Escape to the Country (20 page)

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
that. 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.

Had he been so kind and considerate when they first dated? She
couldn't remember. She did know he hadn't behaved like that during
the last year. If she stayed, would it continue?