Zara Stoneley - Summer with the Country Village Vet

Of course. And what the hell were ‘chucks’?

‘He does like a bit of company and a walk round the green now and then but he’s no bother at all if he’s got his harness on, oh and little Mischief.’

‘Mischief?’

‘The pony, love, I mean once the kids outgrew him we couldn’t just sell him could we? Is that it Jim?’ She frowned, doing a mental check of her menagerie. ‘Oh and Gertie, silly goose me,’ she guffawed at her own joke, ‘how could I forget her? Right then, I’m so glad that’s settled, a weight off my mind.’ She licked cream off her finger. ‘I’d take you up there and show you round, but I can’t get away until 5pm. Jim can take you for a quick shifty, can’t you, dear?’

‘I certainly can, and our dear headmaster asked if I could introduce her to young Charlie, let her try out her skills of persuasion, so we can pop in there too.’

Annie chuckled, a rolling sound that seemed to come from the very centre of her. ‘He’s not daft our Timothy. Good luck with that then dear, I’m sure you stand more chance than all those other old codgers, though I think he even managed to duck out when they sent Jill. Always did have a stubborn streak in him, that one.’

‘I’m sorry, who is this Charlie, and why do I have to talk to him?’ Lucy looked from Annie to her brother Jim. It was all very well being labelled the headmaster’s ‘secret weapon’, but so far she hadn’t a clue who this man, that she was supposed to be persuading to come into school, was. Maybe he was a famous author, an artist, a great and shy inventor?

‘Charlie Davenport.’ Annie nodded as though that said it all.

‘The new veterinary surgeon.’ Jim chipped in.

‘Well you say new love, but he’s no stranger is he?’ She smiled at Lucy, ‘Charlie grew up here in Langtry Meadows, lovely little kid he was, bright as a button and cheeky with it. His dad used to be a partner in the practice, then he took early retirement and they moved away. Lovely to see young Charlie back again,’ she paused, ‘although he doesn’t seem that sure himself, if you know what I mean.’

Lucy wasn’t sure she did.

‘Old Eric has always come into school once a year without fail to give the kids a bit of a talk and they love it, but this fella’s been a bit elusive.’ Jim carried on as though he hadn’t been interrupted.

‘Eric?’

‘Aye, Eric. He’s the vet that runs the place but he had a bit of a mishap so Charlie’s helping out. He’s a nice enough chap, but tricky to pin down, so we’re relying on you and,’ he coughed, ‘your ahem feminine wiles if I’m allowed to say that in this day and age.’

Lucy stared, not quite sure what she should say, and Annie recognising the look of panic changed tack before her house-sitter had a chance to scarper. ‘Well now, look at us chattering away and not letting you get a word in. So, what’s a wonderful young lady like you doing looking for a new job? I’m surprised anybody would let you go.’

‘I’ve been made redundant actually.’ It was the first time she’d said the words out loud. She’d purposefully skated round the issue when talking to her mother, but now it didn’t seem quite such a terrible admission.

‘Oh the fools, I can tell just by looking that you’re a wonderful teacher. You’ve got a way with you, hasn’t she Jim?’

‘You aren’t wrong Annie. She has. Kids loved her, and even Liz Potts couldn’t find fault.’

‘Well if Liz can’t find anything to complain about then that says it all.’ Annie seemed to take that as conclusive proof, and it gave Lucy a desperately needed boost. Up until now she’d thought of herself as fairly self-confident, but the whole business at Starbaston School had knocked her more than she’d dare admit even to herself.

‘I did love it at my old school, it wasn’t easy but it was very satisfying. It was put in special measures by Ofsted just before I was taken on, and we all worked so hard to turn it around.’

‘I’m sure you did, dear.’

‘We put new plans in place, and worked to make the classrooms brighter. When the Ofsted inspector came back she was amazed at the transformation.’ Lucy didn’t like to boast, but she’d been proud of what they’d achieved with hard work and the way all the staff had pulled together after a few changes. ‘She said she’d never seen such a turn-around in such a short space of time. It was worth all the late evenings at school, and all the weekends we spent putting together a new strategy and lesson plans that took into account the capabilities of all the children. I mean, they’re such a mixed bunch and it’s really important we do our best for all of them, isn’t it?’

‘Now I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, lovey.’ Annie was looking at her in a disturbingly measured way. She put down her mug of tea. ‘But it sounds to me like you’ve been taking it all a bit too seriously, a girl your age needs to lighten up and have a bit of fun.’ She held up a hand to still Lucy’s objections. ‘There’s more to life than spending evenings in a classroom. Now I can tell you love your job, but nobody on their deathbed ever said they wished they’d spent more time at work, did they?’

Lucy stared at her. Maybe it did sound all a bit boring, and work, work, work. But that was just how it was. Annie looked back, her gaze never wavering.

‘Well you won’t, will you sis?’ Jim broke the uncomfortable silence.

‘I certainly won’t, it’s all about balance.’ She put her hands on the counter and levered herself up. ‘Ahh well, no rest for the wicked. Lovely to meet you Lucy, now Jim’ll have all your details won’t he? What with him being a governor and all, I’ll sort out the keys with him and then you can move in the weekend before you start, can’t you? We’ll be gone before you get here, but don’t you go worrying about that,’ Lucy hadn’t been about to, ‘we’ll sort something out. Such a shame you’re not staying for longer, love, but beggars can’t be choosers can they? Now what did I do with that newspaper?’

Annie’s cottage was a few minutes’ walk from the school and as different to Lucy’s modern, new-build semi-detached house as was possible.

Where she had an immaculately tended front lawn and moss-free block paved driveway, this was a riotous array of spring colour – plants competing for space as they tumbled over each other (and the narrow uneven cobbled path) in disarray. Her fingers itched for pruning shears and a ball of string, but she had the feeling that taming this front garden would be like maintaining the Forth Bridge.

Lucy forced her gaze beyond the garden, to the cottage that lay in its midst. From a distance it had looked picture perfect, but now they were closer she could see that the paint was flaking from the window frames and the thatch was looking rather old-man thin in places. It still looked incredibly sweet though, despite the fact that she was sure there would be draughts from the single glazed window and no doubt inside it would be a higgledy-piggledy mess that was nothing like the tidy order she loved. She could imagine the flowery and cracked mismatched pottery, and the worn chairs that no doubt showed traces of cat hair. But a change was always as good as a rest, and looking on the bright side it really could be quite an idyllic spot if the sun shone.

‘Think it will suit then?’

‘It’s lovely, Jim.’

He grinned, showing off the chipped crooked tooth.

‘Shall we go in and…?’ She reached for the gate latch and had only opened it a fraction when an enormous white bird came hurtling round the corner of the house. ‘Bloody hell.’ Slamming it shut she jumped back, nearly colliding with Jim.

‘That’ll be Gertie.’ He nodded.