Chapter 37

Abby had gone to the station to think and was surprised to find Sam and Harry who were in the process of cleared off all the scrub and weeds around the house, and had also erected many of the posts. Sam greeted her heartily.

"Hello Abby, how are you today?"

"I'm fine thanks, Sam. I didn't think you would be down here so quickly."

"Yes, Harry thought it best to get the ground cleared before George comes in. He will only dump everything all over, and we would have to wait until goodness knows when to get the scrub scraped off." Harry lifted his Cap.

"Afternoon Miss Abby."

"Hello Harry, you don't waste any time do you?"

"Well I know us Country folk are supposed to be slow, But them as says it aren't here when we are getting on with the job."

"So I see."

"We wanted to get the ground cleared off, and a load of gravel down. Be easier to tidy up once the builders have gone." He turned to Sam. "Sam, I am going up to Lills and get a load of gravel now, be about three parts of an hour. Ok?"

"Yes fine, Harry. See you in a bit." With Harry gone, Sam looked at Abby and asked.

"Do you want to be alone for a while?"

He could feel that there was something on her mind. Abby gave that a momentary thought and decided to divulge her problem. After all Sam was the one that James had turned to when in despair.

"Sam, do you think that James' father could also be my father?" Sam was immediately furious that anyone could make such a suggestion.

"Who has told you that? The idea is nonsense."

"The idea came from Mrs. Comberford."

"Oh, I see." He thought for a bit. "Well it was known that Mr. Comberford liked the ladies. But I would say that there is no possibility that he was your father. As far as I know he never went down to the station. Any dealings that your Grandfather had with him, he went to Lyney House. I doubt that Mr. Comberford ever saw Marion above once or twice in her life. No, Love. Put that idea out of your head." Abby pondered for a while.

"Then why would she say such a thing? Do you think she is trying to put a wedge between James and me?"

"No Girl. She may honestly believe there is such a possibility. I say she's wrong. Mr. Comberford was stuffy, and a bit of a bore, but he was a gentleman and very conscious of his position. If he played around he did it elsewhere, rather than give people here a chance to gossip about him. And there would have been gossip. Mark my words. My Mavis would have heard, and she couldn't have kept her mouth shut." He stopped and gave the idea a little more consideration.

A seed of an idea came to him brightening his countenance.

"If you ask me, I reckon that Mrs. Comberford may be playing a game. Yes, I suppose you could say she had grounds for suspicion, but as she was never here that much after Mr. James was born she wouldn't really know how things were. Now give some thought to her trying to stir Mr. James up. She may well think that you are the perfect match for him. So she gives him a bit of a kick. To make him do something about it. You know, threaten to take a child's toy away and the child will want it all the more." He nodded his head sagely. "Yes I reckon that is it. Mr. James is one of the best, but he sometimes is guilty of letting things slide along, and not doing what needs to be done."

"Well if she thinks I'm the perfect match for James that makes me feel better. And if there is the slightest suspicion, it is best sorted. We are going to have a DNA test to prove it or not. I don't think it is true, and neither does James." She smiled mischievously and asked "Sam do you think I am right for James?" He shook his head with a big smile on his face. He answered her with another question.

"Do you?" Abby hesitated before answering and then with a blush suffusing her face softly admitted.

"Yes. I think I have fallen in Love with him." Sam was filled with pleasure at those words.

"I have known Mr. James all his life. He has never treated any girl the way he treats you. I noticed the other day when you ran out of the house. It was James who chased after you, and it was James you wanted at that time. He cares for you, Abby, he probably loves you but may not know it yet, but I have no doubt. If you want him, you will have to push him though." Abby was well aware of that. Sam went on. "You are right for each other. I have thought that for some time."

"I am pushing Sam. I got him to ask me away for a weekend when all this is settled. It's a naughty weekend. Aren't you ashamed of me?" Sam laughed heartily.

"No Girl, not at all. What better way to celebrate eh?" He winked at her, and then a serious look came to his face. "Abby I wish I could tell you who your father was, I can't. But I am sure I can say who he wasn't. And Mr. Comberford was not. Have your test; I have no doubts of the outcome. You and Mr. James are not related ... Yet." Abby touched his arm and smiled her appreciation of his support.

They walked towards the house, and Abby raised the issue of the Goods shed.

"I don't want to go in there, but I shall have to anyway. Can I ask another favour of you? When I do go in, will you be with me? James has said he will come, but I would like you to be there as well. It would be a sort of hand-holding thing.'

"Of course, Abby. Just let me know when." He wondered if the rope was still hanging from the beam, and whether he ought to get in there beforehand and make sure it was taken down. He would talk to Harry about that. The sound of a diesel engine disturbed them, as Harry arrived back, a big trailer full of small broken rock and gravel, behind his John Deere Tractor. Sam and Harry were immediately immersed in discussion about where and how they should spread the load. Abby did not want to be in their way, and asked if they would mind if she left.

"No Love, not at all. Harry and I will have this chat about spreading the gravel, and as usual Harry will do it his way."

"And Sam will just get in my way, the way he's always done." replied Harry with a grin, "but don't you worry Miss Abby, it will be sorted properly." Abby laughed and took her leave. She understood that Sam and Harry had known each other for years, and that this ribbing each other was just a way of enjoying each other's company. It brought into focus her lack of good friendship, the sort that stays the course over years. This was another reason to stay here, she had made friends, and she knew that these friendships would keep.

Rather than returning by the road, she walked down the track, deciding to use the Public Footpath coming down from Huish to get back to the Lane. It gave her a chance to think about what had happened, and how she would react if the test proved that she was James sister. She had read stories in the papers about siblings, re-united after being split as baby's, having an unnatural attraction to each other. She wondered if that was happening to she and James. She shook her head. She had to believe that her instinct would have warned her, and Sam's undoubted stance that they were not brother and sister.