‘I meant with me painting,’ he said with a chuckle. ‘Sorry if I should have checked first.’

‘Oh, yes. I’m very happy with that. With everything really. But why are you half naked?’

‘Because I don’t want to get paint on my clothes. These shorts are already knackered so they don’t matter, but I wouldn’t want paint splatters on my Danger Mouse T-shirt.’

‘Of course not.’

‘Want to join me?’ asked Cameron.

Ros wasn’t sure if she was experiencing a bout of angina, but her heart rate had increased dramatically.

‘I meant painting, not in taking your top off,’ said Cameron with a laugh.

‘Of course you did. No, I’ll give that a miss if it’s all the same to you.’ And with that Ros made a hasty exit.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Darla came home from a busy shift at the cocktail bar. An evening of wall-to-wall hen nights would wear anyone down. Cameron had garnered a lot of attention from the women and Darla had noticed how he was polite but always ignored any flirting. It wasn’t something new but she’d not really spotted it before. Perhaps Ros was right that he was devoted to Gina. She still wanted to find out more from him but tonight had been too busy and, even if she’d wanted to, there was no chance of a chat. Which was probably for the best because she needed to think through her approach so that it wasn’t obvious otherwise Ros would not be happy with her.

Darla was glad to get back to The Brambles and gave the animals one last inspection just to be on the safe side, especially after the weasel encounter. A couple of the goats came to check she didn’t have any food as they had one-track minds. The little white one with the grubby knees came to the fence but he was limping. ‘Oh, Dusty, what have you done?’ The goat replied with a pathetic bleat. Darla got out her phone and rang the only person she could.

‘You know it’s . . .’ There was a slight pause. ‘It’s quarter past one in the morning!’ said a rather annoyed Elliott.

‘Yes, and I am very sorry about that, but I didn’t know who else to call.’

‘How about a vet?’

‘I figured if I called them in the middle of the night they’d be horribly expensive.’ She’d also assumed that she’d have to pay and then claim back from someone and her bank account balance currently didn’t have a surplus.

‘I’m lambing,’ he said through a yawn.

‘I’m very sorry to hear that but can we focus on the goat first? Why would he be limping?’ She sucked in a breath with shock. ‘OMG, has the weasel bitten him?’ She crouched down to Dusty’s level. ‘Did the nasty beastie bite you?’

‘That’s unlikely,’ said a tired-sounding Elliott. ‘He probably has something stuck in his hoof. Have a look and if there’s nothing obvious, I’ll come up in the morning.’ He huffed. ‘Later this morning. Okay. Bye.’

‘No, hang on. When you say have a look . . .’ As she was talking she twisted her neck to try to have a look at Dusty’s feet but it was dark and he was standing on them.

‘I mean get hold of him and look at the bottom of each of his feet . . . I mean hooves.’

‘Right. It’s just that that’s going to be quite tricky on my own.’

‘I suppose I’m awake now anyway. Give me a chance to throw on some clothes and I’ll come down.’

‘Aww you don’t have to but I would be very grateful. I’ll even make you a coffee.’

‘Thanks . . . I think.’

Ten minutes later Darla heard the sound of wheels on gravel and looked out the front to see Elliott getting out of his big car. She went to let him in the front door. ‘I can’t believe you drove here from next door.’ She tilted her head in mock disapproval.

He scowled at her. ‘I can’t believe you got me out of bed in the middle of the night.’

‘Sorry. Come through and I’ll make you a coffee after you’ve looked at Dusty.’

‘Slave driver,’ he muttered as he followed her through the house. ‘How are you so bright and chipper at this time of the night? It’s unnatural.’

‘I just got in from work. I’m always a bit buzzy after a shift. I expect you’re the same after a day farming.’

‘Nope. Buzzing is the last thing I am; I’m knackered most days. Anyway, let’s have a look at Dusty.’

Outside Darla opened the pen and stood back for Elliott to come in, but he stayed put. ‘You need to learn,’ he said. ‘I’m here in an advisory capacity only. In you go.’

‘Oh, okay.’ Darla went into the goat pen and Elliott followed her.

All the goats came over to check if there was food and when they found there wasn’t, one of the black ones had a chew on Elliott’s overalls. ‘Get hold of Dusty,’ he said as the little goat limped past Darla.

‘Right.’ Darla followed behind him, trying to grab him around his middle and pick him up. When she heard Elliott laughing she stopped. ‘Problem?’

‘You two look like you’re doing the conga.’ At least Elliott was smiling.

‘Funny. How do you suggest I pick him up then?’

‘Come at her side on . . .’

‘Wait, Dusty’s a girl?’ Darla was trying to have a look underneath the goat but they were all quite hairy so it was hard to see.

‘Yep, she’s a nanny goat.’

‘But she’s got horns.’

‘Yeah, goats generally do have. Can we get on with this?’

‘Of course. Sorry.’ Darla had been thrown by the revelation that Dusty was a girl. She turned her attention back to the task. ‘What do I need to do?’

‘Ideally get her by the fence, stand at her side, reach underneath her and take a firm hold of the legs furthest away from you and pull them towards you. She’ll have no choice but to go down on her back. The ground is soft so she’ll not hurt herself.’

That was a lot of information to take in. Darla sidled up to Dusty. Maybe because of her limp she was looking weary, but as soon as Darla leaned down Dusty bolted for the other side of the pen. She might have been limping but she could still move pretty fast. Elliott cornered Dusty and held her gently while he beckoned Darla over.

Darla stooped and tried to grab Dusty’s legs but she tried to bolt again. Elliott wrapped his arms around the goat and lifted her up. She bleated her frustration. ‘Back right, have a look at it.’

Darla lifted the hoof. ‘Eurgh! It’s dirty.’

‘I’ve got a tool,’ he said and Darla couldn’t help grinning. Elliott shook his head. ‘In my pocket there’s a tool you can use.’ It took a moment before Darla realised he had his hands full with Dusty so she would need to get the tool out of his pocket. Darla moved her hand towards the side of his overalls. This was all oddly intimate. ‘Other side,’ said Elliott, tilting his other hip at her.

‘Right. Got it,’ she said. She couldn’t look at him as she slipped her hand into the overalls pocket. She could feel the heat of his body. She didn’t want to rummage around too much but was pleased when her fingers touched something and she victoriously pulled out a metal prong.

‘Get the muck out from between her toes with that. Be gentle in case there’s a wound.’

‘Right.’ Darla gingerly held the tool and was pleased it was blunt with no blade. She held Dusty’s foot firmly and gently ran the tool down where the hoof split into two toes. Dirt and a small sharp stone pinged out from between the toes.