Paula tied the strings behind her back and watched while Dara picked up some more vegetables and pushed the top potato firmly with her hand as she wound the handle. She moved quickly and before long she had minced vegetables oozing into the bowl.

“Think you can manage it?” Dara’s piercing green eyes sparkled.

“I’ll give it a try.” Paula pushed some vegetables in and held the top piece firmly as she turned the handle. She felt the grind of the mincer shudder up to her fingers. A sudden image of Bruce flashed into her head. He’d got his foot caught in a similar mechanism, used to move grain out of the storage bin. She winced as she watched the vegetables come out of the mincer. It didn’t bear thinking about how lucky he’d been.

“How’s harvest going out your way?” Dara’s question brought Paula back to the present, where her hand had involuntarily eased on the vegetables. Not a lot was being minced. She dropped some more in the top and pressed firmly again.

“I’m not sure,” she said. “Did it take you long to understand what Chris was up to all day?”

“I knew he was busy at the farm.”

“I try to help where I can but I still don’t know most of what Dan does when he leaves the house.”

“Give yourself a break.” Dara looked up from the dough she was rolling. “You haven’t even lived here for a full year. Besides, I never actually lived on the farm, remember. Chris has a mother and a sister-in-law out there. I’m the town wife who sends food for the busy times but, other than that, I don’t know one end of a sheep from the other or an air seeder from a harvester.”

“I just think I’ve got that sorted out and something changes or they drag another piece of machinery out of the shed. I want to understand but I find accounting makes much more sense.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Paula. No one expects you to understand farming overnight. Even the jolly farmers don’t understand it sometimes. Besides, every business needs an accountant.” Dara smiled. “Chris and I are certainly thankful for your expertise.”

“Is Chris happier now that you’ve got the business up and running?”

“Thanks to your great plan.”

“Oh, no…” Paula threw Dara an apologetic glance. “You already had a great business, I just pointed out some…”

“Major improvements. It’s okay, Paula. Chris and I are grateful you came along when you did. You could see the bigger picture we desperately wanted. Chris goes out to the farm when they need him. Otherwise he’s here with me and we work the shop and the B & B together, blissfully happy, thanks to you.”