Jack’s enquiry is unexpected. ‘He got too near the edge and fell into the mere. I don’t like him being in the field now unless I can give him my full attention.’

‘I don’t want to stay with Muriel,’ Tom whines, earning himself a sharp reprimand from the housekeeper.

‘What if I come? Keep an eye on him?’ Jack waits for Gwen’s answer as Tom darts her an apprehensive look.

‘Yes, why not?’ Nora chips in. ‘That seems like a good compromise to me.’

Gwen realises she has been boxed in. Tom is notably quiet. The tension emanating from his little body is palpable, but before she can provide him with an honourable withdrawal, Nora tugs his chair from the table. ‘Come on, young man, let’s get you kitted up and out. You can help me get the seed sacks. We’ll be like Jack and the Beanstalk today.’

Cornered, Tom scrambles off his chair and allows Nora to lead him to the door. Gwen helps him on with his coat and boots and without further discussion he heads outside with the Land Girl.

‘I hope you don’t mind,’ Jack says when they are gone.

‘It’ll do Tom good,’ Muriel pipes up, clearing away the breakfast things. She meets Jack’s eye. ‘It’ll do him good to spend some time with you.’ She shoots Gwen a pointed look.

Gwen chooses to ignore her and takes her jacket down from the peg and pulls on her boots. The door shudders to behind her.

‘They need time, Jack,’ Muriel says, her hands in the sink. She looks at him over her shoulder. ‘They both need time.’

Gwen and Nora are attaching the seed drill to the Fordson when he joins them. Tom is sitting in the tractor seat, his hands on the steering wheel pretending to drive. He falls silent as Jack approaches and casts a nervous look towards his mother.

Nora’s broad grin is more welcoming. ‘I don’t suppose you fancy giving me a hand with the bean seed?’

Gwen glances up, but quickly looks away. With no reason to refuse, Jack accompanies the Land Girl across the yard to the barn.

‘It’s over here,’ she says, her voice echoing under the pitched rafters. She leads him into the far corner, where hessian sacks are stacked against each other. She searches through until she finds the bean seed. ‘Here we are. Can you take one and I’ll grab the other?’

‘Aye, no bother.’ Jack heaves the sack onto his shoulder. Nora grins. Her fingers casually touch his upper arm.

‘Nice to have an extra set of muscles about the place.’

‘It seems you’ve been managing right tidy as you are.’

She pulls a face and hefts the other sack into her arms. ‘All the same, it’s nice to share the load.’ She sidles up to him. ‘Nice to have a big strong man to help out.’