The Things I Know(93)

‘I . . . I won’t.’ He held her hand beneath the table.

‘So come on, what’s going on?’ Jonathan clapped his hands and sat forward smiling, with his familiar confidence of a man who lived a happy life with a glass half full.

‘I keep thinking about the sale of the farm.’ She watched the smile slip from his face.

‘I can’t . . .’ he interjected, shaking his head and looking off-screen. ‘I can’t even think about it. I mean, I get it, I know it’s happening and I understand why. I tell Pops it’s all okay, because I don’t want to make him feel bad, but I can’t believe it. I didn’t realise we would run out of time.’

‘What do you mean, run out of time?’ she asked.

He took a deep breath. ‘I thought it would always be there, and some of the things I’m learning here . . . I figured I’d become proficient in new things, better ways to farm, and one day I’d come back and implement them.’

‘And there was me thinking you were just having fun . . .’ She let this trail.

‘Oh, I’m having fun, but I miss home. It’s . . . home!’ She noted the lump in his throat.

‘What if we try to fight for it, Jonathan? What if we really try to think of anything we might do to keep it in Waycott hands?’ So my children can run in the paddock and chase Bonnie and Clyde. ‘I have a couple of ideas.’

‘Me too.’ He peered more closely into the camera.

‘What kind of things?’ Now he’d piqued her interest.

‘So much! Bringing farming into the twenty-first century, compared to how we run Waycott now – upping the pace, working smarter. I know how I can bring higher yields, things like cover crops, better rotation and complete diversification in other areas.’

‘Yes!’ she said, picking up the verbal baton. ‘Glamping, agricultural experiences, a farm store, barn rentals for creative spaces, weddings, workshops on things like caring for poultry, or growing cutting flowers for supply.’

‘Yes, exactly!’ Jonathan sounded excited. ‘That’s exactly it! We need to get every acre and every square inch of brick making us money, and I know we could do it if we just had time and investment. I feel that, between us, sis, we could turn the fortunes of the farm, but as I say, it all needs investment, and that’s the hard bit.’

‘Not necessarily.’ Grayson coughed. ‘Thomasina and I have been talking, and I would be willing to invest in the farm.’

She thought about their whispered conversation earlier as they had tidied the cups and saucers from the table. ‘There’s something I don’t know if I’ve made clear, Thomasina.’

‘What’s that?’ She had studied his hesitant expression and her heart had skipped at what other revelations might be forthcoming today, unsure how much more she could cope with.

Grayson had held her grandma’s cake tin, running his finger over the dented lid. ‘I earn a considerable amount, the most at our brokers, and I have saved it all. I never really had anything to spend it on.’

‘A proper haircut wouldn’t have gone amiss.’ She had broken the tension and he’d given her a half-smile.

‘You’re probably right, but I have an idea – why not let me invest in the farm? Why not let me become a partner? I know nothing about farming, but I know a lot about money.’

‘Because that’s your magic trick.’

‘Because that’s my magic trick.’ He had then leaned forward and kissed her.

Thomasina now returned her attention to Jonathan on the screen.

‘You would like to invest in Waycott?’ His look was one of suspicion.

‘Yes.’

‘Sorry to be so blunt, Grayson, but can you afford it?’

‘Yes. I have a lot of money.’

‘Right.’ It was Jonathan’s turn to sit in silence.

‘Plus, I want to ask your sister to marry me, and it makes sense. It all makes sense, really.’

She looked at Grayson, this wonderful man whom she loved, liking the way he spoke so plainly, as if anything other than hitching his wagon to hers was unthinkable. ‘Is that some kind of proposal, Mr Potts?’ she asked, thinking back to that day on the lane when instinct told her he’d been about to ask.

‘Well, not really.’ Grayson shifted in the chair. ‘I do want to do it, but not in front of your brother – no offence!’ he said, turning to the screen.

‘None taken.’ Jonathan beamed.

‘Although,’ Grayson coughed, ‘if that were a proposal, what do you think you might have said?’

She looked at her man and smiled, agreeing with him that everything made sense – when she was with him.

‘I would have said, “I’ll think about it and I’ll let you know when I get back from New York.” ’

‘Hitch – you’re coming to New York?’ Jonathan asked, aghast.

‘I am,’ she said, nodding, ‘and for the record, Jonathan, my name is Thomasina.’

I know that you never know what’s around the corner, even if you think you do.

I know that the Buttermores might have a lot of money, but who wants to live in a house where they’re stingy with cake?

I know that Emery isn’t as much of an arsehole as I have always believed.