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size of the problem. She'd continued releasing animals in the garden at Larchfield all year, knowing the property was on the market and would change hands.
    Although Lady Welland had allowed her to use the land, she should have stopped when the old lady died. If she had, the relocation task in front of her would be more manageable.
    With a sigh, she opened her eyes to find Adam watching her. "You okay?" he said softly.
    "Just thinking." She didn't need to tell him what was on her mind. The flash of remorse on his face showed he already knew. She felt bad for making him feel bad. He'd been kind of nice about everything and he'd offered to help her.
    The car turned into the main street at Great Monkton and Adam slowed. "Which is your place?"
    "There, with the green gate." As they approached, she tried to see her cottage through his eyes—tiny and a little shabby, she concluded. She didn't have time to keep the small front garden as neat as she'd like, although the rambling roses over the door were beautiful at this time of year.
    He stopped at the gate, jumped out, and raced around the car to open the door for her. "Thank you. I thought chivalry was dead," she said, as he lifted the box from her lap and held it while she climbed out.
    "Come on, Soph." She gestured for her daughter to hurry up and join her. Harry got out of the car as well.
    "Can Harry come and help, Mum?"
    Having a stranger help usually made the work take longer, but Victoria did not want to deter a young person who was eager to learn about hedgehogs. And it was great to see Sophie had made a new friend. "That'll be wonderful." She gave Harry a smile and he returned it shyly. She got the impression the boy was a bit of a loner. Spending time with Sophie would do him good.
    Adam shut her door and locked his car. "I'll come and lend a hand too."
    Victoria's eyebrows rose in surprise. With the huge project he was starting, surely he had other things to do than help her? Although, she was glad he was showing an interest. If she could educate him about hedgehogs, he'd be more willing to consider their needs.
    They piled inside the tiny cottage, squeezing into the small kitchen that was really only big enough for two people along with the pine table against the wall. Victoria set the box down and unlocked the back door. "I'll treat and settle this little fella and do my lunchtime rounds."
    "What can I do?" Adam asked.
    "There's not enough room in the shed for all of us at once. I'll take the kids in to start with and you can come in later."
    "No problem. It's a lovely day. I'll check out the garden."
    They all traipsed down the concrete path and Victoria chuckled to herself when Adam stopped and gazed at the strip of overgrown lawn and the three sheds crammed in the narrow backyard. It was a far cry from the ten acres of beautiful gardens he owned at Larchfield.
    Adam watched at the shed door while she transferred the injured baby to a clean box with a heating pad underneath and administered antibiotics to the new patient. Sophie showed Harry how to mix the dried puppy milk and measure it in the syringe to feed the young animals.
    "Where's your lawn mower?" Adam queried.
    "In the lean-to against the back of the house, beside the log store." He disappeared and Victoria took a moment to glance out the door to see what he was doing. He pulled out the lawn mower, and started it up.
    Sophie came to stand beside her. "Is Mr. Cantrell mowing the lawn?"
    "Looks like it."
    They exchanged surprised glances. Women she knew always moaned about their husbands not helping out. Her father was certainly demanding and kept her mother busy, but then it wasn't his fault he was wheelchair-bound.
    Perhaps being in a relationship with the right man might actually take some of the load off her shoulders.
    Biting her lip thoughtfully, she returned to treat her tiny patients. It was a pity Adam didn't plan to stick around.

Chapter Four
    Adam drove back from Salisbury, his rear seat crammed