Someone was pulling up the potatoes, peeling them, and bagging the biggest ones Lucy froze. Her heart thumped. She kept walking and saw that the biggest heads of cabbage were missing too almost half the cabbage crop had vanished.
Emily Thompson was thrilled about her purchase. Not just any purchase it was the dream of buying a little house in the countryside once she retired.
Shed been planning it for ages, picking a pretty village close to the city but with only a handful of residents. She wanted peace, quiet, a garden and a modest plot to tinker with.
Everything fell into place when she found a sturdy cottage at the very edge of the village, right on the border. That actually made her smile one side bordered on neighbours, then open fields, then a wood, a view that never got old.
Emily started strolling down that soft, winding lane toward the forest. In the evenings the sun would dip behind the firs and pines, and the sunsets were especially beautiful on her twilight walks.
Early spring, when the ground was just thawing, Emily fixed a leaning fence made of wire and wooden slats.
Maybe you should put in a brandnew fence, Emily, suggested her neighbour Margaret, who was about the same age.
Never mind, Ill let this one hold on a while longer. When it finally gives way Ill replace it with something sturdier, Emily replied, swinging her axe and driving the fallen metal post back into the ground.
Margaret laughed. Youre a true English country lass! Youll be a great host. Shame there arent many men left in the village people moved away with their families, some got old, some passed on. Ive been a widow for ten years now.
Emily nodded. Im in a similar spot, only Im not a widow. My husband and I split up once we realised we were only keeping each other together for the sake of our daughter. When she grew up, went to school and got married, it just became unbearable to stay together. Thats life, I guess.
Better that we dont torment each other, Margaret replied, and Ill still put a solid fence in this autumn, something stout.
Spring and summer went by with Emily hunched over her garden and wandering the woods.
Ive never spent so much time outdoors in my life, she told Margaret, pointing to the lilacs by the house and the pine woods where she could always find mushrooms, especially cepes. The summer berries were bursting with blackberries and strawberries.
Good to see you happy with the move, Margaret said, and it feels normal to me now.
The two women became fast friends. Autumn arrived. In Lucys garden the cabbage heads were huge, the potatoes turned a deep brown and the yield was excellent.
Emily started digging up potatoes for dinner, never getting quite enough of those fragrant, buttery veg.
Margaret, Im heading into town for a few days, she told her neighbour, weve got a reunion with my old schoolmates its always the same time each year. Were celebrating the birthday of our classs beloved matriarch, Susan. Ill be back and then Ill finish the harvest
Margaret waved and nodded.
The evening gathering went wonderfully. Lucy bragged about her village, showed photos of her new house and talked up the bountiful crop.
This land has rested, she told her old classmate, Dave, we havent planted anything for two years, but next season Ill order a manure spreader for the farmer and start fertilising the beds.
Dont overdo it, Dave warned, take it easy. Ill swing by to help if you need it, just give me a shout.
Thanks, Im still figuring things out on my own, but I appreciate the offer, Lucy smiled.
Theyd been close back in secondary school, even had a crush on each other, but then university took them to different cities and life drifted them apart, like it did for most of their classmates.
Now, each year they met up at Susans place, sharing stories over tea.
Dave was a widower who didnt want to remarry, just like Emily, and they didnt hide that from anyone. Their independence felt refreshing no one owed anyone anything, and they could chat like old mates.
One evening Dave walked Lucy home, and they chatted in the kitchen until almost two in the morning.
Wow, look at the time, Lucy said, glancing at the clock, you should be heading home.
Maybe I could find a corner here for myself? Dave teased.
No, Im off to the village first thing tomorrow. Take a taxi back, thatll be best for both of us.
Lucy saw him off, then collapsed into bed, already looking forward to the next days chores and the visit from Margaret, for whom shed baked a cake and made her favourite marshmallow treat.
The next morning Lucy caught the first bus into the village. She walked through dewy grass, breathing the fresh country air under the bleating of sheep.
She slipped into the cottage, poured herself a mug of tea, changed into work clothes and stepped out into the garden to plan her day.
The village was quiet; people were just popping out onto their front lawns. Lucy waited until around nine, then headed over to Margarets for a cuppa.
In the garden she immediately spotted a mess of potato vines bits of tubers scattered everywhere. Someone had been pulling potatoes, peeling them, and bagging the biggest ones. Her heart skipped a beat. She kept walking and saw the cabbage rows were missing the largest heads almost half the crop gone.
She gasped and then noticed a broken fence. The flimsy post shed driven into the ground in spring lay toppled, big boot prints marking the soil.
Emily sprinted to Margarets window and knocked; Margaret looked up right away.
Whats happened, love?
Theyve robbed us, Maggie! Come on, lets go have a look What do we do now? Lucys cheeks were wet with tears.
Margaret threw on her coat and rushed out.
Bloody thieves she muttered, and they knew we were alone. The house is at the far end, theres no dog, just you on your own
The women inspected the scene. It was clear a couple of cyclists had crept over the fence from the outskirts, bent the wire, slipped into the garden and grabbed whatever they could. They tossed the small potatoes aside, but took the biggest cabbage heads in sacks and fled on their bikes.
Not a lot left, but at least its something, Lucy sighed.
Exactly, Margaret agreed, and you cant really prove who stole what. Everyones garden is the same. I reckon the culprits were a group of drunks whod just quit their jobs hard to prove anyway. No point getting tangled up in it.
What now? Lucy asked, sitting on the porch, I was so excited, feeling like a kid in pink glasses. Everyone seemed nice and cheerful.
Its not our kind of place, love, Margaret said, there are plenty of villages where folk are struggling, needing a drink. But God sees everything. Dont lose heart. Ill fetch Mr. George Brown, hell fix the fence. Then well sort out what to do next.
George, a sturdy seventyyearold, repaired the fence before lunch, putting in a solid wooden post and closing the gap with an old, stillstrong board.
There you go, Mrs. Thompson, take it easy, he said. Back in the day these things happened all the time. Dont leave the house unattended. Thats one lesson.
What about two? Lucy asked, halfjoking.
Two you need a deadbolt on the front door, otherwise its obvious nobodys home, George replied.
We could also get a small dog for the yard, something thatll bark straight away, Margaret added. Living on the edge without a dog isnt sensible.
Three, Lucy murmured.
Four a new sturdy fence, Margaret reminded her.
And a strong lad for you George finished, that makes five.
They all laughed, Lucy wiping her eyes.
Im not as upset about the potatoes and cabbage as I am about my hard work being stripped away, she said.
Dont worry, Margaret hugged her, Ill give you as much of that cabbage as you need. My gardens full, well have enough for winter. We even planted seedlings together, didnt we?
Everyone gathered for lunch at Lucys place. She calmed down, talked about her city meeting, and promised that once the harvest was in, shed follow through on the security plan theyd sketched out.
A week later Emily called James, a friend from town, to help her buy a deadbolt and get a quote for a new fence.
Ill help you, dont refuse, James said, well measure on site and head up together. Ive got a few days off, so I can stay and look over the farm, map out the work.
Are you really going to help? Lucy started, Ill pay you
Dont even mention it, James laughed, Im on holiday and have nothing else to do, so this is perfect. He gave Lucy a quick kiss on the cheek.
The villagers were amazed.
Just like when the carpenter showed up for Emily, the lads caught the thieves in the act, they said.
James and his mate delivered new metal posts and fencing material from the city within a week, and the fence was up in no time.
Emily cooked a big lunch for the helpers, thrilled that her garden and plot were now safely enclosed.
A burglar might still get in, but the harvests safe. The real treasure here is you, Emily, James said.
George brought over a little puppy from his own dog, named Baron. The pup was more a soft toy than a guard, but Lucy fell in love with him instantly. They built a small shelter for him by the garden so he could keep an eye on everything.
One afternoon, over tea with Margaret and George, Lucy smiled.
Hows everything? Is the man strong enough? George asked, teasing about James staying permanently.
Yes, yes, Margaret replied, we see the chemistry between you two. Hes a hard worker, not taking any money, but I wont curb his freedom either. Hell do as he wishes.
Lucy dodged the question with a grin.
After his holiday, James returned with groceries and a grin.
Can I stick around as a permanent helper? he asked cheekily. Im not asking much a bit of borscht, some porridge, maybe a pie now and then. Weve got the garden, we wont starve.
Right, youll have to put some elbow grease in, Lucy laughed. And youll watch over the house while Baron grows up.
James commuted to the city for work, only occasionally returning to his flat to sort out bills and paperwork.
Lucy let her city flat go to renters and waited for James to come back with bags of groceries, the road to the village always bustling with his deliveries.
They both enjoyed the company, missing the warmth of a family hearth, the joy of shared meals, and the cosy feel of the cottage.
A year passed, then another month. The couple was wellrespected in the village, though they still visited the city for a weekend at the local spa now and then. When they were away, George looked after the house, feeding Baron and the cat, and even phoned them to give a quick update.
Relax and dont worry about anything while youre at the spa, hed say. The house, the cat, the dog alls well.
Lucy would reply, Honestly, the best holiday now is just being back in our village. I cant wait to get home.
And so James and Lucy settled down together, rarely feeling the pull of faroff places because their fields gave them sunsets that seemed to last forever.
They loved wandering beyond the village edge, strolling into the woods as the sun went down, watching the sky turn amber. Baron would dash ahead, chasing the crows that perched on the roadside, as happy as his owners.
