But at this point Jonty had broken in. ‘She works just as hard as Patty did, and a good deal harder than Adam,’ he had said angrily. ‘And in your heart you know it. If she were to leave tomorrow we’d be in dead trouble and so I’m telling you.’

But his mother refused to be convinced. ‘She do very well out of us,’ she repeated obstinately. ‘And now let’s hear no more, Jonty. No one’s ever accused me of acting unfair or bein’ mean, and I won’t have you sayin’ such things.’

Tess, shaking caterpillars out of the cabbage, had grinned to herself. She knew a great many girls who would have been horrified had someone asked them to work as hard as she had been doing without a wage, but she was not one of them. It would have been nice had Mrs Bell handed over a few bob at the end of the week, but because they had bought the farm next door she appreciated that money was tight, or tighter than usual at any rate. So when she went downstairs on the day after the storm she expected to be given a great many jobs, but hoped she and Jonty might have the evening free to see the cinema show in the village hall.

Mr Bell was working with Adam, milking the cows, so it was only her, Mrs Bell and Jonty who sat down to the usual farm breakfast of homemade sausages, eggs and fried bread. Tess thought Mrs Bell seemed somewhat uneasy, and presently realised why, when her hostess cleared her throat and began to speak.

‘Well, Tess my dear, you couldn’t have come to stay at a worse time, what with storms, and that there twister thing a-ruinin’ of the wheat crop. You and Jonty will be busy today, because the poultry will have to be rounded up and a great deal of repair work put in hand. Father and I took a look round, what he called “assessing the damage”, and it’s plain he and Adam will be busy remakin’ the poultry run, mendin’ fences an’ seein’ to any injured stock. That means you and Jonty here will have to fetch in the hens and recapture any pigs what have broke out of their field last night, to say nothin’ of makin’ sure all the cattle are properly fenced in and not runnin’ wild across the marshes.’ She smiled ingratiatingly at Tess. ‘But once that’s done you can have the rest of the day to yourselves to go into the village and meet your old friends.’

Jonty snorted. ‘Some time we’ll have free after doin’ that little lot,’ he said bitterly. ‘Mebbe the poultry will come back when we take their food out to them, but pigs can be that contrary I reckon it’ll be a week before we’ve got them all back in the hazel pasture. Tell you what, Ma, have you forgotten the cinema show is due to come to the village hall today? If you give us our ticket money and a bit extra for cushies – it’s nice to have somethin’ to suck when you’re watching a fillum, and I’ve got some coupons over – we can have at least one afternoon off.’