32

That afternoon she pushed the bamboo stakes down into the lawn. She had found a wooden slat in the pigsty, sturdy and more or less two metres long, and was using it as a measuring stick: three lengths into the lawn and one length wide. She turned it into a rectangle by stringing cord between the stakes. Slowly she started to cut a line in the grass. She wasn’t thinking about removing the sods yet, but worked out that it was twelve square metres. Now and then she straightened her back, raising her head to the sun. Suddenly a dog stuck its head between her legs.

‘He missed you too much.’

She turned round. The boy was standing next to the pigsty, one shoulder against the wall. The dog appeared unsurprised by their return. He sniffed around the oil tank, then disappeared behind the house.

‘And now he’s seen you, he’s off again.’ He didn’t move from his spot. ‘Not me though.’

‘What happened?’

‘Nothing. I couldn’t arrange a place to sleep. Everything’s shut around here this time of year.’

‘Did you walk all the way to the mountain?’

‘No. If I had, I wouldn’t be back by now.’ He held up a paper bag. ‘I’ve brought something to eat.’

‘From the baker’s in Waunfawr?’

‘Yes. They’d shut the second time I passed by, but she was still cleaning up. She said to say hello.’

‘How did she know you were coming here?’

‘They asked. They asked where I was coming from and where I was going.’

‘And you told them?’

‘Of course. Why not? She gave Sam a treat too. “A dog for the Dutchwoman,” she said. “That’s good.”’

The dog started barking, probably at the geese.

‘Sam ran ahead the whole way. As if he knew exactly where we were going.’

‘Can you draw?’

‘Yeah. Depends what.’

‘A garden?’

‘Oh, a plan. Sure. Why not? If I’ve got enough paper.’

‘Can you connect a TV?’

‘I’d say so.’ He looked at the roof of the house. ‘There’s the aerial. You must be able to plug it in somewhere inside.’

‘Can you dig, and push a wheelbarrow?’

‘Of course.’

‘Cook a lamb?’

‘Definitely. With garlic and anchovies.’

‘You can stay another day.’

He nodded and finally came free of the pigsty wall.

‘Anchovies?’

‘Then you don’t need to add salt.’

‘You haven’t had any coffee since this morning, I suppose?’

‘No. If they ever turn this into a long-distance path, the guidebook will have to say it’s less suited for the winter months. Or not at all.’ He gestured at the pigsty. ‘You could turn it into a bed and breakfast.’

‘Come on,’ she said.

‘Sam!’ he called.

The light brown cows had come up to the garden wall without her noticing, but took off in all directions when the dog came running round the corner of the house. The sun was almost setting; her working day was over.