!’ Feeling playful, Molly drew Tom towards the big hay barn at Tanner’s Farm. ‘Nobody ever comes in here outside of work,’ she explained. ‘We could stay here all night if needs be, and no one would ever know.’
‘I’m not sure I’d want to stay here all night.’ Tom was surprised and a little concerned that she had brought him onto the farm after all. It made him nervous. ‘I bet there are mice and even rats hiding in here … and what if someone
does
come in and find us?’ He stole a look behind him.
‘Trust me, there won’t be anyone here at this time of night.’ Reaching into the deep crack under the window ledge, she collected the big, iron key along with a bulky torch. ‘Ah,’ she waved the key at Tom, ‘I’m glad they still hide the key there.’ With a flourish she slid the big key into the lock and eased open the heavy door. ‘Come on, hurry up!’
When they were both inside, she spread her hands across the big door, and pushed it shut. That done, she carefully directed the narrow torch-beam in order to locate the switch, then switched on the light.
‘Hmm. There’s not much more light now than there was with the torch,’ Tom commented.
‘No matter,’ Molly retorted. ‘As long as it’s just enough to guide us, that’s all we need.’ She swept the place with a long, searching look, quickly satisfied that they were the only people there. ‘See, quiet as a graveyard. We’ll be all right in here.’
Greatly relieved, Tom chuckled like a naughty schoolboy. ‘So it’s just us two lovebirds, eh?’
‘Come on, you big old softy!’
Taking him by the hand, Molly led him further into the barn. The two of them followed a well-worn path between the bales. Wide enough to get a man and barrow through, it led them to the heart of the barn.
‘Wow!’ Tom was amazed to find himself surrounded by mountainous walls of hay bales, neatly stacked almost to the roof.
With the overhead light being barely adequate, Molly kept the torch trained low to the ground as she went, keeping a wary eye on Tom, who followed nervously not far behind.
‘Good grief! Where the devil are we going, Molly? … Are you sure you closed that door tight? … Ooh, look at that; I’ve never seen so much hay all in one place. It must have taken a long time to get it all stacked and safe.’
‘You don’t know anything about farming, do you?’ Molly teased him, rolling her eyes.
‘No, I don’t, and am never likely to. I work in a factory and I live in town. There ain’t no fields there, an’ there ain’t no hay-eating animals that I know of!’
‘Well, just so you won’t be totally ignorant, I’ll explain. The hay is cut and collected off the fields towards the end of summer, and fed to the animals over the winter months. John grows some of it for his own animals, but at least half gets sold to local beef and pork farmers who don’t have enough land for growing their own fodder. That works out well for everyone: it helps the farmers to feed their herds, and it also brings in more cash for us. Once the hay is inside, it’s no trouble as long as it’s kept in the right conditions.’
‘Hey, I’m not altogether stupid, Molly. But thanks for the information.’
Proceeding into the belly of the dimly lit barn, he glanced furtively about him, as though fearing some dark shape would leap out and swallow him up. When Molly quickened her steps, he broke into a clumsy little run behind her. He was definitely not comfortable in amongst this mountain of hay. What if the bales should fall on him? What if someone was watching them right now? And what about rats – how could he be sure they were not waiting to pounce? The thought made him shiver.
Mentally shaking himself, he concentrated on Molly. He did love her, even though, through all the years, she had never once contacted him. Tonight he had engineered a meeting in the pub, and it proved only how much he had missed her and how lonely his life had been
‘I’m not sure I’d want to stay here all night.’ Tom was surprised and a little concerned that she had brought him onto the farm after all. It made him nervous. ‘I bet there are mice and even rats hiding in here … and what if someone
does
come in and find us?’ He stole a look behind him.
‘Trust me, there won’t be anyone here at this time of night.’ Reaching into the deep crack under the window ledge, she collected the big, iron key along with a bulky torch. ‘Ah,’ she waved the key at Tom, ‘I’m glad they still hide the key there.’ With a flourish she slid the big key into the lock and eased open the heavy door. ‘Come on, hurry up!’
When they were both inside, she spread her hands across the big door, and pushed it shut. That done, she carefully directed the narrow torch-beam in order to locate the switch, then switched on the light.
‘Hmm. There’s not much more light now than there was with the torch,’ Tom commented.
‘No matter,’ Molly retorted. ‘As long as it’s just enough to guide us, that’s all we need.’ She swept the place with a long, searching look, quickly satisfied that they were the only people there. ‘See, quiet as a graveyard. We’ll be all right in here.’
Greatly relieved, Tom chuckled like a naughty schoolboy. ‘So it’s just us two lovebirds, eh?’
‘Come on, you big old softy!’
Taking him by the hand, Molly led him further into the barn. The two of them followed a well-worn path between the bales. Wide enough to get a man and barrow through, it led them to the heart of the barn.
‘Wow!’ Tom was amazed to find himself surrounded by mountainous walls of hay bales, neatly stacked almost to the roof.
With the overhead light being barely adequate, Molly kept the torch trained low to the ground as she went, keeping a wary eye on Tom, who followed nervously not far behind.
‘Good grief! Where the devil are we going, Molly? … Are you sure you closed that door tight? … Ooh, look at that; I’ve never seen so much hay all in one place. It must have taken a long time to get it all stacked and safe.’
‘You don’t know anything about farming, do you?’ Molly teased him, rolling her eyes.
‘No, I don’t, and am never likely to. I work in a factory and I live in town. There ain’t no fields there, an’ there ain’t no hay-eating animals that I know of!’
‘Well, just so you won’t be totally ignorant, I’ll explain. The hay is cut and collected off the fields towards the end of summer, and fed to the animals over the winter months. John grows some of it for his own animals, but at least half gets sold to local beef and pork farmers who don’t have enough land for growing their own fodder. That works out well for everyone: it helps the farmers to feed their herds, and it also brings in more cash for us. Once the hay is inside, it’s no trouble as long as it’s kept in the right conditions.’
‘Hey, I’m not altogether stupid, Molly. But thanks for the information.’
Proceeding into the belly of the dimly lit barn, he glanced furtively about him, as though fearing some dark shape would leap out and swallow him up. When Molly quickened her steps, he broke into a clumsy little run behind her. He was definitely not comfortable in amongst this mountain of hay. What if the bales should fall on him? What if someone was watching them right now? And what about rats – how could he be sure they were not waiting to pounce? The thought made him shiver.
Mentally shaking himself, he concentrated on Molly. He did love her, even though, through all the years, she had never once contacted him. Tonight he had engineered a meeting in the pub, and it proved only how much he had missed her and how lonely his life had been
Similar Books
