Escape to the Country
Page 18
"So, do they think you were involved?"
Leah shook her head. "I could go back to Prophet Margin, if I wanted to but I don't. But that doesn't matter. Your farm, Jayne. I wanted to stay here, but it's worse for you. This is your life and it's gone up in smoke."
"No love, not my life, just a barn. I'm insured. I'll get another barn built. I haven't lost anything important. I'll carry on and you're more than welcome to stay. There's plenty of work to be done."
"Thanks, Jayne." Leah hugged her. "At least I can rely on you."
"Now what's all this nonsense about hating Duncan?"
"He lied to me."
"No. There was a bit of confusion over his name. It's not like he was committing fraud."
"No, it's worse. Adam was just trying to cover up his mistake. Duncan lied about who he really is. He knew how I felt about him and he deliberately tricked me into saying horrible things about him."
"Rubbish! When did he lie?"
"All the time. Right from the start."
"No, that was me. I knew who he was, but you were so against Oliver Gilmore-Bunce I didn't think you'd give him a chance, so I didn't tell you who he was. Duncan wanted to be honest with you, but I convinced him to wait."
"You lied? Yes, I suppose you did, but... Oh I don't know about anything anymore."
"The sheep need feeding. Nothing like a bit of work to clear your head." Jayne stood up, then hauled Leah to her feet. "What on earth's happened to your boots?"
Leah looked down at her feet. "I stomped out some burning straw last night, must have melted them a bit."
"A bit? Aren't they uncomfortable?"
"Not really, but I guess they'll leak."
"Better wear the spare ones again."
Jayne was right, being out in the sunshine and doing something constructive did make her feel better. Her life wasn't over. She had a home with Jayne and the offer of a job with Jim. Things were better than when she'd driven down to Winkleigh Marsh earlier in the year, even if it didn't feel as though they were.
Leah grabbed a bale of hay and carried it into the sheep field. Remembering how she'd been unable to lift one on her own when she came made her realise how much she'd changed physically. She didn't seem to have developed much emotionally though as her irrational dislike of G-B still seemed to be clouding her judgement. Was she going to believe Adam's opinion of the man, or that of Jayne and her own heart?
She stomped across to where the sheep were usually fed, only then noticing that the metal rack had been moved from its previous position. Jayne must have done that while Leah was in London. She wondered why as she changed course and walked towards it.
The answer came to her just too late. Where the sheep had repeatedly gathered in the same spot they'd churned up the ground, turning it to mud. Leah, weighed down with the bale, was stuck just as she had been before. This time her phone wasn't flat; it was in Primrose Cottage. She didn't even have Tarragon with her.
"Want some help?"
She couldn't turn to see who had asked but she didn't need to. Duncan's deep voice was unmistakable.
"I can get myself out," she snapped. Immediately she felt guilty. She was as angry with herself as she was with him.
"Really?"
Not without leaving the boots behind, she couldn't.
"You weren't carrying a bale of hay last time. At least let me take that."
She didn't protest as he came closer and took the heavy bale from her aching hands. He took it to the hay rack and put it in place, removed the strings so the sheep could eat the hay, then returned slowly to stand before her.
If only she could turn back time to when they'd first met and start again without the lies.
"Can't we start again?" he asked.
She didn't answer. Just because they wanted the same thing didn't mean it was possible.
"Hi. I'm Oliver Duncan Alan Gilmore-Bunce. Please call me Duncan, nearly everyone does. By the way, I haven't accused you of fraud, I just asked Prophet Margin why there wasn't as much money in my account as I'd expected and they promised to investigate. Sorry about the abrupt instructions I sent regarding my family's investments, but I'd just taken over that side of things, it didn't really interest me and I was worried about Dad."
She hung her head. Of course he couldn't have explained all that at their first meeting, particularly as he had no idea where she worked or that she'd care what name was on his birth certificate.
"Hi, I'm Leah Jayne Tilbury," she mumbled. "I used to live with the man who embezzled your savings. I believed the lies he told me about you rather than the evidence of your actions and the assurances of Jayne. I'm a complete idiot who can't even walk across a field without getting stuck."
He raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly. "OK if I call you Leah?"
She gave a small nod.
"I want to rescue you, Leah. That's all I've wanted since I first saw you."
It's all she'd wanted then and all she wanted now. She looked up at him and tried to smile.
Duncan strode over and lifted her free of the mud. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her, leaving her feet, in their bright stripy socks, dangling well above ground level.
"I love you," he said.
She clung on to him as he kissed her passionately.
"You've left my wellies behind," she giggled.
"Good. I don't want you running away from me."
"I won't, never again." She wrapped her legs around his hips and held on tight.
"Oh dear," he said as he strode back with her towards the farmyard.
"What?"
"Just when I really need a hay barn, it's been burned down."
Her heart beat faster and she was glad she was already off her feet as she doubted her legs would hold her. "There's one at Home Farm," she suggested hopefully.
"There is. Do you think Aunt Jayne will lend me her pick-up?"
"Yes, but not if you call her Aunt Jayne."
"She'll have to get used to it when we're married and she's part of the family."
"You haven't proposed yet," she pointed out.
"But I will." He sat her in the pick-up and went in search of Jayne.
As he drove her back to Home Farm, still with only socks on her feet, Leah remembered her relief when he'd opened the door to her the night before. She remembered too that he'd been hastily pulling on his clothes. At the time, she'd been far too worried to appreciate the sight of him half naked. Things were different now. Leah reached out a hand towards the button on his nearest shirt sleeve and tried to undo it.
"Patience woman," he said.
He didn't stop to close gates as he drove through, so she guessed he was in almost as much of a hurry as she was. Duncan abandoned the pick-up outside the house and carried Leah up the path. It seemed picky to point out the barn was in totally the other direction. She took the keys from his pocket and unlocked the door to let them in. She was already tugging his shirt up when he released his grip, allowing her feet to touch the floor. His shirt came off over his head as he kicked the door shut behind them and pulled Leah into his arms.
Patsy Collins lives on the south coast of England, opposite the Isle of Wight.
In addition to her novels she writes short stories for
women's magazines and maintains a popular blog.
patsy-collins.blogspot.com
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Table of Contents
Copyright
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
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