Janet’s head sank into her hands, her body shook.

“I didn’t mean to tell anybody, but you’ll understand because you love Dick. I love Donald. I can’t help it, but I do.”

“And doesn’t he love you?”

“I thought he was beginning to, but he was up and downish. One minute I’d think he’s starting to, then the next minute he was being stand-offish again, at least that’s what I thought; but now I know he’s in love with Gladys.”

Barbara sat up on her haunches.

“That’s not true!”

“It is. I saw him kissing her. I expect he’s made love to her ever since Anna died; anyway, if it’s not love he’s made her think it is.”

Barbara gasped.

“Goodness! When did you see them kissing?”

“Sheila and I stayed there to supper last night and . . .”

Barbara stopped her.

“All right, don’t tell me. I can guess. How hateful of him!”

“Oh, well, he was lonely, I expect.”

“It’s not that part I think hateful, it’s . . .” Barbara broke off, no point in adding to Janet’s misery by telling her that when she had talked to Donald about marriage he had excused himself on flaws in Janet’s character. “It’s deceiving everybody,” she finished lamely. She turned back to Janet. “What are you going to do?”

Janet shrugged her shoulders.

“I don’t know. My head aches so that I can’t think. I don’t believe I can go on working at the farm, and I can’t live here doing nothing. You see, when I was working in London I sent Mum money every week. She’s hardly any. She used all Dad left on bringing us up. Sheila will only earn money for herself.”

Barbara got up.

“Gosh! It is a mess!” She kissed Janet. “Don’t worry, we’ll think of something, I promise you we will, and, after all, Donald isn’t the only man in the world.”

Janet looked at her.

“Would you say that if it were Dick?”

Barbara was at the door. She turned. It was as if her smile was a lamp it shone so brightly.

“No. I was a fool to say that. For everybody, however many second bests they may find, there’ll always be only one man that really matters.”

Barbara slipped down the side of the clover and bean fields to the main road. She did not want to risk running into Donald. In her present mood she felt she might give him a piece of her mind. There was a hedge between the main road and the bean field. There was no way through it, and she had to follow it until it joined the farm road. She was nearly at the end of the hedge when a car stopped on the other side. She had her breath taken away at the sound of Dick’s voice.