‘I left a message. Colin’s gone walkabout. I’m going to sweep up to your place and round. Have you seen him?’

‘No. I’ve been out here most of the day. I’ll keep an eye out for him.’

‘Thank you,’ said Maggie, becoming aware that Tom was staring at what Savage was carrying. ‘Ah, poor little soul didn’t make it.’ She nodded at the dead lamb carried loosely in his large hand.

‘Lost four today. They’re birthing too quick. And I’ll be damned if the fox is having them,’ said Savage.

‘I hope you have a better day tomorrow.’ Maggie restarted the bike.

‘Aye.’ He gave a brisk nod. ‘I might need a hand with feeding the cades. If I get any more multiples I’ll be overrun.’

‘Of course. Just bring them down.’

He nodded again and strode off. Tom was still watching Savage intently. ‘You okay?’ Maggie asked him.

‘Yeah, fine,’ he said, but he’d gone a little pale.

They set off again. Savage’s farmhouse was a grander affair than Maggie’s, set over three storeys with multiple barns and outbuildings. Maggie drove all around the yard area at the back as if she owned it too. A couple of dogs ran up to the bike barking. Maggie stopped and Tom hitched up his feet out of biting range.

‘It’s okay.’ She pointed at the black and white collie. ‘This is Mac and this is Rusty.’ The second dog was a similar size but a completely different colour.

‘He’s a nice colour,’ said Tom, tentatively pointing at Rusty. The dog came forward to sniff him and Tom snatched back his hand.

‘Red merle and it’s a bitch.’

Tom flinched at the word and Maggie chuckled to herself. ‘As in female dog. She won’t hurt you. She’s very gentle and very pregnant.’ Tom tentatively let Rusty sniff his fingers until Maggie fired up the quad bike again and the dogs retreated.

They seemed to follow a tree line from Savage’s farm for ages until they popped out near a pub garden. ‘Wait there,’ said Maggie, getting off. ‘I’d best warn them about Colin.’

When she returned Tom was off the bike and standing on the pub’s low wall. ‘Is everything all right?’ she asked.

‘I’ve seen him,’ said Tom, pointing up the lane. ‘He crossed the road, right up there. He was just a dot but I swear it’s him.’

‘Brilliant!’ They both jumped back on the bike like a pair of budget superheroes and set off across the grass verge.

‘Slow down,’ called Tom. ‘It was around here I think.’

Maggie did as he asked. ‘Which way was he going?’

‘That way,’ said Tom, pointing to the right. They were nearing the bus stop. ‘There!’ He shouted.