Escape to the Country

by Patsy Collins

  "Thank you for the flowers, they're lovely."

  "You're welcome. I should have bought you flowers more often in the past. I rather took you for granted, didn't I?"

  "Yes." Friendly was one thing, she wasn't prepared to lie to save his feelings.

  "Things will be different now, I promise."

  "Adam, I..." She trailed off as he dropped to one knee.

  "Leah, will you marry me?"

  He pulled a tiny box from his jacket pocket and offered it to her. She was so shocked she took it without a word and opened it. Inside was a diamond ring.

  Adam took it from her and placed it on her finger. She watched as though it were someone else's hand.

  "No pre-nup, Leah. We'll do things just the way you want them. I've missed you so much. I didn't realise how much you meant to me until you'd gone. I thought at first you'd come back, but when you didn't I thought perhaps you'd misinterpreted what I said on the phone and thought I didn't want you back, so I thought I'd come and show you how much I do."

  She could have misinterpreted his words, although she didn't think she had. She certainly hadn't misinterpreted his lack of compassion when she'd first been suspended from work nor the nearly two months of silence from him since.

  "You don't seem very excited," Adam complained.

  So, after saying what he wanted and what he thought, he got around to thinking about her feelings?

  He rose to his feet and peered at her face as though checking for signs of illness.

  "It's late and I'm tired and this is all a bit of a shock," she mumbled, moving away from him yet again.

  "Yes, of course. I'm sorry. I've done this all the wrong way round, haven't I? I want you to come back to London with me. I'm working hard to clear your name but it would be easier if you were there to answer questions and, of course, I'd be happier if you were back home."

  "You've told Prophet Margin about us living together?"

  "No, I wouldn't do that without checking with you first. I'll tell them if you want me to."

  She shrugged. It no longer mattered. "And you'll meet my family and I'll meet yours?"

  "Of course, of course."

  She couldn't think straight. Adam was offering everything she'd once thought she wanted. There had been times when she'd cried herself to sleep because he didn't love her enough to want to marry her.

  "Come back to London with me tomorrow, Leah. We'll go to the theatre and have dinner at that Italian place you like."

  She was tempted. There were things about London she missed and she'd like to collect more clothes from the flat. Perhaps she should give her old life another chance before deciding to make her escape to the country permanent.

  "Jim's coming to lunch tomorrow, I said I'd be here."

  "Jim? He's not the man you were with tonight."

  "No, a friend of Jayne's."

  "If it's important to you then we'll stay until after lunch."

  "I need to sleep. We get up early here and I'm really tired. I can't think now."

  "Of course. Where's the nearest hotel?"

  "I've no idea. You'd better stay here tonight."

  "But your aunt..."

  "It'll be OK." She pointed him in the direction of a bedroom, thankful for Jayne's policy of always keeping a bed made up 'just in case' and left him to it.

  He asked if her aunt was old fashioned, but she ignored him. She wasn't ready to let him back into her bed and doubted if she ever would be. She took the ring off before going to bed and replaced it in its box. An engagement ring was another thing she wasn't ready for. She wanted one, but not that one. Not now.

  Jayne and Leah put fresh straw in the pigsties ready for the new arrivals on Monday.

  Leah said, "I want you to measure them for me, so I know what size they were when they arrived."

  "Stay here and you'll see for yourself," Jayne said, kicking at the straw to spread it.

  "I can't, Jayne. You know I can't. I have to go back to London and make sure that whatever decision I reach is the right one. I've been with Adam over two years. I can't just throw all that away after less than two months down here, not without seeing if it could work. And if it doesn't, then I can finalise everything up there, sort out the sale of the flat or get Adam to buy me out and pack up all my stuff."

  "I suppose. I just don't trust him."

  "Be fair, you haven't spoken to him except to shut the door in his face last night."

  Jayne laughed. "True and I did enjoy that! Pompous creature stood there with a bunch of flowers expecting to be welcomed with open arms."

  "Jayne, you're cruel."

  "Never denied it. Look out, here he comes."

  Adam picked his way across the yard as though getting a speck of mud on his immaculate trousers would give him the plague.

  "Good morning, ladies. Lovely day."

  "Beautiful," Jayne agreed. "Hello, Adam. I'm sorry we didn't get off to a very good start yesterday. I've not been well lately and that makes me tired and when I'm tired I'm grumpy." She set off towards the chicken run.

  Adam followed. "I quite understand. I'm sorry for disturbing you so late, but once I came to my senses about Leah, I just had to come and see her straight away."

  Jayne waved her hand as though to say that didn't matter. "How was the bed? I hope you slept all right?" She held the chicken run door open for Adam to follow her.

  "I did, thank you and thank you for putting me up."

  Leah stayed outside with Tarragon. She guessed what was coming next and knew some of the chickens had started to go broody. Leah supposed she should stick up for Adam, but she kept quiet and listened to him trying to charm Jayne. Sure enough, he praised the hens and lovely brown eggs and Jayne invited him to collect some. Adam did a pretty good job of stifling his yelp of pain as the broody hen pecked at the strange man stealing her eggs.

  Jayne handed Leah the egg basket. "Adam's helped me collect the eggs, isn't that nice?"

  "Lovely," Leah agreed, trying to scowl at Jayne without Adam noticing.

  "Would you like to see the sheep?" Jayne asked.

  "Er, yes," Adam said.

  "Good, you can help me with the hay. Leah, you go and get the breakfast started, I'm sure Adam will be hungry when he comes in."

  She didn't want to stop Jayne's fun, but enough was enough. "And muddy. Jayne he hasn't got any boots."

  "Oh, what was I thinking? Adam go in with Leah and she'll sort you out a pair. I always keep spares for visitors. That is, if you really do want to see the sheep and don't mind giving me a hand?"

  "No. Yes. I mean, I'd like to." Obediently he followed Leah and tried on Jayne's spare boots. The ones Leah borrowed when she'd got stuck in the mud were too small, so he had to borrow some that were too big. Leah wasn't at all sure he'd keep them on his feet in the sticky mud of the sheep paddock.

  "Adam, you don't have to do this."

  "It's fine. I think your aunt likes me."

  Leah didn't have the heart to tell him that was probably a very bad sign.

  Neither did she have the heart, when he returned soaking wet and slightly shocked, to ask what happened with the sheep. She just took Adam up to the bathroom then hunted for some clothes he could change into. The best she could find were her tracksuit bottoms and a pale pink sweater. Both would be an incredibly tight fit and leave quite a bit of his hairy arms and legs exposed, but were better than his ripped trousers and soaking shirt and jacket. At least, Leah supposed he'd think they were. He was always so particular about his appearance and projecting the right image that she didn't think he'd be particularly grateful. She handed them over without a word and went down to see Jayne.

  "What on earth did you do to him?"

  "Nothing. Didn't need to. He ran away from the ram, grabbed the electric fence and then dived head first into the water trough."

  Leah bit her lip. She would not laugh at Adam's misfortune.

  "Nice polite boy. He apologised for being a nuisance when I fished him out. He
says he likes the farm so maybe you could spend your honeymoon here?"

  "Jayne, I don't think..."

  "Don't worry, I wouldn't be here. I could go and spend a couple of weeks with your parents in New Zealand. If you timed it right you could be here for when Rosemary calved. I'm sure Adam would like that."

  "Like what?" Adam asked nervously.

  "Ah! There you are. All nice and clean and ready for your breakfast."

  Adam didn't seem particularly hungry. That may have been because Jayne spent the meal explaining how Leah had acted as midwife to Rosepetal and suggesting Adam might like the same experience. The process was a great deal more slimy and hands on than Leah recalled it being in real life.

  Adam must have spent some of the two months she'd been away discovering he enjoyed cooking because he enthusiastically volunteered to help peel potatoes and chop carrots and apples. It was either that, or he didn't want to help with any more farm work.

  "Good choice," Jayne approved. "You stay in the warm and dry and tell me all about yourself while Leah feeds the orphan lambs."

  He made a brave but unconvincing attempt at a smile.

  When Jim arrived, Jayne went out to meet him. She must have briefed him about the unexpected guest because he didn't react at all when introduced to a man wearing a pink sweater, incredibly tight tracksuit trousers and slippers shaped like ducklings which were all several sizes too small. He simply said it was a pleasure to meet Adam and clapped him on the back. Although he needed to take two paces to steady himself, Adam didn't actually fall over.

  The briefing was thorough enough that Jim didn't kiss Leah more than once and directed most of his flirting toward Jayne. It apparently hadn't covered Leah's return to London though as Jim offered her a job.

  "The chap who does the accounts at the feed mill is retiring soon. If you wanted the job you could start when you like and work with him for a while to get you settled in."

  "Leah has a job," Adam said.

  "In London though, isn't it?"

  Adam agreed it was.

  "Well she can't be driving down there everyday, can she?" Jim pointed out.

  "Thank you, Jim. It's kind of you to think of me."

  "Oooh, I think about you a lot." Jim winked. "Be nice having a pretty thing like you about the place."

  "Leah can think about it and let you know, can't she?" Jayne asked.

  "Oh yes, of course. No rush."

  As soon as they'd eaten, Adam suggested Leah should pack.

  "I don't think I need to. I still have plenty of clothes in London and I'll be coming back here soon, so I'll need some here." Whatever she decided about her future, she wasn't going to stay away from Winkleigh Marsh for too long at a time and it was best that Adam knew that.

  "Fine. Well, we can get going soon then?"

  "Wouldn't you like some nice herbal tea before you rush off?" Jayne suggested.

  "No, he wouldn't!" Leah said. She wasn't at all sure what Jayne might brew up. "Why don't you make some of that nice violet stuff for you and Jim?"

  Jayne grinned. "If you're going off and leaving me then I just might."

  "What are you two talking about?" Jim asked.

  They didn't explain.

  Leah wanted to call Duncan and tell him what was happening. She didn't know what she could say though, so just sent a text saying, 'Sorry for last night. I have things to sort out. Speak soon. x' It wasn't good, but hopefully better than leaving without contacting him at all.

  During the drive Leah kept her phone switched off. She couldn't speak to Duncan whilst sitting next to Adam.

  Adam told her about the investigations he'd been making into the accusations Mr Gilmore-Bunce made about the handling of his investments. To Leah, it seemed almost as though he were talking about people and problems she knew nothing about. Just a few weeks ago clearing her name and regaining her position of trust at Prophet Margin had been almost all she could think about. Now they didn't seem important at all. She tried to snap out of her lethargy and concentrate on what he was saying.

  "Is Rachel still involved in the investigations? I haven't heard from her lately."

  "Rachel West?"

  "Yes, she called me and said she was investigating with you."

  "What did you say to her?"

  "Not much."

  "Best keep it that way. I don't altogether trust her."

  Leah hadn't trusted Rachel in the past, but she'd changed her mind when Rachel told her about the investigation. Perhaps that was some trick of Rachel's? Leah decided to call her tomorrow and say she was back in London. Rachel's reaction to that news might give a clue as to how trustworthy she really was.

  "But none of that really matters," Adam said. "What's important is that I have you back with me."

  Leah smiled. She'd been thinking that work was more important to him than she was. It was reassuring to hear that wasn't the case.

  "Let's go out tonight, see a show. Something funny?" he suggested.

  "Yes, good idea."

  The comedian they went to see was quite funny, but all his jokes were at someone else's expense. The meal afterwards was fine, but no better than the restaurants Duncan had taken her to and far less substantial than the meals she'd enjoyed with Jayne. Leah found herself wondering where the out of season courgettes and raspberries had been flown in from. Adam was charming, just as he had been when they'd first dated, but the charm now felt a little superficial.

  The waiter asked if they'd like coffee and Adam ordered black decaf.

  "And for madam?"

  "Do you serve anything with violets in?"

  "Violets, madam?"

  "Don't worry about it. I'll have coffee with lots of caffeine, plenty of sugar and loads of cream."

  "Certainly, madam."

  "Leah, what's wrong?"

  "Wrong? I've changed how I take my coffee, what's wrong with that?"

  "It's not just the coffee."

  So he had noticed.

  "Everything is different, Adam. I don't feel I fit in here anymore."

  "Of course you do. Soon you'll be back at work and everything will be just as it was."

  Leah shook her head. It wouldn't, even if she wanted it to be.

  "Of course it will." He reached out and took the hand she'd clenched around her coffee cup. "I know these last few weeks have been unsettling, but together we can sort things out. Everything will be fine."

  "How can it? I'm not trusted at work. Everyone thinks I'm... well, I don't know what, but they won't trust me. Nobody will."

  "I trust you. I can prove it to, I'm working on a new investment, I could put it in your name."

  Was everything about money with him?

  "I don't want to get involved in any new financial dealings at the moment, Adam."

  "No, no, of course not."

  She was beginning to wish she'd not returned to London and there was worse to come. She had to spend the night in a one bedroom flat with Adam. She didn't expect she'd sleep well.

  "I'll sleep on the sofa," she said when they returned to the flat.

  "Don't be ridiculous! We've shared that bed for two years, one more night won't matter."

  She didn't answer.

  "I'll take the sofa," he said eventually.

  Leah was wrong about sleeping. The emotions she'd experienced over the previous twenty-four hours had drained her and she slept until almost eight.

  Adam tapped softly on the bedroom door.

  "Come in."

  "Fancy a coffee?"

  She smiled and nodded.

  It was relaxing to lie there, waiting for coffee and knowing she didn't have to get up and milk Rosemary or contend with grumpy hens. She recalled the scabs on the back of Adam's hand where he'd been pecked. He hadn't once complained about that. Leah remembered Jayne's account of how he'd managed to get soaking wet. It had seemed funny, but he must have been scared. He hadn't complained about that either, nor about having to wear her clothes at lunch. He must have hated t
hat. He probably hadn't been that pleased by Leah's refusal to wear the engagement ring or share his bed either.

  Perhaps she'd misjudged him. He must really want her back and be feeling bad about his earlier neglect of her to go through all that without whinging and expecting praise. He'd been considerate last night, too. Presumably he'd wanted to talk business and be reassured she was back for good. Instead of insisting on that, he'd taken her out. Adam's usual choice of entertainment was an obscure yet serious play or an opera where everyone died after forty minutes of agony, forgiveness or retribution depending on the plot. He'd chosen something far more likely to appeal to her than to him. If he'd actually changed as much as it seemed he had, then maybe they could be very happy together.

  Chapter 13

  Adam brought in two coffees and sat on the bed to drink his.

  "Aren't you going to be late for work?" Leah asked.

  "No. I'm taking today off. I thought we could go out, spend some time getting to know each other again."

  "Oh. Yes, good idea."

  They both finished their coffee quickly and Adam took out the cups, saying he'd leave her to get dressed.

  When he was gone, Leah checked her phone. There were two missed messages from Duncan and a text which simply read, 'Hi xxx'. She tried sending him a text to explain her return to London. She gave up when she realised she didn't understand herself quite what was happening. In the end she settled for, 'Still trying to sort things out. Will be in touch soon. x'

  Leah and Adam spent the day playing tourists in central London. They went to places she'd long wished to visit, but which they'd never found time for previously. She'd almost forgotten how convenient the tube was for getting to the National Gallery, Natural History Museum and China Town. There were so many interesting places to see in London and so many historic pubs, modern wine bars and an endless array of places to buy every kind of food she could think of. One minute they were in Harrods, the next in a street market. It seemed she could do anything, go anywhere and still be just a short walk or ride from home.

  Adam didn't tut when she preferred the pretty paintings to the important ones or say 'don't encourage them' when she dropped a few coins in the hat of buskers who were playing a cheerful tune. He didn't suck in his breath when she ordered food containing fat or sugar. He constantly asked where she wanted to go, what she wanted to do. More amazing still, he listened to her replies and acted on them.