Maggie braced herself and knocked on the gate. Colin was a young Jacob ram. Colin’s head shot up and he eyed her with disdain. Maggie always let him know she was there because he was even more aggressive when startled. He waggled his head as if limbering up for a fight. The ram tilted his head forward presenting his heavy horns in challenge.

She lifted the fraying rope from the post, opened the gate and dashed in with the bucket. She sloshed the water into his trough and turned to face him. Colin came thundering across the field and she held the bucket in front of her for protection. Colin glanced off it and retreated in preparation for a second attack.

He’d been hand-reared by a farmer she knew and she had jumped at the chance to borrow him to service her ewes. That had been back in August and some eight months later she now understood why the owners were in no hurry to have him back. Colin was permanently angry and slightly unhinged. Maggie hurried out of the field and shut the gate behind her as Colin charged at it, making it rattle. It was the same every morning.

This time of year, Maggie had to check the ewes carefully. She bred Jacobs with Poll Dorsets to get lavenders, which had the most beautiful colour fleece. Of her flock she was hoping quite a few were pregnant and due to lamb shortly. That was assuming Colin had managed to put aside his hostile nature long enough but she wasn’t convinced he’d got the hang of it. She didn’t mind how many lambs – any would be a bonus as long as they arrived safely. The weather was mild, which was a blessing for lambing season. She’d spent too many nights in the cold and a couple of years ago she’d had two ewes deliver in the snow. The sheep all grazed naturally on the grass and wild herbs that grew in the pastures.

She whistled and they all looked up, took a moment to register who it was and then her three favourites sauntered over. They were called Barbara, Nancy and Dolly. They didn’t know their names – sheep were fairly stupid and not capable of responding to individual naming conventions – but that hadn’t stopped Maggie taking a great deal of time over choosing their monikers.