The Healing Stream by Connie Monk Read Free Book Online Page B

miserable there. Just wait till you meet them.’
    ‘It was different for you. You told me you worked and could help them. And they’ll be too busy to want to welcome a visitor. Did you ask them if you could bring me?’
    Tessa chuckled imagining the sort of reception Deirdre seemed to imagine a visit from a stranger merited.
    ‘It was Aunt Naomi who suggested it. Not for any particular day. They don’t know we’re coming this morning.’
    Her answer did nothing to boost Deirdre’s confidence. ‘They’ll be busy right enough, you just wait and see.’
    Deirdre gave up the battle and, without putting up an argument even though her expression didn’t look any more promising, let herself be wheeled up the ramp into the back of the car. It had originally been designed as a car the same as any other, except that before it left the factory Julian had made sure that it had been adapted to her needs. The front remained unaltered, but the roof of the rear had been raised and it opened with a wide door at the back. A ramp could be pulled out from beneath the chassis; a ramp sufficiently long that the incline was gradual and Tessa had quickly learnt to get the loaded wheelchair aboard and safely secured. Already in the short time she had worked at Fiddlers’ Green, the girls had had many outings. An irritable and sulky Deirdre would be wheeled aboard, but a smiling and laughing one brought home. Julian had watched from a distance, sending up a heartfelt thank you that Fate had brought Tessa to cross their path.
    On that morning as they approached the farm Richard was in the yard and realized this must be ‘the hybrid’, as Tessa called the vehicle she drove. By the time they reached the gate he had it wide open for them to drive straight in.
    ‘Hello, girls,’ he greeted them as, the gate safely latched, he came to join them in the fortunately dry yard. ‘So you must be Deirdre. Tessa has kept us waiting all these weeks to meet you. Naomi!’ he called, ‘come and see who’s here.’ While he talked he had brought the chair down the slope, leaving the ramp out ready for reloading. Then Naomi came from the dairy, her thin face beaming a welcome that even Deirdre couldn’t ignore.
    ‘Come in the dairy and see where the work’s done,’ Naomi said as the commotion of their unexpected arrival died down. Did she imagine it (wishful thinking, perhaps) or was there a slight lift in Deirdre’s expression? ‘I expect Tessa has told you something about it, has she?’
    ‘Might have done. Can’t remember.’ Oh dear, oh dear, does Tessa have this sort of behaviour to contend with every day?
    ‘Well, once you’ve seen for yourself you won’t forget too easily. I guess lots of people would say the days are monotonous, the same routine almost to the minute. Maybe I’m a sucker, but you know I never find it boring; each day there is such a sense of achievement when the butter gets packaged, the cream put in its tubs, everything ready for delivery to the village shop.’ Once inside the dairy she returned to turning the handle of the butter-maker as she talked. ‘This and the ducks and chickens – and the mushroom shed – are my responsibility. The real bread and butter of the place is Richard’s side of it with the animals he rears. I keep out of that.’ Then, with a grin that etched deep lines into her thin face, ‘That’s man’s work. Oh, talk of the devil . . .’ as Richard put his head round the door of the dairy.
    ‘Tessa, can you give me a hand for a couple of minutes? I don’t want to hinder Naomi; she likes to get the delivery to the village in good time.’ Then as a rider, ‘As if you don’t know! Shan’t keep her long, Deirdre.’
    Not until they were away from the dairy did he turn to Tessa with a conspiratorial wink. ‘I thought it might be a good idea to leave her with Naomi for a bit. I don’t really need a hand, I’m only tinkering with the electric fence in the high field.’
    ‘Anyway,