Read Online Escape to the Country by Patsy Collins - Free Book Online

for Leah
to take them.
    Suddenly she missed him and played the message again, just to hear
his voice. Was this just another way of manipulating her, or was he
simply trying to be nice? Either way it looked as though if she
cleared her name she had a chance to get him back - if that's what
she wanted.

    Chapter 5

    Leah awoke in a tangle of sheets, wondering where she was. She'd had
a confusing dream where nothing and no one were as they seemed. No
doubt because her waking life had the same problems. No, that wasn't
right. In real life, her problem was that everything was revealed to
be exactly as it appeared. She'd worried her boyfriend was a
commitment phobe who'd not fight for her, that rich and powerful men
such as Mr Gilmore-Bunce could ruin her life on a whim and that her
employers would drop her rather than lose his business. She'd also
known Jayne would welcome and support her and she'd been right. She
was right too, in thinking she deserved better than the poor
treatment she'd received from the others.
    Jayne might be glad of help cleaning out the pigsties but she didn't
demand Leah do all the dirty jobs and certainly didn't treat her as
though that were all she was capable of.
    Leah's work problems could work in her favour. Once her name was
cleared, Prophet Margin would have to apologise, admit she was
trustworthy and treat her with respect. So would Adam. He'd expected
her to always be available to do what he wanted, when he wanted, yet
never had time for her friends or family. She suspected he'd only
agreed to buy the flat with her because he couldn't raise a large
enough mortgage himself and not because he really wanted to commit to
owning a home with her. If they got back together it would be on her
terms. He'd have to acknowledge her at work and he'd definitely have
to come with her to Winkleigh Marsh.
    She leapt out of bed full of confidence and enthusiasm and dressed in
her new pink sweater. In her bedroom it looked even brighter and
clingier than it had in the shop. Leah grinned at her reflection as
she imagined Adam's expression were he to see her in it. That was the
least of what he'd have to get used to. As she trotted down stairs,
she was pleased to notice that already her muscles were aching far
less than they had after her first day of hard work.
    Leah added brown sauce to her plate of sausages and fried eggs.
    "Have you milked Rosemary?" she asked.
    "Yes, of course."
    "Oh, I thought maybe you'd teach me how to do it."
    "OK, but your lessons had better be during afternoon milking. I
can't see you getting up before six."
    Six? Despite having spent over a week on the small farm, Leah still
hadn't realised quite how hard Jayne worked.
    After breakfast, Leah changed out of her new clothes and into
something suitable for mucking out the pigs. Both she and Jayne
received official looking letters. Leah's was from work, politely
informing her an enquiry into 'recent events' was under way and her
pay would be going into the bank as usual. She'd be checking that
later, just to be sure but the tone of the letter reassured her. It
said so very little that Leah felt sure they'd taken legal advice and
were taking care they didn't seem to be accusing her of anything and
almost implied the 'gardening leave' were at her own request or at
least for her own benefit.
    She told Jayne the good news. "I'll be able to contribute
towards the housekeeping."
    "No, I couldn't ask you to do that and things..."
    "You're not asking," Leah interrupted. "I'm offering.
I know you wouldn't begrudge feeding me if I'd just come up for the
weekend, but I've been here longer than that already and I do eat a
lot."
    Jayne's smile suggested she was too polite to actually say so, but
that she agreed with her niece.
    "Actually, I would feel more comfortable if I was paying
something toward my keep, because I've got a favour to ask."
    "Oh dear, that sounds ominous."
    "I hope not. Well, if it's OK with you, I'd like to stay for a
while. I think