Replenish the Earth by Anna Jacobs

it. Then I’ll be able to choose the sort of cattle I breed and the crops I grow, and not have them spoiled by other folk’s beasts and weeds. We had our own enclosed meadows at Hay Nook Farm.’
    Sarah noticed how his taciturnity vanished when it came to agricultural matters, for on that subject he had the confidence that came with expertise, plus a love of his subject.
    When she didn’t say anything, he went on desperately, ‘I couldn’t pay you in money, but I could pay you in kind - milk, butter, eggs, my mother's cheese.’ His voice cracked and he broke off, furious with himself for betraying his desperation.
    So much passion, and all for his land and stock, she thought.
    Unable to think clearly with his gaze fixed so hungrily upon her, she stood up and went over to look out of the window. What would people think of her if she allowed cattle to graze in the home park or on the lawns in front of the house? Well, she knew what Mr Sewell thought of her already and she didn’t care, so why should she care about what strangers thought? Besides, the benefits would be considerable - free milk, butter and eggs, he’d said. The less she had to spend on food, the more she’d have to spend on the house. And that roof was in desperate need of repair. The rain was coming in in several places and had already done considerable damage.
    Her eyes lit up, as an idea came to her and she turned to face him. ‘I don’t see any reason why you shouldn't keep your cows here.’
    He let out his breath in a great whoosh. ‘You mean - you'll agree?’
    ‘On certain conditions, yes.’
    ‘Conditions?’ His voice became wary again.
    ‘Not unreasonable ones, I hope. Are you good at repairing things, Mr Pursley?’
    ‘You have to be, on a farm. I like working with wood, I will admit.’
    ‘I like wood too,’ she confessed. ‘I like polishing it, making it shine.’ She laughed. ‘And that's a good thing, because there’s a house full of furniture and panelling here that needs polishing. No one has touched most of it for years.’
    He nodded. If she’d talked about music or poetry, he’d have retreated, because he had no time for poetry and was almost tone-deaf. But making wooden things shine, yes, he could appreciate the pleasure in that. ‘What are your conditions?’
    'That you'll help me with some temporary repairs to the house.’
    His face, which had been apprehensive, cleared instantly. ‘Oh, yes, I can do that! As long as you leave me to do it in my own time, whenever I have an hour to spare. It couldn’t take priority over looking after the farm, but I could make time every now and then. Would that do?’
    ‘That would be quite acceptable.’
    ‘And the home farm?’ he prompted. ‘Will you let me put a fence or a quickset hedge round it? As owner, you have the legal right to do that. I used to think enclosure was a devil’s trick and I argued with Parson many a time, but now I’ve seen how disease can spread when the grazing’s open, destroying all a man’s built up, well, I’ve changed my mind. If we’d still been at our farm, I’d not have lost my other cattle.’
    He gave a short, bitter laugh. ‘First time I’ve ever agreed with Sewell about anything! He’d stare if he heard me say that. He’s wanted to enclose the village land for years, but your grandfather wouldn’t agree. Mr Rogers says it needs an Act of Parliament and you have to have four-fifths of the owners or copyholders in agreement to do it. You still own two-fifths, even though your grandfather sold so much, so Sewell can’t do anything without you. Old Squire wouldn’t hear of enclosing or changing anything, but perhaps you'll feel differently?’
    ‘Would it not be expensive to fence the land?’
    ‘Yes. I can’t afford a proper fence. But I could put in a hedge and reinforce it with dead branches and such till it grew. If you’ll give me the run of your woods and fallen trees, that is?’
    ‘As long as there’s enough left