Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange by Jenny Kane (best free e reader .TXT) 📕

Letting a distance build up between them and the men, Tina whispered, ‘What do you think?’

‘I think Sam’s already made up his mind.’

‘He doesn’t know about the lad yet.’

‘Tom said he had a child on the application form.’ Thea watched as Sam pointed out different features in the landscape.

‘We can’t not employ him because of his child. If he was a woman we’d be sued for discrimination.’ Tina frowned. ‘I’m just not sure about a young boy being safe here, and I don’t fancy being a babysitter.’

Thea sighed. ‘I feel the same, otherwise, I’d be inclined to offer him the post. We should find out more about Dylan. We could well be jumping to conclusions.’

*

Helen heard four sets of footsteps approaching, and immediately excused herself from the student she was talking to. Brushing her muddy palms against the legs of her dungarees, she looked up, and was met by the greenest eyes she’d ever seen. Their brightness caught her off guard. Helen found herself turning away again to pick up a trowel she didn’t need.

She reached out a hand to shake his, but then withdrew it.

‘Helen Rodgers. Forgive me, I’m filthy.’ As soon as the word filthy left her lips Helen felt every freckle on her face light up like a beacon.

Biting the inside of her mouth, not daring to look at Thea or Tina in case their eyes were laughing at her, Helen examined the earth at her feet as Tom politely replied, ‘Believe me, a little excavation earth is not a problem. I’m delighted to meet you.’

Feeling suddenly under inspection, and convinced the shine in Tom’s eyes meant he hadn’t missed her unfortunate phrasing, Helen was relieved when Sam got on with the interview.

‘As you’ll know from the job advert and from discussions you’ve had with me, Tina and Thea, we have a potentially important site here, particularly in relation to the Roman occupation of the south-west.’ He held the geophysics plans out before him. ‘These were done for us by the Landscape Treasures team, and show how extensive this fortlet is.’

‘Landscape Treasures?’ Tom was impressed. ‘That’s quite something.’

‘We are fortunate to have strong links to the show. Hopefully, they’ll be here to film a little of the excavation early next month.’

Tina could feel Thea forcing herself not to glance in her direction. Did this mean Sam had heard from Shaun and that the filming was going ahead?

‘On television?’ Tom’s eyebrows rose. ‘Would that involve all your staff? I’ve never done anything like that.’

‘I imagine the angle of us training recovering military personnel as excavators would appeal as good television. Although no one would be forced to be involved. If screen time isn’t your thing, it would not affect whether you got the job or not.’

‘Thank you.’ Tom watched the steady peeling back of squares of turf. ‘Young workforce; university students?’

‘From Exeter, yes. We need the site opened, but no more for now. That will save the Landscape team time when they get here as their schedule is very tight.’ Sam turned to Helen, passing her the site plans. ‘Could I leave Tom in your capable hands while I have a talk with Thea and Tina?’

Helen wiped her palms on her legs again; this time because they were sweating. What’s the matter with you, woman? ‘I’d be delighted. Tom, would you like to borrow some overalls? I’d hate that suit to get dirty.’

*

Sam sat opposite Thea and Tina at the patio table near the kitchen door. He gestured to the open notebook Thea placed before him. ‘First impressions?’

‘He’s a nice man; passionate about his work.’ Tina looked over her shoulder towards the dig.

Thea agreed. ‘We both liked him, and although he drifted a while after he was demobbed – is that the word? – once Tom found his passion, he stuck to it. We only have one concern.’

‘Which is?’ Sam pulled the notes Thea had made during the interview closer, scanning them as he listened.

‘His five-year-old son, Dylan. That’s why he’s applied for this post. Tom is not living with the boy’s mother, and she has moved to Tiverton. We get the impression Tom shares child care and needs to be nearby.’

‘That’s not a problem surely? Tiverton’s only fifteen miles or so away.’

‘I wasn’t thinking of that. I was more considering the times when Tom has Dylan for the weekend or longer. How would that work if we needed Tom on site at the weekend?’

Sam tapped a pen on the notebook. ‘You have a point. I hadn’t envisaged children here. Not for a while at least.’

Tina caught Sam’s gaze, and couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face. He’d thought about them having children. Her heart felt as though it was glowing.

‘Until that time, I hadn’t thought about if the house was safe enough for enquiring young fingers. Although…’ Sam paused ‘…would it be so bad having a child here sometimes?’

‘Of course not. Not for us. But this place isn’t about us on an everyday basis. It’s about our guests. They might not want a young lad about the place.’

‘Or they might love it.’ Sam considered for a while. ‘We haven’t offered accommodation with the role, have we?’

‘We haven’t,’ Tina confirmed. ‘Tom told me he’s booked into the Stag and Hound tonight.’

‘Then let’s leave the question of living at Mill Grange unspoken for now.’ Sam watched Tom and Helen move around the fortlet. ‘If accommodation arrangements are a problem, he won’t take the job.’

‘You’d like him to though.’ Thea spoke the point as a statement not a question.

‘I think his knowledge of how the forces work and how service folk think will prove valuable. Combine that with the fact he is already employed in the sort of job we want doing here, then I think he’d be an asset.’ Sam laid down his pen and faced his colleagues. ‘What do you two think?’

Thea looked at Tina. ‘I think Helen fancies him. I wonder when she’ll realise?’

Thirty

September 22nd

Brushing