‘Guess what?’ He came and stood astride the front wheel of her cycle, resting his arms on the handle-bars. He leaned forward and planted a kiss on her mouth. Something had pleased him, Kate thought. He was grinning from ear to ear and forgetting to be cautious right outside the yard gate.

Carefully Kate said, ‘You haven’t found another job already?’

‘Nope – but I’ve got me old one back.’

Kate gave an exaggerated squeal of delight and hoped it sounded convincing. She flung her arms around Danny’s neck and hugged him. He grasped her arms and they were scuffling playfully when a sharp voice rang out in the still night air.

‘Kate! Kate – I want you in. Now!’

Danny let go of her as if he had been burned, and sprang away, but Kate merely called back over her shoulder, ‘I won’t be a minute, Mam.’ She leaned her cycle against the gate post and turned back to Danny. Lowering her voice, she said, ‘Now, tell me quickly. What happened?’

‘Squire sent a message I was to go up to the Grange. I was quaking in me boots, I can tell you, when I went into his study,’ Danny said.

So was I! thought Kate, but she said nothing, listening as Danny continued. ‘“I was a bit hasty yesterday,”’ he ses. “If you can get the motor put right, Eland, you can have your job back.” So I told him that ya stepdad reckoned he could fix it, and Squire said, “Godfrey’s word is good enough for me. He’s a good mechanic.”’

Kate’s heart warmed to the Squire for his praise of her stepfather.

‘Squire said,’ Danny’s even teeth shone white in the darkness as he grinned, ‘ya dad’s so clever with mechanical things he’s wasted on a farm, even though he comes in handy when we get a problem with the machinery. He put his hand on me shoulder as I was coming out and said, “You could do a lot worse than learn from Jonathan Godfrey.” Oh, Katie, I’m that glad to get me job back, I can tell you.’

Kate let out a long sigh too. ‘Well, that’s all right then.’ She moved closer to him, her mouth curving into a smile. ‘So when do I get another drive?’

‘You don’t!’ he replied shortly and then, obviously hearing the mischief in her tone, he reached out to grab her arms. ‘Oh, you tease, you . . .’

Kate dodged his grasp and squealing with glee, she began to run, across the lane and into the trees on the dunes, glancing back over her shoulder, inviting him to chase her.

Danny was not one to refuse such an invitation. Underfoot, twigs cracked whilst overhead, roosting birds fluttered from their resting place as the two youngsters, their laughter echoing in the stillness of the night, chased each other up and down the dunes like a couple of young puppies.