When Jerrold called at the Manor Farm house Anne was out. Old Ballinger came slouching up from the farmyard to tell him that Miss Anne had gone up to the Far Acres field to try the new tractor.
The Far Acres field lay at the western end of the estate. Jerrold followed her there. Five furrows, five bright brown bands on the sallow stubble, marked out the Far Acres into five plots. In the turning space at the top corner he saw Anne on her black horse and Colin standing beside her.
With a great clanking and clanging the new American, tractor struggled towards them up the hill, dragging its plough. It stopped and turned at the "headland" as Jerrold came up.
A clear, light wind blew over the hill and he felt a sudden happiness and excitement. He was beginning to take an interest in his land. He shouted:
"I say, Anne, you look like Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo."
"Oh, not Waterloo, I hope. I'm going to win my battle."
"Well, Marengo—Austerlitz—whatever battles he did win. Does Curtis understand that infernal thing?"
Young Curtis, sulky and stolid on his driver's seat, stared at his new master.
"Yes. He's been taught motor mechanics. He's quite good at it … If only he'd do what you tell him. Curtis, I said you were not to use those disc coulters for this field. I've had three smashed in two weeks. They're no earthly good for stony soil."
"Tis n' so bad 'ere as it is at the east end, miss."