A Love Shared

by Chrissie Loveday

  “I’ll manage. I’ll have to get back soon. I think it’s warm enough to leave the horses out at night now. Don’t you agree?”

  “I guess. Shame there isn’t a field shelter in the paddock, then they could go inside if it rains or gets cold.”

  “Brilliant idea. I’ll look into it. There’s bound to be a local place that could provide one. I’ll look on the Internet as soon as I’ve finished here.” He left her.

  How easy, when you have unlimited money, she thought. She’d had to save for ages before she could afford even a modest stable for Major. Still, it would cut down on work if the horses could stay out.

  It was April and in Cornwall’s relatively mild climate they should be fine. After all, many horses stayed out all the time, but neither Moonlight nor Major were used to it. It was only when sudden storms blew up that it could be a problem at this time of year.

  As Sarah drove back home, she thought how much things were about to change. No longer could she go and see Major without making prior arrangements. While MrsWeston was staying there, Alex would be busy taking care of her.

  Though Mrs Harper would undoubtedly be preparing meals, his mother would be demanding his attention and company. Nor would she like the fact that he worked long hours. Rather him than me, she thought. Meanwhile, she needed to get used to a change in her own routine.

  By the end of the week, Alex was looking positively haggard, especially round the eyes. Though he still presented his immaculate, well groomed appearance, the strain of looking after a demanding lady was taking its toll. On Friday evening, he rang Sarah.

  “Please come for a ride with me tomorrow. I need someone to save my sanity.”

  “I’d be delighted, but won’t your mother expect you to stay in with her?”

  “I need to get some air. She’ll just have to understand. I’ve also got the builders coming back on Monday so I’ll have to get some things organised for them. More things to do inside. Can’t believe all this has happened just at this point in time. Anyway, better go now. See you about ten tomorrow?”

  “That’s fine. Look forward to it. I’ve been missing my beautiful boy.”

  “Thank you. I didn’t realise you cared.”

  “Major, you fool. Bye.” She hung up the phone. She couldn’t believe she had just called one of the senior partners a fool. She hoped Alex would take it the way it was meant.

  It was a beautiful morning the next day, perfect for riding and enjoying Cornwall’s countryside. It was especially beautiful in spring.

  The thrift, called sea pinks by some people, were just coming into bloom and banks, stone walls and cliff tops were becoming a pink haze with the prolific little cushions of flowers. Primroses still lined hedgerows and there were many fields of daffodils shining with vast spreads of yellow.

  “This is why I love Cornwall so much,” Sarah said aloud as they rode along. “There’s always something good to look at. When the yellows fade, blue and pink replaces them and then masses of little white wild Cornish leeks appear.”

  “You’re quite a country girl at heart, aren’t you? Despite working in the city. Well if you can call Truro a city.”

  “Of course it’s a city,” she said defensively. “It’s got a cathedral.”

  “I do agree with you, though. Cornwall is a fabulous county. I’m so glad I managed to move down here. I challenge you to a race across the beach.”

  “Should you be pushing Moonlight like that?”

  “Maybe not. She’s very fit and healthy though. The vet examined her last week and he’s very pleased with her. Reckons I can continue to ride her for a good few more weeks yet. I decided against getting another horse. The way my life is running at the moment, I really don’t think I can take on anything else.”

  “Did the vet say when the foal is due?”

  “Possibly early November.”

  “Exciting.”

  “Do you want to come back and have some lunch? Help me entertain my mother?”

  “I’m not sure it’s a good idea. She really doesn’t like me and I don’t want to upset things any more.”

  “You disappoint me. But, I don’t blame you. She isn’t a very friendly person at the best of times and there’s nothing best about times at the moment.”

  Sarah felt guilty but she really didn’t want to waste her day off being criticised by Alex’s mother.

  “I do have to do some shopping later. The fridge and freezer are practically empty. Do you need anything by the way? I don’t mind picking up anything you’re short of.”

  “I did an order yesterday. Mrs Harper left a list so I ordered it on-line. It seems to work all right.”

  “You’re quite domesticated in your own way.”

  They rode back into the stable yard and dismounted. They collected grooming materials and gave the two horses a rub down. The two dogs were barking behind their gate. “Would you like me to take them for a run?” Sarah offered.

  “It would be most helpful. I did plan to take them this afternoon but if I don’t manage it, at least I’ll know they’ve had some exercise. My mother finds them too boisterous, needless to say. Ah well, back to the grindstone. I think we have Scrabble planned for later in the day. How’s that for excitement?”

  “Don’t know how you’ll cope. I’ll put the dogs back in the yard when I return. Would hate to spoil your game.”

  SARAH CLASHES WITH MRS WESTON

  A couple of times during the following week, Sarah drove to the Manor after work and took Major out for a short ride. She was concerned that he was missing out on exercise lately and besides, she wanted to spend time with her beloved horse.

  Occasionally, she saw Alex arriving home rather late and gave him a wave. She didn’t speak to him and felt that anything that might have developed in the way of a relationship was slipping away. She scarcely saw him at work and even realised that the gossip was dying down. She was going out very little and felt somewhat isolated.

  When Poppy suggested an evening at the cinema to see one of the current blockbuster movies, she leapt at the chance. Several of the staff went along and they all went for pizzas afterwards.

  “That was a good evening,” she commented as they all said their goodbyes. “Let’s do it again sometime.” They agreed and Poppy walked back to her car with her.

  “You seem a bit down lately. Is anything wrong?”

  “Not really. Just a dull patch in my life.”

  “The gorgeous Alex neglecting you?”

  “He’s still got his sick mother staying with him. My horse is still stabled over there and as his mother doesn’t approve of me, I’m just not getting out as much as I was.”

  “Why don’t you take your horse back to your place?”

  “Cos he’s in love with Alex’s horse and they both fret when they’re apart.”

  “I didn’t know horses could be like that.”

  “These two can. Both went off their food and behaved like typical teenagers with massive crushes.”

  “Good heavens,” Poppy said. “Sounds worse than having kids around. Better go now. It’s past my bedtime.”

  “Night,” Sarah replied. “See you tomorrow. And thanks for including me tonight.”

  Her answering machine was flashing when she got home.

  “Please call me. I’ve got problems.” Alex sounded desperate.

  She dialled his mobile, assuming that wouldn’t disturb Mrs Weston if she was asleep. She remembered him saying she had a phone nearby and didn’t want to wake her. Alex picked up immediately.

  “Hi, it’s Sarah. Is something wrong?”

  “Certainly is. Maddy, Mrs Harper, has handed in her notice. Immediate effect.”

  “Oh no. Can she do that? Catastrophe.”

  “And the workmen walked off the site today.”

  “Don’t tell me. Your mother?”

  “Got it in one. She’s been complaining all week. Cups of tea every few minutes and then it’s not strong enough. Coffee and that’s too
strong. And the meat was tough. The vegetables were overcooked. She hadn’t cleaned the room properly. Mrs H has had as much as she can take.

  “Mother hates the workmen banging about, as she puts it. Complains the dogs are barking and when they got into her room, she said they’d leapt on her and put her health back by several weeks. I’m at my wits’ end. I can’t manage without Mrs H to run things.”

  “Can’t you persuade her to stay on for a while? Just till you find someone else or even till you can get your mother back home?”

  “The latter is probably going to take weeks. I doubt there’s anyone else around here with Mrs H’s flexibility.”

  “What about some sort of nursing home? Just till she’s on her feet again.”

  “I suggested that when I first brought her here. I told her she’d be left an awful lot while I was at work but she wanted to be here. A nursing home was the last thing she would accept. Can’t say I blame her, really.”

  “So, how can I help?”

  “I wondered if you could possibly have the dogs to stay with you for a bit. That would be one thing less.”

  “Oh Alex, I’d love to but my place is just too small. And they are used to being in and out all day. I don’t even have a proper fence round my garden. Poor Phoebe and Sophie. I could come over after work, whenever I leave early enough, that is and I could take them out. I could do the horses’ feeds as well.”

  “Thanks very much. That would be a start anyway. I don’t want to burden you too much. If she has less to do, Mrs H might stay for a while at least. I’ll try to make sure you can get away promptly each evening. Extra secretarial help might make a difference and someone to take on more of your filing.”

  “And my targets? Any help offered there?”

  “Let’s not go there. You know my thoughts on that.”

  “And you know mine. I’ll see to the animals tomorrow and we’ll catch up at some point.”

  “Thanks very much. Sorry to burden you with my problems.”

  “OK. I’ll do what I can, but that won’t solve all your problems.”

  “I’ll be late in tomorrow. I’ll have to try and smooth things over with Maddy. I persuaded her to stay till the end of the week. Oh heavens. I’ve just been so reliant on her. Dratted woman.”

  “Who? Your mother or Mrs H?”

  “Both I suppose. Currently it’s Maddy who’s making me mad. Sorry. You must need to get to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow sometime.”

  It was the start of a few hectic weeks. Mrs Harper left and Alex managed to get someone else to come in a few hours a week to clean and he did all the cooking. He was taking work home to make up for leaving early.

  As to Mrs Weston’s progress, there seemed to be little happening. She was getting around a little bit on her crutches but from what Alex said, it seemed to be taking a very long time for her to recover at all.

  Sarah’s client, Mr Knowles, seemed to have re-established contact with his daughter. The threat of a court order had brought his wife to her senses and visits had resumed in an acceptable way.

  “You’ll never believe what my ex-wife had told Martha,” he said on the phone, one day. “She’d only told her it was me who didn’t want to see her. Poor little kid had cried herself to sleep night after night.”

  “I can believe it. So many couples with marital breakdown use their kids as blackmail tools. Very distressing all round.”

  “I’ve told Martha that any time she feels sad, she must phone me and I’ll come and see her. Oh and there is another man living with her. Makes me furious to think I’m renting a horrible flat and someone else has got my home.”

  Sarah felt desperately sorry for the man, but the financial settlement had included the house and unless they applied for a reassignment of the property, which he might not win because of Martha living there, he had to accept the situation.

  “I could pursue this is if you want me to.”

  “I’ll leave it for now. I’ve applied for another job and now you’ve got my maintenance payments sorted, things are definitely easier. You’ve been brilliant, Sarah. I only wish I’d been in touch with you from the start of all this. Thanks again.”

  At least things had improved and he was much happier and it was nice to get his compliment.

  It was now summer and the county was filling up with tourists for the holiday season. It meant that the dogs couldn’t be let off on the beaches, in fact there were a number of beaches where dogs were banned altogether during the summer months.

  “I gather the extra dog walking is getting to you, just a bit?” Poppy asked one day when she saw Sarah looking a bit washedout.

  “It’s everything really. I seem to do nothing but work, exercise the dogs and horses and go home and fall into bed.”

  “And what is Alex doing while all this is going on?”

  “Trying to persuade his mother it’s time she went home, basically. He had a wonderful housekeeper person who gave in her notice when the grande dame decided she wasn’t any good. I don’t think either of us can go on at this pace for much longer.”

  “And how are things between the two of you? I must say, I was having high hopes for the pair of you at one time.”

  “Some chance. With his full-time chaperone breathing down his neck, I daren’t have so much as cup of coffee in his kitchen. The work on the house is all at a standstill. Nothing has been done for weeks now. I think all his workmen have gone on to another job permanently. At least he’s eased off on my failure to reach targets over the past few weeks. And the horses are out all the time now, so that’s a bit less work. Sorry. I shouldn’t be moaning. Not a word to anyone else, please.”

  “Course not. I may be a gossip at times but I consider this is totally confidential and wouldn’t breathe a word to anyone. Maybe we should organise a meal out and cheer you up a bit?”

  “Haven’t got the time for a while yet. But thanks anyway. If I manage an evening off, I’ll let you know.”

  “I must say, Alex himself does seem a bit grumpy lately, but if he’s a carer as well as a lawyer you can’t really blame him.”

  Sarah was returning the dogs to the house one evening, when Alex arrived home a bit earlier than usual.

  “Come and have a drink,” he invited. “You certainly deserve it.”

  “Oh, no thanks. I don’t want to intrude on you and your mother.”

  “Please come in. I don’t seem to have seen you in ages. Except passing in the corridors at work, which hardly counts. I’ve got a very good bottle of Burgundy I need to share with someone and you’re the someone.”

  “Well, just one glass maybe. I’m driving so it has to be just one.”

  They went into the kitchen. The room had somehow lost some of the sparkle. It was nothing tangible but it didn’t look quite as inviting as it did at first.

  “What are you looking at?” Alex asked.

  “I was wondering what’s changed, but I can’t quite tell.”

  “It’s a bit grubby. Maddy’s replacement doesn’t believe in elbow grease or much in the way of cleaning materials, come to that.”

  “So how much longer is your mother going to be staying?”

  “Not much longer. I’m sure she’s well able to return home but she prefers being here, is the long and short of it. Now,” he said as he poured the wine, “See what you think of that.”

  She sniffed it as her father had taught her to do and breathed in the heady aroma. She swirled it gently in the over-sized glass and took a first sip.

  “Mmm, that is good,” she announced positively. “Very good indeed. Expensive no doubt.”

  “A bit,” he conceded, “but well worth it. I’ve laid some down in the cellar. A good offer from my wine merchant.”

  Sarah perched on a stool and held the glass between her hands, savouring the wine. The door opened and Mrs Weston came in. Sarah leapt to her feet and stood awkwardly near to Alex.

  “Oh, I see you have company. Don’t mind me. I just came to get mys
elf a glass of water.”

  With great drama, she crossed to the fridge on her crutches and made a great show of balancing as she drew out some water from the chiller. Wobbling violently, she almost fell against the table and just managed to put the glass down without dropping it on the floor.

  “Can I help?” offered Sarah.

  “Don’t trouble yourself. I will manage somehow.”

  “Do you want a glass of wine, Mother?” Alex asked wearily, pouring one as he spoke.

  “Well it would be nice, if it isn’t too much trouble. I won’t intrude though as you are entertaining a guest.” She managed to sound just a little feeble and pathetic but there was a glint in her eyes that made Sarah feel certain it was all an act.

  “Sit down, Mother and don’t try to act the martyr.”

  Sarah was surprised at his tone. “Here you are. Sarah was just returning the dogs after walking them for me. I was sharing some wine in gratitude for all she does.”

  “I expect you pay her well enough,” the older woman snapped.

  “She does it out of kindness, Mother. After you single-handedly caused Mrs Harper to leave, someone had to help me. I’m frantically busy at work and you take a lot of looking after.”

  “You’ll be old and frail one day and I hope then, you’ll regret being so unkind to me.”

  “Please, don’t start that again. You’ve been here for weeks now and it’s time you were getting back to your own home.”

  Mrs Weston swung round to glare at Sarah.

  “You’ve put him up to this. Can’t wait to get your hands on his money and move in here. That’s it, isn’t it?”

  Sarah went white. She put the half-empty glass down on the table and turned to leave.

  “Goodnight, Alex. I’ll see you at the office sometime.”

  Feeling ready to burst into tears, she rushed across the yard and got into her car. She drove away rapidly, seeing Alex through her rear view mirror, as he was rushing after her. She saw him hold up his hands in a gesture of defeat.

  “Horrible woman,” she muttered. “How dare she accuse me of all those things? I’ve put myself out for weeks to make sure the animals were all cared for. Never asked for anything in return and she dares to say that. She can just stew.”