SEVEN
Friday 4 September
Nancy pulled up in the yard of Hilldale Farm, being careful not to run over the chickens that seemed to have a death wish and kept strutting in front of her car.
As she got out, she immediately noticed the quiet. Nothing but the sound of birds. The sun lit up the round bales of hay, scattered through a field like giant golden playing pieces on a board game. The ground beneath them was now stubble. A large farmhouse was on her left, with pale grey stone walls and a green front door. Two outbuildings were opposite – essentially big wooden sheds. Nancy jumped at the sound of a loud whinnying and looked behind her to see a black horse staring at her over the fence. Behind it were more fields, stretching as far as the eye could see.
She went up to the house and knocked on the door but it was silent inside. Of course, she thought, farmers don’t sit around drinking tea. They’re out, working the land. She was starting to think she’d made a wasted journey when she saw a figure crouching down, a distance away in the fields. Nancy screwed up her eyes against the sun to see better. The person seemed to be dragging something along the ground. She thought it was Hannah up there so climbed the stile and walked the footpath that crossed the field.
As she approached, Nancy saw she was right. It was Hannah. She was bent over, dragging something heavy, and then, in a sudden shock, Nancy saw what. A sheep lay dead on the grass, its limbs stiff and comically aloft, while Hannah pulled on two of those limbs.
‘Everything OK?’ asked Nancy, the words no sooner out of her mouth than she realized what a stupid thing it was to say.
Hannah looked up and her face was contorted with effort and anger. ‘No. A dog attacked my flock this morning, killed a ewe.’
Nancy looked down at the mangled creature, its coat matted with blood. Its neck was on show and she suddenly saw the inside of its neck was on show too. She gagged, then turned away, unable to stomach the sight of ravaged flesh and sinew.
‘A dog did that?’
‘I’ve seen worse. Some left without faces once.’
‘Where’s the owner?’
‘At the time of the attack, who knows? Shouting ineffectively at their dog? Failing to put it on a lead? Witnessing the destruction then scarpering like a shameless coward?’
Hannah seethed and Nancy felt uncomfortable. ‘I’ve come at a bad time,’ she said.
Hannah stood up straight and exhaled. ‘It’s fine. Can I help with something?’
‘I wanted to see if you had any chickens for sale,’ said Nancy. ‘Dean mentioned you might. When he came over to quote for the house.’
‘You ever looked after chickens before?’
‘Never,’ said Nancy, thinking she was about to be told it was no business of hers, a townsperson going around trying to acquire living creatures.
‘It’s pretty simple,’ said Hannah. ‘I’ll show you the ropes.’
An hour later, Nancy shut the boot of her car on four plump Derbyshire Redcaps, a coop and all the necessary food and bedding to get her started. She headed down the road, driving with extreme care, nervous about her cargo. She could hear them clucking to each other, perhaps terrified of what this utter novice was going to do to them.
‘Only eggs, ladies,’ Nancy called from the front. ‘No roast dinners, so you’ve got nothing to worry about.’
As she returned home, Nancy turned into her driveway and let out a delighted laugh when she saw a blue car parked outside her barn, a woman leaning against it, her face tilted to the sun. The woman looked up as Nancy leapt out of the car and ran over to envelop her in a tight hug. ‘You’re early!’ She pulled away and looked at her friend. ‘It’s so nice to see a friendly face.’
‘Are people around here not friendly?’ asked the woman.
Nancy drew back, as if surprised that the question had arisen. ‘No, they are. It’s just, you know, everything’s new. Honestly’, she reiterated in response to the look on her best friend, Beth’s, face.
Satisfied, Beth looked up at the barn. ‘Well, haven’t you gone up in the world? A country house. You, a lady of the manor.’
‘It’s nice, eh?’
‘Nice? That’s like saying Buckingham Palace is nice. Or a pink diamond is nice. It’s better than nice. It’s positively amazing.’ Beth moved over to the Tesla, ran her hand over it. ‘And check this out.’
‘Well, you know . . . after where we used to live. All those car fumes. It was really important to me to go electric . . .’
‘I hope you’re not apologizing for doing the right thing by your daughter,’ said Beth. ‘Now, you gonna show me around?’
‘In a minute. There’s just one thing . . .’
Beth was looking at the car, puzzled. There was a distinct sound of clucking.
‘Are those chickens I can hear?’ she asked.
Nancy beamed and went to open the boot, revealing her new purchases.
The chickens seemed content enough once they’d been removed from the car and they’d been pecking happily at the grass in their run when Nancy and Beth had left to pick up Lara from school.
The two women stood in the playground as the crowds of parents grew, friendship groups clustering together.
Beth watched with interest. ‘It’s quite tribal, isn’t it? All these clans preparing for battle.’
Nancy laughed. ‘There’s no battle. Well, not usually on day one.’
‘I know I don’t have my own and I work in a secondary where the kids are older and get themselves to school but, trust me, as a receiver of dozens of parent emails, there’s always an issue of some sort.’ Beth grimaced. ‘God, I’ve only been back a week. You should have seen my inbox, groaning with complaints, pleas, passive-aggressive missives about how their darling child should be in receipt of a scholarship or a bursary.’ Beth looked around. ‘Might even be from some of the mums here,’ she mused.
Nancy put on a polite smile as Lorna bounded up to them.
‘So lovely to have coffee with you today,’ Lorna said, linking arms with Nancy as if they were best friends. Her eyes slid to Beth and she raised an expectant eyebrow.
‘This is my friend, Beth,’ said Nancy.
‘Oh, are you a new mum too?’ asked Lorna.
‘Good God, no,’ said Beth. ‘I just enjoy the little darlings at work instead.’
‘Are you a teacher?’ asked Lorna.
‘Bursar. At Kingsgate School.’
You could practically see Lorna blossom. ‘Oh wow. Bursar.’ She quickly checked herself. ‘What a coincidence! We’ve applied to Kingsgate. My son, Phoenix, is a sporting fiend. We’re hoping he’s lucky enough to get a scholarship?’ She did a small, self-effacing laugh. ‘Don’t know if you remember our application?’
Beth thought, a concentrated frown on her face. ‘Phoenix . . . Hmm, no, don’t think I do.’
Lorna’s face fell. She was about to say something else but the doors of the school had opened and Lara, newly released by the teacher, ran across the playground.
‘Auntie Beth!’ she cried, throwing her arms around her. ‘You came!’
‘Of course I did,’ said Beth, twirling Lara around. ‘And you’ve grown again. I know children do but it always seems to take me by surprise.’
‘How was your first day?’ asked Nancy, leaning in for a hug.
‘I met loads of new friends. This morning I sat next to Rosie and she invited me to her birthday party.’
‘Oh wow,’ said Nancy, pleased her daughter was already being included. ‘What else?’
‘This afternoon we had a vote,’ said Lara.
‘Ah, yes, Head of School,’ said Nancy. ‘Was Rosie the winner?’
Lara smiled shyly and pulled her cardigan aside to reveal a blue badge pinned to her polo shirt. ‘No. It was me.’
Nancy’s jaw dropped. Then she became aware of numerous gazes turned their way. She looked up to see Erin, Imogen and several of the other mothers staring at them with a mixture of disbelief and thinly veiled hostility.
Beth threw her arms up in delight. ‘Congratulations!’ she said. ‘They picked the best candidate.’
‘But,’ said Nancy, ‘you hadn’t even written a speech.’
‘Miss Young, she’s really nice by the way, Mum, she’s got pink hair and a pierced nose!’
Nancy looked over at Miss Young, who was making sure the rest of the children were being reunited with their parents. She immediately liked her, felt herself warm to her non-conformist attitude.
‘Anyway,’ continued Lara, ‘Miss Young said I could write something in class. Then we all had to stand at the front and tell the other kids what we stood for.’
‘And what do you stand for?’
‘Being kind and supportive and encouraging everyone not to drop litter but mostly campaigning for the teacher to give kids sweets if they get three smiley faces on their work in a row.’
Nancy was still a little stunned. ‘Smiley faces?’
‘Yeah, you get one for good effort. And when I read my speech out, one of the other kids, Jakob, he asked Miss Young if she would actually do it, give out the sweets, and she said yes and I got voted in.’
Beth laughed. ‘Nice work, kid.’
‘You need to speak to Rosie’s mum about the party,’ Lara said to Nancy.
Nancy looked up at Imogen and saw her resting her arm around Rosie’s shoulders, quietly talking in her ear, no doubt commiserating with her about her failure to be voted Head of School.
‘Sure. No rush though.’
‘No, there is. It’s tomorrow,’ said Lara.
‘Oh right.’
‘I’m your wing woman,’ whispered Beth in Nancy’s ear.
Nancy put on what she hoped was a warm smile and walked over to where Imogen was surrounded by Erin and several other friends. The conversation died as she approached.
‘Lara says she’s been invited to Rosie’s party.’
‘Yes,’ said Imogen.
‘She thought it was tomorrow?’ prompted Nancy.
‘That’s right. Heron Water. Two o’clock at the activity centre.’
‘OK, great.’ Nancy looked at Rosie, saw her red eyes. Felt she should say something. ‘Sorry it didn’t work out, Rosie.’
‘It was a close call,’ said Imogen. ‘Only one vote in it.’
‘Oh right,’ said Nancy, taken aback at her quietly aggressive tone.
‘Rosie’s friend Bella was off today. Wasn’t really fair to go ahead without all the kids having a say.’
‘Can’t really wait though, can you?’ said Beth. ‘Always someone off sick.’
‘Maybe she should have been allowed a proxy vote. You know, like proper politics,’ said Imogen.
‘It’s important school reflects real life,’ said Erin. ‘Teaches the kids about the world.’
‘Maybe Bella wouldn’t have voted for Rosie anyway,’ said Beth breezily. She looked down at the aggrieved girl. ‘No offence, Rosie.’
Nancy’s stomach tightened at the collective sharp intake of breath from the gathered mums.
‘Right, well, we’d better get home,’ she said and, with a quick nod to the others, guided Beth away.
‘Thanks, Beth,’ she hissed with affectionate exasperation, as they walked out of the playground.
‘Sorry, but the woman’s clearly some sort of tinpot dictator. It’s only a kids’ school vote. She needs to get some perspective.’
‘That’s as may be but we’re trying to fit in here.’
‘It’ll all blow over by tomorrow, just you see,’ said Beth. She stepped forward and took Lara’s hand. ‘Now come on, your mum and I have got a little surprise for you.’
‘Ferdinand, Harriet, Henry and the one with the black neck is called Bow-tie,’ said Lara.
‘You like them?’ asked Nancy.
‘I love them! Can I give them some food?’
Nancy nodded and as Lara began chucking corn in their run, a champagne cork popped. Nancy turned to see Beth step out of the bi-fold doors with a bottle and two glasses. She set them on the patio table and poured them both a drink.
‘Congratulations,’ said Beth, raising a toast. ‘You have the most amazing new home. Although I have to say that the drowned buildings are a little spooky.’
‘I’m telling myself it’s just atmosphere,’ said Nancy. ‘Anyway, they’ll be covered up again in a few weeks. Once the weather turns.’
The two women settled themselves at the table and watched Lara as she played with the chickens.
‘I can’t believe she’s in her last year of primary,’ said Beth. ‘I remember when she was born. And now look: running her own chicken farm!’
‘She’s always adored animals,’ said Nancy. ‘Ever since she was little, but we’ve never been able to have any before.’
They hadn’t had the room, the money or the time, even though Nancy was acutely conscious that her daughter was obsessed with them. Lara had yearned for a pet but had to make do with the woodlice she’d collected outside and brought in the flat, keeping them in a shoebox under her bed.
‘I’ve had a request for a puppy, some sheep and, of course, a pony,’ said Nancy.
‘Wow. Which are you giving in on?’
‘Not sure yet. The sheep could keep down the grass. The pony too, I suppose . . .’
‘And it’s not like you don’t have the space.’ Beth took a sip of her champagne. ‘Look at her. She looks so . . .’
‘Happy?’
‘Yes. A bit like the old Lara.’
Nancy smiled. ‘I think she’s a country girl at heart. I know we’d do anything to change what happened, but moving here . . . it’s been one good thing to come out of so much awfulness.’
‘How’s the asthma?’
‘Good. No attacks so far. Although that pump is never far away. The doctors have said it will make all the difference being here. When I think of the years we spent in that flat . . .’
‘You had no choice,’ said Beth firmly. ‘Stop beating yourself up.’
She’d probably always beat herself up. Nancy would never forget the day Lara came home from school, two summers ago. It was hot and the air was thick and still. Nancy had closed the window against the stink of the traffic outside. Lara had looked pale and had sat on the sofa, not in the mood to do much, struggling even to watch the TV. Her breath had been wheezy and Nancy had watched as she’d taken puffs on her inhaler. A dozen in the end but it still didn’t seem to ease her breathing. And then suddenly, Lara was struggling, a panicked look on her face as she realized she couldn’t get enough air in. It had been so quick, that was what had terrified Nancy. In less than a minute she’d been calling 999 and then had clutched Lara’s hand in the ambulance as they’d sped to the hospital. As a nurse, she had understood the serious looks on the paramedics’ faces, the intervention the doctors were taking to save her daughter’s life. When Lara had lain in bed, surrounded by machines but over the worst, she and Sam had looked at their child and thanked their lucky stars. But it was the flat, they both knew, the continuous, malevolent vapour of nitrogen oxide winding its way into their home that they couldn’t get rid of, even with all the windows closed.
Later, she and Sam had curled up together, talking through their options, knowing that on their combined modest salaries they couldn’t afford to move for months, if not years, not with the several thousand pounds they were trying to save for a hefty deposit and three months’ rent up front. They’d fantasized about winning the lottery, a desperate, futile attempt at trying to find a solution. ‘Imagine,’ they’d said, ‘imagine winning millions. Think about where we could go, the house we could buy.’ It had seemed impossible, a dream that was far out of reach.
‘Have I told you yet how happy I am you’ve moved back up here?’ said Beth.
Nancy smiled. ‘Only about a hundred times.’
‘So . . . no more nursing.’
‘Not for the moment. I’ve got enough to keep going for a while. Maybe in a year or so I’ll look for something new.’
‘What are you going to do with your days?’
‘Settle Lara in. Get to know the area. Take up hobbies.’
Beth sat up, interested. ‘Like what?’
Nancy looked embarrassed. ‘Don’t laugh.’
Beth pointed to her serious face. ‘Not laughing.’
‘Pottery.’
Beth smiled.
‘You promised!’ said Nancy.
‘Honest, that’s a smile of approval. Lara isn’t the only one who needs to heal, you know.’
Nancy nodded. ‘I’ve always wanted to do something creative. Never had the time before. How’s Martin?’
‘Good. Still working at the Royal Derby. They’re short on anaesthetists so he’s doing extra shifts. Hey, we can see so much more of each other. Whenever Martin’s on a weekend shift, I’ll let you know.’ She took a sip of her champagne and gazed around the huge garden, the view down to the reservoir. ‘Derbyshire. It’s our spiritual home. Ever since university.’
‘Yes. Although I don’t remember venturing out into the countryside much. Most of our spare time we spent in Derby’s bars and clubs.’
‘Keeping the local economy alive,’ said Beth. ‘Where’s Lara going to school next year?’
‘Thought I’d apply to Kingsgate.’
Beth clapped her hands in delight. ‘I was hoping you’d say that. I’ll be able to see her from my office window on her way to maths.’
‘Well, I have all this money. Lara should benefit as much as possible. It’s a great school and now I can afford the fees.’ A year ago, she’d never have been able to say that; the very notion of it would have been laughable.
‘You need to promise me something,’ said Beth.
‘What?’
‘You call me if you need anything. And I mean anything. I’m only thirty miles away now.’
Nancy looked up at her friend. She knew what she meant. When Nancy had been living in London, the calls had been few and far between. Life had caught her up in its whirlwind: the nursing shifts, Lara’s illness, and more recently, Sam.
‘I can’t hear you,’ said Beth, cupping her ear.
Nancy smiled. ‘Course. I promise.’
Don’t mean to stir but does anyone think the Head of School vote was a bit unexpected? I mean, she seems lovely, but they’ve only just moved here! 
I had to volunteer two years at the school before I was voted PTA Chair. 
15:21
Did you see what the mother drove up in? A brand-new Tesla. Probably worth more than my house 
15:29