and biscuits, obviously."
Jayne selected flour, cocoa and sugar in place of the chocolate cake
Leah would have opted for. She bought golden syrup and rolled oats
rather than a pack of flapjack squares.
"That steak pie you gave me the first day I was here was
delicious."
"I'll make another, there'll be enough flour left over for
that."
"Do you buy butter, or make it?"
"I made a batch soon after Rosemary calved, as she had so much
milk then. It's hard work and only worth doing if you're making a
lot, so I do the biggest batch I can and freeze it. It's nearly all
gone now though."
Considering how much the two of them ate, Jayne didn't seem to have
bought much.
"Jayne, I meant what I said about paying my way. If you want
more stuff..." Leah trailed off when she saw Jayne laughing.
"Don't worry, lovey. I won't starve you. We've got meat, milk,
eggs and plenty of vegetables from the farm, so really I don't need
to buy that much."
"Even so, I'd like to pay towards my keep."
"All right. Pay me something if it makes you feel more
comfortable, but not too much or I'll be the one who's not happy."
Leah smiled. She knew Jayne kept a jug containing a small amount of
'emergency cash' on the sideboard. She'd put her housekeeping
contribution in that to save them both any embarrassment.
Once they'd got home, put the shopping away and had a cup of tea and
piece of cake, Leah had another go at milking Rosemary. Jayne got her
started, then left her to get as much milk as she could before her
arms ached.
The rhythmic action of squeezing and releasing the cows teats was
quite soothing and Leah found her mind wandering from the task, to
the forthcoming party. In particular, she thought about the only
other person she knew would be on the guest list; Duncan. She needed
to find a way to let him know her return to London wasn't going to be
happening soon. She also needed to make a good impression so that
he'd welcome that news.
Leah thought something plain and simple might be best both for her
and for Jayne. That way they wouldn't get it spectacularly wrong.
She'd learnt the hard way that dressing to impress rarely worked. All
she had to do was convince Jayne that more clothes shopping was a
good idea.
When she took in the strained milk she asked Jayne if there was
anything special they had to do the following day.
"It's Chantelle's party. You hadn't forgotten?"
"I meant in the day beforehand. Other than the usual milking and
feeding, I mean."
"No, we're pretty much caught up with everything."
"Good, then I'd like a bit of retail therapy. I want to buy
dresses. One for each of us for Chantelle's party."
Jayne shook her head. "I don't need a new dress."
"I never said you needed one, just that I was going to buy you
one."
"Well, I don't..."
"Oh please. I want to forget all about rotten Adam and have fun
and you did say Duncan was invited?"
"Yes, he's going all right."
Leah could see her plan was working. "I want to look really
nice, but I'll feel silly if I'm all dressed up and you don't have a
new dress."
"Hmm, doesn't look like I've got a choice, does it?" Jayne
said. She didn't look as annoyed as her words suggested.
"None at all."
Jayne picked out a simple white shift dress for Leah.
"You'd look stunning in that."
Leah tried it on. Stunning was an exaggeration, but she thought it
suited her much better than the super stylish clothes Adam had
thought were appropriate. So often she'd walked into a function and
seen someone slimmer and more confident in the same outfit.
Jayne's own choice, when pressed to try something on, was similar,
but longer and black. It suited her very well.
"I'll take both," Leah told the assistant and she'd paid
before Jayne got back into her own clothes and was able to raise any
objection.
Jayne did the evening milking whilst Leah shut up the chickens and
had a quick bath. She guessed correctly that she'd need longer to do
her hair and make up than Jayne would want to spend on hers.
They
Jayne selected flour, cocoa and sugar in place of the chocolate cake
Leah would have opted for. She bought golden syrup and rolled oats
rather than a pack of flapjack squares.
"That steak pie you gave me the first day I was here was
delicious."
"I'll make another, there'll be enough flour left over for
that."
"Do you buy butter, or make it?"
"I made a batch soon after Rosemary calved, as she had so much
milk then. It's hard work and only worth doing if you're making a
lot, so I do the biggest batch I can and freeze it. It's nearly all
gone now though."
Considering how much the two of them ate, Jayne didn't seem to have
bought much.
"Jayne, I meant what I said about paying my way. If you want
more stuff..." Leah trailed off when she saw Jayne laughing.
"Don't worry, lovey. I won't starve you. We've got meat, milk,
eggs and plenty of vegetables from the farm, so really I don't need
to buy that much."
"Even so, I'd like to pay towards my keep."
"All right. Pay me something if it makes you feel more
comfortable, but not too much or I'll be the one who's not happy."
Leah smiled. She knew Jayne kept a jug containing a small amount of
'emergency cash' on the sideboard. She'd put her housekeeping
contribution in that to save them both any embarrassment.
Once they'd got home, put the shopping away and had a cup of tea and
piece of cake, Leah had another go at milking Rosemary. Jayne got her
started, then left her to get as much milk as she could before her
arms ached.
The rhythmic action of squeezing and releasing the cows teats was
quite soothing and Leah found her mind wandering from the task, to
the forthcoming party. In particular, she thought about the only
other person she knew would be on the guest list; Duncan. She needed
to find a way to let him know her return to London wasn't going to be
happening soon. She also needed to make a good impression so that
he'd welcome that news.
Leah thought something plain and simple might be best both for her
and for Jayne. That way they wouldn't get it spectacularly wrong.
She'd learnt the hard way that dressing to impress rarely worked. All
she had to do was convince Jayne that more clothes shopping was a
good idea.
When she took in the strained milk she asked Jayne if there was
anything special they had to do the following day.
"It's Chantelle's party. You hadn't forgotten?"
"I meant in the day beforehand. Other than the usual milking and
feeding, I mean."
"No, we're pretty much caught up with everything."
"Good, then I'd like a bit of retail therapy. I want to buy
dresses. One for each of us for Chantelle's party."
Jayne shook her head. "I don't need a new dress."
"I never said you needed one, just that I was going to buy you
one."
"Well, I don't..."
"Oh please. I want to forget all about rotten Adam and have fun
and you did say Duncan was invited?"
"Yes, he's going all right."
Leah could see her plan was working. "I want to look really
nice, but I'll feel silly if I'm all dressed up and you don't have a
new dress."
"Hmm, doesn't look like I've got a choice, does it?" Jayne
said. She didn't look as annoyed as her words suggested.
"None at all."
Jayne picked out a simple white shift dress for Leah.
"You'd look stunning in that."
Leah tried it on. Stunning was an exaggeration, but she thought it
suited her much better than the super stylish clothes Adam had
thought were appropriate. So often she'd walked into a function and
seen someone slimmer and more confident in the same outfit.
Jayne's own choice, when pressed to try something on, was similar,
but longer and black. It suited her very well.
"I'll take both," Leah told the assistant and she'd paid
before Jayne got back into her own clothes and was able to raise any
objection.
Jayne did the evening milking whilst Leah shut up the chickens and
had a quick bath. She guessed correctly that she'd need longer to do
her hair and make up than Jayne would want to spend on hers.
They
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