‘Wow, this looks very professional,’ she said as they walked towards a gate that led to the outside yards. Stuart gave a loud whistle, and within moments the two black-and-white border collies appeared and began to push the mob of sheep forward, who rushed into the first, largest yard inside the shed. When they were all in, Stuart shut the gate behind them and moved through the sea of woolly sheep to come back to her side.

‘Do you think you can work the gates for me?’ he asked, waving her over to the end of a long race where a small gate divided two separate yards. ‘Geordie’ll open the one at that end to send them in, and then you’ll be up the other end to let them out as I’m done with them.’

‘Okay,’ she said a little warily. It sounded simple enough.

Elle heard a little snicker, and Gran’s voice in her ear: Good luck, darling.

Gran! Where have you been hiding? Elle asked, relieved she could still hear her.

Oh, here and there, Gran replied breezily. I must say, I never thought I’d see you doing farm work.

That makes two of us, Elle answered dryly. Thank goodness no one back home can see me now.

There was no time for further musings as she watched Stuart put on a backpack attached to a long hose with a nozzle on the end. ‘I’ll worm them, then send them down to you, okay?’ he called as he leaned over the side of the narrow race.

‘Okay,’ she called back nervously, taking hold of the long bar that would open the gate.

‘Open,’ he called and she pulled the lever. Immediately sheep began to push through the narrow opening as the dogs barked at the back of the crowd, holding them in a tight formation, unable to run back the way they’d come.

Elle stood by the lever, waiting as Stuart stuck the drench into the sheep’s mouth and Geordie sprayed them with a coloured tin of paint. ‘Open,’ he called as he let that one go and grabbed the next. The sheep heading towards her suddenly looked much bigger than she’d been expecting. It was running quite fast. She pulled the handle quickly and closed her eyes as the animal shot by and into the open yard beyond. By the fifth or sixth time, she’d almost got used to it and could open the gate without closing her eyes.

They worked surprisingly quickly, and Elle found herself admiring the strength it took to hold each animal still enough to insert the nozzle into its mouth. She was also impressed by the way the dogs worked, very much like two more employees, but far cuter with their long lolling tongues and big brown eyes.