Page 13 of Sunrise over Strawberry Hill Farm

However, her city nature and style still betrayed her sometimes, such as wearing her favourite high-heeled ankle boots that day.

‘So, your Italian visitor has a Ferrari? Wow!’ said Harriet, wide-eyed as she finally caught up with the conversation. ‘Wonder if I can trade my beaten-up old Fiesta for something more glamorous?’

‘Don’t bother,’ snapped Flora. ‘He won’t be giving up his beloved supercar any time soon.’

All three of her friends turned to look at her in surprised bemusement at her sharp tone.

‘My, my,’ murmured Katy. ‘He has rubbed you up the wrong way.’

‘Chance would be a fine thing,’ added Libby with a gurgle of laughter, to which the others joined in.

Flora groaned and sank back in her chair. ‘Stop it,’ she told them. ‘Anyway, look at what I found out about him online.’

She showed them the results of googling his name and the string of glamorous dates and scandals.

Libby raised an eyebrow after reading the phone screen. ‘You do realise that these photos are nearly eight years old.’ She gave a shrug. ‘People do grow up and change, you know.’

Perhaps there was some truth in that, mused Flora but shook off the unsettling thought that she might be wrong about Nico. ‘Anyway, I don’t know why he’s still here,’ she said. ‘He’s given Grams the shawl from his grandmother.’

‘Who cares?’ said Libby, with a wicked grin. ‘You could always share a shower with him to save on hot water.’

Katy laughed, but Harriet shook her head.

‘Flora’s far too sensible to have a one-night stand with a playboy,’ she said, smiling softly at her friend.

But Harriet’s words had made Flora inwardly blanche. The sensible one. In college, she had been wild enough. But, of course, she’d been free then. The responsibility had weighed heavy on her as soon as her grandad had become ill. She owed them so much that she had forsaken everything but keeping the farm going.

Flora sighed and watched as her friends exchanged worried looks.

‘Are you okay?’ asked Harriet gently.

‘It’s just been a bit stressful,’ Flora told them. ‘Selling all the farm equipment. No more farming. You know.’

‘We know,’ said Harriet, reaching out to put an arm around Flora’s shoulders. ‘Joe told us everything. It must be really tough for you and Grams.’

‘Actually, Grams doesn’t seem as upset as I thought she would be,’ said Flora with a frown.

‘Maybe Nico can help with something,’ suggested Harriet, ever the optimist.

‘Like what? Using his Ferrari to sow some seeds?’ asked Flora, with a raised eyebrow.

‘I thought you weren’t sowing any more grains?’ asked Libby gently.

‘It was a joke,’ said Flora. ‘Just a really bad one. It’s just all so strange, especially now spring is here. Apart from the strawberry field, all the rest are empty. And what use is a bunch of empty fields?’ she wondered out loud. ‘No income, no farm if we don’t diversify, and quickly.’

There was a short silence whilst her friends exchanged concerned glances.

‘Surely we can think of something?’ said Libby, biting her lip.

‘Quite right,’ added Harriet, in a tremulous voice. ‘We can’t give up and neither can you.’

‘Maybe you could become something like Worthy Farm? You know, hold your very own Glastonbury-type festival,’ said Katy, ever the sharp-thinking businesswoman. But she immediately gave a shudder. ‘Although, personally, Glastonbury is my idea of hell. Unless I was staying in a scrupulously clean Winnebago.’

‘With Harry Styles?’ asked Libby, with a grin. ‘I could teach him a thing or two.’

Katy shook her head. ‘Ryan’s the only superstar man in my life.’

They had been going out for a few months and were madly in love.