach trips. Wish you were here. With best wishes, Tess.