It's 1972. Fifteen years earlier, teenage Laurie Henshaw came to live at Webber's Farm with his elderly uncle and settled in to the farming life. Now thirty-two, Laurie has a stroke in the middle of working on the farm. As he recovers, he has to come to terms with the fact that some of his new limitations are permanent and he's never going to be as active as he used to be. Will he be able to accept the helping hands his friends extend to him?<br><br>With twenty successful years in the city behind him, Phil McManus is hiding in the country after his boyfriend set him up to take the fall for an insider trading deal at his London stockbroking firm. There's not enough evidence to prosecute anyone, but not enough to clear him, either. He can't bear the idea of continuing his old stagnating life in the city or going back to his job now everyone knows he's gay.<br><br>Thrown together in a small country village, can Phil and Laurie forge a new life that suits the two of them and the makeshift family who gathers round them? Or are they too tied up in their own shortcomings to recognise what they have?

Taking Stock

There was sitting room that the previous occupant had probably called a parlour with a couple of old-fashioned wing chairs and an uncomfortable-looking sofa. There was a big fireplace. He’d get that lit and air the place out as soon as he could.


Upstairs were two small bedrooms with sloping roofs. The largest had a double bed that was made up with bright, white sheets and what looked like a hand-made quilt on top of the blankets. The curtains were blue and white gingham and wouldn’t do much to keep the light out. But they’d stop people seeing in from the road. The second room had twin beds with the bedding rolled at the end and the same curtains.


Chapter 7