Chapter Eleven: A Faithful Friend

When Connie's aunt became ill with tuberculosis they moved to Otley to nurse her. Two months later, she tragically died, and left her cottage to Connie. They sold the property and with the proceeds together with a bank loan, purchased a sheep farm just north of Otley.

Jerry loved the green countryside. Parts of it reminded him of France, especially around the Oradour‑sur‑Glane district. The two of them would arise in the cool of each morning at six o'clock and begin the many duties around the farm. They had two sheep dogs that Jerry purchased to help round up the sheep. One of them was a pure breed border collie that he named "Faithful." The other was a cross he purchased very cheaply from the local pound. Both dogs were instinctive when it came to rounding up sheep, but Faithful was particularly intelligent. Jerry gave the animal that name because of the character of the breed.

Connie and Jerry loved walking together to the barn and unleashing the dogs first thing in the morning. The animals would yelp with excitement, wag their tails and almost choke themselves on their leashes as they pulled at the ropes that restrained them. As soon as they were released, Faithful would run around in circles of delight, at the prospect of getting onto the back of the truck. Both dogs would stand right on the edge of the flatbed and lean into the wind, their eyes scouring the horizon of the fields as though they had never seen the countryside before.

Rarely did the Adamsons leave the farm. They saved every penny and purchased a small herd of milking cows, and the milking was a twice-daily happening. Even if one of them went into Otley for supplies, it was never for more than half a day.

To be continued...