‘Is there a problem with it?’

‘Not a problem as such. I asked Lee for a small supply and he built a wall with it in the back garden. There’s like twelve great big cubes of the stuff.’

She could see Elliott was trying to hide a smirk. ‘Twelve bales would be a small supply to Lee. We go through a lot here with the sheep.’

‘Okay. It’s just that that’s probably quite expensive and more than a basket of eggs, so I was wondering if you could bill it back to whoever owns The Brambles now. Is that okay?’

‘Don’t worry about payment for those. Horace can have them on me. He’s been a good neighbour over the years.’

Darla saw a chink in Elliott’s armour and dived in. ‘What was he like?’

‘Horace?’ A hint of a smile briefly appeared. ‘He loved his animals and nature. He was a belligerent old bugger but he knew all there was to know about farming. His advice got me out of a few problems more than once.’

‘I bet you miss him.’

‘Yeah.’ Elliott looked sad but then as if he remembered who he was talking to his head snapped up and he frowned at Darla. ‘Was there anything else because I’ve got things to be getting on with?’

‘Um . . .’ But while she was thinking of something else to say he disappeared behind the tractor. ‘Take care, Elliott. Hopefully see you again soon,’ she said but the radio went back on and she was drowned out by Ed Sheeran.

Chapter Fifteen

Darla had been looking forward to a midweek catch-up with Ros mainly because, for a change, she was hosting it. With her usual house-sitting jobs she didn’t bring anyone back because it never seemed appropriate, but this time things were a bit different. Although she hadn’t heard back about whether or not it would be all right to make some changes, Darla decided to take matters into her own hands. It wasn’t like she was redecorating; she was just moving a few things around.

‘I didn’t realise I’d be working for my cuppa,’ said Ros with a puff as they lugged the giant sofa up the hallway. Getting it out of the living room hadn’t been too bad as there were double doors but it was still very heavy and they had to keep stopping.

‘Did I not mention that?’ said Darla, with a shrug.

‘You know you didn’t,’ said Ros.

‘Only a couple more things and we’ll be done.’ That was mainly because the old garage already had quite a bit of junk in it and what they were moving in there now properly filled it up.

They put the sofa down by the front door. ‘This might need some thought,’ said Ros, studying the doorway. ‘I think we have to put it on its end and then turn it. There’s a risk that you might damage the leather.’

‘It should be fine if we take it easy,’ said Darla. ‘Let’s tip it up at an angle and see if it will go through.’

‘Hang on,’ said Ros, dashing off. She returned moments later with a blanket, which she threw over the side of the sofa nearest the doorframe. ‘Just in case,’ she said.

‘Good call,’ said Darla. ‘When you’re ready, lift.’

They heaved the settee into their arms and, with Darla waddling backwards, tried to get it through the doorway. It was more than tricky.

‘Tilt it a fraction to the left,’ said Ros.

‘Maybe you go up and I’ll bring my end down.’ Darla tried to twist the sofa as Ros lifted it higher. The settee was once more horizontal. There was a squeak as it wedged in the doorway.

‘I’m going to have to put it down,’ said Darla. She let go but the sofa didn’t move. Darla looked at it. ‘I think it’s stuck,’ she said, half aware of a car going by on the road outside. The car stopped and made a whirring noise as it sped back in reverse, making Darla look. Elliott’s Land Rover came into view as it bumped up onto the kerb and swung into the driveway. ‘Ooh look out, you’re about to meet the grouchy farmer,’ she whispered to Ros before turning around and going to greet Elliott. ‘To what do we owe this honour?’ she asked as he got out of the car.

‘What are you doing with Horace’s belongings?’ He pointed at the crammed garage and the sofa in the doorway.

‘I’m having a go at a bit of feng shui and moving a few things out so it feels less cramped in there.’

‘They’re not your possessions. You can’t turf them out.’ His tone was starting to annoy her and it took quite a lot to annoy Darla.

‘I’m not turfing them out. Simply redistributing.’

Elliott stabbed a finger towards the garage. ‘They’re in a damp garage not inside the house where they should be. How is that not turfing them out?’

‘Okay, let’s look at it from a different perspective,’ said Darla. ‘Once probate and everything else that happens after someone dies is sorted out, it’s most likely The Brambles will go up for sale. At that point there will be photographs and the owners are going to want the house to look its best. Decluttered will definitely look better. Come in and see for yourself how much bigger the rooms look already.’

‘No, thank you. Have you got permission to do this?’

‘It’s not that I haven’t tried but the agency’s only contact is a solicitor who is very busy so it’s kind of a long chain to get to whoever it is we would need to ask.’

‘I think you should keep trying,’ he said.

‘I will and if it’s an issue we’ll move it all back.’ There was a groan from the other end of the settee.

‘Anyway,’ said Elliott, seeming mollified. ‘You did say you were a cleaner didn’t you?’

‘I did and I am,’ said Darla proudly.

Elliott pulled a business card from his pocket. ‘A friend of mine needs someone to clean his boat. I don’t know if you do that sort of thing but I said I’d pass on his details.’ He handed her the card.

‘I’ll take on pretty much anything. I’ll give him a call and thanks for recommending me.’

‘I didn’t exactly recommend you but anyway, I need to get off.’ Elliott made a bit of a harrumph noise before heading back to the car.

‘Hang on,’ called Ros from the other side of the sofa. Elliott turned around. ‘Any chance you could give us a hand?’ Elliott shook his head, got in the car and drove off.

‘I think that was a no,’ said Darla. ‘Never mind, we are strong independent women and we can do this ourselves.’

‘Agreed,’ said Ros.

Darla stared at the sofa stuck in the doorway. ‘Perhaps after a cup of tea?’

‘Definitely,’ agreed Ros.

Darla had climbed over the stuck sofa and while the kettle boiled she and Ros spread out the remaining furniture in the living room. Darla went to get the cushions she’d found at a charity shop in town and placed them on the remaining sofa and chair, which instantly added a shock of colour and brightened the place up.

‘It does look much better,’ said Ros as they surveyed the room. ‘I’d probably get rid of a few more things if it was me.’

‘You’ve seen the garage,’ said Darla, giving the last cushion a plump. ‘And all the bedrooms upstairs are the same. The place is overflowing with old furniture.’

‘Some of the things in here looked like antiques,’ said Ros. ‘But I don’t know anything about antiques. I like things clean and new.’

‘I like the idea of things having their own history. A story to tell.’ Darla ran a hand along an old dark wood writing bureau. ‘Take this for example. Think of all the people who have sat here and written letters or perhaps even a book. I wonder what exciting times this little thing has seen.’

‘Probably a lot of bills and not a lot else,’ said Ros.