Escape to the Country (22 page)

Leah let herself back into the flat, collected the ring box by the
side of the bed and handed it to Adam.

"I'm so sorry, I can't marry you. I want to go back to Primrose
Cottage and live there."

For what seemed like a long time Adam didn't speak or react at all.
Then he took a deep breath, swallowed several times and asked,
"You'll take the job you were offered?"

She nodded. She wasn't sure if she would, but that was a possibility
and something Adam might understand.

"I can't stop you, but I think you're making a mistake. You've
had a couple of months holiday there and it's reminded you of your
childhood, but that's not real life, Leah."

"To me it is."

"I think you'll change your mind. If you do, well you know where
I am."

"Thank you." She hugged him in gratitude. She hadn't hoped
he'd be so accepting or so nice. Maybe she should have felt hurt he'd
taken the news so well, but she just felt relieved.

"How about the opera? I still have the tickets."

"Lovely."

It wasn't lovely; Adam seemed in shock and she felt guilty for
hurting him, but it was a lot better than spending the evening in the
flat with a man she'd just dumped.

Leah had arranged to meet Duncan outside the flat as it didn't seem
right to invite him to Adam's home. She shoved her cases onto the
back seat and jumped into the car beside him. He pulled her into a
hug.

"You OK?" he asked.

She was. Once she was in Duncan's arms, her last few doubts and
worries seemed to melt away. "Yes. I've told Adam it's over and
he's taken it very well."

"Never mind him. Are you OK?"

She tilted her head up until her lips brushed against his. Duncan
returned her kiss.

A car beeped its horn and he released her.

"I'm more than OK. The driver behind isn't though, you'd better
get going."

"Leah, I have a confession to make," Duncan told her as he
drove away.

"Oh?"

"My parents sort of got the idea we're thinking of getting
married and I didn't correct them."

"Why not?"

"Because in my case it's true and because it's what Dad wants to
believe. He's worried about carrying on the family name and stuff."

He was thinking of marrying her? She wanted to jump up and down or
dance, but there wasn't room in the car. She wanted to kiss him but
it wasn't safe as he was driving. She wanted to ask him to explain.
Have him say it again but there wasn't the time. They'd arrived at
the nursing home.

If Leah hadn't known where they were going, she'd have assumed he'd
taken her to a fancy hotel that just happened to have a lot of
medical staff wandering about. Duncan led her to the suite his
parents were sharing.

Duncan kissed his mother, hugged his dad and introduced Leah.

"We're so pleased to meet you, my dear," his mum said.
"Would you like some tea? Here let me take your coat."

"Stop fussing, woman," his dad said. "Come here, Leah
and let me get a proper look at you."

Obediently she went over to him.

"You really are as pretty as he said you were. I know it's not
official yet, but welcome to the family."

"Thank you, Mr er..."

"Call me Dad, might as well start as we mean to go on."

"Yes." She was glad Duncan had warned her, even if that
hadn't fully prepared her for the reception she was getting.

"Now, promise me you won't take too long setting a date. I'm
quite well enough to attend a wedding now and I want something to
look forward to."

Leah glanced about for support. Duncan looked as though he was trying
not to laugh, but his mum came to her rescue.

"Leave her be, you're embarrassing the poor girl."

"What's to be embarrassed about? Getting married's perfectly
natural. Didn't say she was to hurry up and give us grandchildren,
did I?"

"Men!" His mum turned to Leah. "I'd like to tell you
my dear son only takes after me, but I'm afraid that wouldn't be
strictly true."

"Good job too. Wouldn't get anywhere if we were to hang around
waiting for you women to make up your minds, would we, my boy?"

"No Dad, we wouldn't. But let me me make my own proposal, eh?"

"All right, but do it soon."

"Yes, Dad."

Fortunately a trolley laden with tea and cakes was brought in at that
moment. After that, the conversation became more normal

"Sorry about Dad," Duncan said as they left the nursing
home and headed back for Winkleigh Marsh.

"Don't be, I liked him. Both of them."

"Good, they liked you too. If they don't like people they're
just very very polite. It's really quite scary."

"They didn't scare me."

"And what about the things Dad was suggesting?"

"That didn't scare me either."

"No?"

"I'm not agreeing too anything, but if you were to ask me
properly sometime then I probably wouldn't scream and run away."

Chapter 14

Jayne had to wait to greet Leah as Tarragon got there first. She gave
her a hug, then said, "Well, get changed, you can't clean out
the pigs in that lot."

Leah gave a mock salute, collected her case and strode towards
Primrose Cottage. Duncan picked up her remaining bags, but Jayne
grabbed his arm to stop him following. Leah didn't have long to
speculate about what Jayne was telling him as he soon caught up with
Leah.

"Fancy going out for a drink tonight?"

"I do, but not for too long. I rather suspect Jayne's going to
want to interrogate me and it's been quite an emotional couple of
days."

He hugged her close. "Of course. I'm just being selfish. You
talk to Jayne and sort yourself out and I'll leave off pestering you
until tomorrow. I promise not to come calling before it's light."

"I do like you an awful lot," she told him.

"I'm rather counting on that." He kissed her in a way that
proved he liked her an awful lot too.

Leah got changed and found Jayne at the pigsty.

"Aaaw, they're adorable!"

"They are. I've already started wondering if I should keep one
to breed from."

"Definitely!"

"Maybe. Depends if I'll have any help cleaning them out."

"You will."

As the two women fed the orphan lambs and gave all the animals fresh
bedding, Leah started briefing Jayne on all that had happened since
Adam took her away from Winkleigh Marsh.

"He took it OK, you dumping him?"

"Yes, I'd worried he might get nasty, but he was fine. He
brought me a coffee before he went to work this morning and said
there was no rush for me to move all my stuff out. He hopes I'll
change my mind, but if not then he's going to sell the flat as there
would be too many memories."

"Trying to make you feel guilty?"

"No, I don't think so. He thinks me coming down here is just a
fad and I'll be back as soon as I can go back to work."

"What about Jim's offer?"

"I'll go in and see what's involved, but I can't start working
there until my name has been cleared and I've officially left Prophet
Margin."

"Now to the important bit. What about Duncan?"

"You'll have to ply me with cowslip wine to get me to talk."

Jayne did just that after their supper. Leah admitted she wanted to
spend the rest of her life living on a farm with Duncan.

"I'm pretty sure that's what he wants too," Jayne said. She
refilled their glasses.

"Yes and his parents."

"You've met them? Then you know..."

"About his dad?"

"Yes."

"He was fine when I saw him. In remission they said and there's
a good chance he'll stay like that for quite a while." Leah told
Jayne about the visit and everything Duncan's dad had said.

The warmth of the fire and the effects of the wine soon had both
women yawning and they agreed an early night would be a good idea.

"Leah, wake up!" Jayne shook her.

She must be dreaming. She hadn't set her alarm, but even if she'd
slept late, Jayne wouldn't be yelling at her.

"Leah, you've got to get up! Come on!" Jayne dragged the
quilt off Leah and pulled at her arm.

"Milk your own cow."

"There's a fire, get up!"

Leah pulled on clothes at random and raced down the stairs after
Jayne.

The barn was blazing and the cows were bellowing in fear. She could
hear the dog barking and the lambs and pigs were all making a
horrible racket.

"Where's Tarragon?"

"I shut him in the pick-up. He was hysterical and would have
panicked the other animals. Let's get the cows first, we can put them
in a field, they'll be OK."

They let the terrified cattle out just in time. The heat was intense
and burning straw was falling dangerously close to their bedding.

"What next?"

"We need pens or something to put the rest in. God Leah, we
can't let them burn."

"We won't, we won't. How about gates? Could we make a pen from
them for the lambs?"

"Yes, that would work."

They dragged gates from their hinges and carried them a safe distance
from the flames. Once they were lashed together, they carried the
lambs two at a time into the pen.

"The chicken will be OK, the flames are going the other way, but
I'm worried about the piglets. I just don't see how we can make them
a pen in time."

"Shall we just let them out? They might get hurt if they just
run away, but there chances would be better than if they're caught in
the fire."

"All right, I suppose so."

They ran to the pigsty. The wall was already hot.

"The chicken run, that would hold them," Jayne said. "It's
not ideal, but we'll try that."

"OK. Jayne, did you call the fire brigade?"

Jayne sagged as though she'd been hit. "No."

"I'll do it." Leah, wishing she hadn't lost her habit of
carrying her mobile at all times, turned and ran toward the house.

"No." Jayne pulled her arm. "Look."

Leah looked where Jayne pointed. A burning telegraph pole crashed
down towards the cottage, blocking her route.

"You're not going in there," Jayne said.

"We need help."

"Take the pick-up. I'll move the pigs."

Leah drove as fast as she dared over the fields to Home Farm. In her
panic, she'd forgotten the dog. Poor Tarragon cowered on the floor in
front of the passenger seat. He knew there was something terribly
wrong and must think his banishment to the pick-up meant he was
getting the blame.

"It's OK, boy," she tried to reassure him. That didn't seem
to help, but when she added, "I'm glad you're with me," he
thumped his tail. That was probably because what she said that time
was true and it made her voice sound more reassuring.

Twice Leah stopped to open gates which she didn't close. Once she
crashed through a post and rail fence. She doubted even G-B would put
the inconvenience of cows in the wrong field and broken timber above
the safety of Jayne's animals and Primrose Cottage.

She blasted the horn as she drove into the yard, then hammered on Mr
Gilmore-Bunce's door. Tarragon accompanied her, sticking closer than
if he'd been on a lead. Leah tried to call out that there was a fire,
but first her voice, then her legs failed her. She slumped against
the door frame.

"Leah?" It was Duncan, wearing just jeans and pulling on a
shirt.

"Duncan, thank God!"

"Leah, what is it?" He pulled her into his arms and stroked
her matted, smoky hair.

She wanted the stay in his arms and let him comfort her, but there
wasn't time.

"Jayne's barn's on fire and we can't get in the house to call
for help."

"Go in, the phone is first on the left. Call the fire brigade,
then come out into the yard. Better leave Tarragon here."

Duncan had the pick-up turned round when she came out. She jumped in
next to him. He drove back at even greater speed than Leah had used
to get there.

"I've grabbed the pump from the inspection pit, so we'll be able
to do something before the fire brigade get there. Here, take my
phone and call Phil for me."

Leah searched his contacts for a Phil and held the phone for Duncan
to speak.

"There's a fire at Primrose Cottage. Meet me there, but first
call Jake and get him to stand by the main road and direct the fire
brigade down the lane."

Duncan followed the tracks Leah had made in the damp ground, making
no comments about the damage and open gates.

At Jayne's cottage Duncan got the women to lug a hose to the stream
while he connected his pump to a generator he'd brought. They hosed
down the side of Primrose Cottage.

The fire brigade soon arrived, followed promptly by Phil and Jake.
Those two men helped Duncan and the women make a better pen for the
lambs and provide them with bedding. They also put straw down for the
piglets and carted in a water trough.

By the time they'd finished, the fire brigade had the blaze under
control.

An officer said, "We'll stay 'til we're sure there's no chance
of it re-igniting. Your house seems fine, but I don't want you going
back in there tonight. Is there anyone you can go to?"

"Yes," Duncan said. "They'll come to Home Farm."

"Good, we'll be back in the morning to do an assessment, but I
expect you'll be able to return then."

Duncan guided the shocked women to the pick-up. "I'll just give
the fire brigade our contact details."

He drove them at a sensible speed back to Home Farm. Exhausted, Leah
and Jayne collapsed into the double bed Duncan offered them.

Leah awoke in a strange bed, aware of someone next to her and the
smell of smoke. She couldn't move her legs, but she could hear a
woman crying; Jayne. That meant the events of last night weren't just
an awful dream.

"Shh, shh. We got all the animals out," Leah said, hugging
Jayne.

The weight on Leah's legs moved as Tarragon scrambled up to lick his
mistress's face.