Kitty's Countryside Dream Read Online Free PDF Page B

hook. Beneath the overalls, placed on a bench, stood a pair of wellington boots, looking a lot like my size.
    â€˜I’m not sitting in the office in them,’ I stated. ‘I’ll wipe my clothes down; I’ll be all right thanks very much.’
    â€˜You can’t stay dressed like that.’ Jeannie chuckled, patting my arm.
    What did they mean? I didn’t see anything wrong with my appearance; in fact this morning it had taken me the best part of an hour to dress well.
    â€˜You won’t be sitting in any office; this place is an all-hands-on-deck type of place, manual labour at its best. The main task is the welfare of all the birds, and by that I don’t mean you two,’ Tom teased diplomatically.
    â€˜OK, OK, no need for your sarcasm, I get the picture.’
    Jeannie’s smirk didn’t go unnoticed.
    â€˜But you did look good,’ Tom piped up.
    â€˜Very yuppie businesswoman,’ Jeannie joined in.
    Feeling like an absolute idiot I could feel the fire burning brightly in my cheeks. I’d assumed I would be sat in my nice new office, hugging my warm mug of tea. I didn’t actually think I would need to get my hands dirty in any way, shape or form. It wasn’t entirely my fault either – neither of them had explained what was expected of me – but I didn’t think this was the time to be stamping my foot like a disgruntled toddler. They must think I’d got ideas above my station; cock of the roost, so to speak. Praying I hadn’t ruffled their feathers, I unhooked the overalls from the peg.
    â€˜Well in that case, I can’t wait; point me in the direction of the changing rooms.’
    â€˜You can get changed in here. Don’t worry about Paddy – he won’t look. Oh, and for the record, there is no fridge, your lunch hangs on your peg in a carrier bag of your choice.’ Tom sniggered.
    â€˜Or on a Friday we treat ourselves to chips and gravy on a tray from Freda’s Chippy, the best chip shop around.’
    Kicking off my ruined ballet shoes, I irritably waved my hand at them. ‘Go on then, get out of here, oh and a mug of tea wouldn’t go amiss. And I mean a proper cuppa not that awful apple rubbish.’
    They vanished out of sight and the door shut behind them. As they strolled away, I could hear their laughter echoing between the barns.

Chapter Six
    L ooking down at my overalls , I realised there wasn’t a cat in hell’s chance I carried this look off well. I looked dated and frumpy and resembled nothing more than a sack of spuds – unlike Jeannie who looked like she was modelling the new farmer attire from Gucci. Paddy the rooster was now perched back on the bale after his morning snack and was still following my every move with his watchful eyes. I wasn’t sure why, but I got the impression he didn’t like me much, and I wasn’t sure I liked him after he’d demolished my lunch in record time.
    I spotted Tom and Jeannie waiting for me outside the office. Tom was holding a mug of steaming tea.
    They peered at me. ‘That’s more like it – a chicken farmer in the making,’ Tom said, laughing.
    Clomping towards them in my wellington boots, I grabbed the mug of tea off Tom and plonked my sorry backside down the bench.
    â€˜Glad to see it’s not that fruity tea and it’s not bad, it’s actually a decent cuppa,’ I said after taking a sip.
    Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a small white van being driven by a woman up the tarmac drive towards us.
    â€˜Who’s this?’
    â€˜Oh no, is it that time already?’ Tom said, checking his watch. ‘Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun or, rather, making fun of the new recruit.’
    The van pulled up and parked right by where we were sitting. Jumping out and slamming the door, the driver was standing in front of us.
    â€˜Good morning, Lucinda, how are you today?’
    â€˜Busy,