Read Online Promise to Obey by Stella Whitelaw - Free Book Online
Authors: Stella Whitelaw
Ads: Link
this was a good time to try it. She knew how to drive and it was not far to the village. If Mrs Harris could cycle the distance, she could drive it.
It was a small, low-roofed car with sleek lines, not what she had expected at all. She thought all Austin cars were saloon, family cars. This was a neat shape, park it anywhere, with a walnut dashboard, leather seats and the famous picnic trays at the back. She slipped into the driver’s seat and switched on the ignition, took off the hand brake. The car shot into life, almost taking the garage doors with it.
Jessica stamped hard on the foot brake, was flung against the wheel, no seat belt fastened. She gasped. She had not realized that automatic gears need very gentle handling to ease the car away.
She sat back, regaining her breath, slowly fastening the seat belt, hoping she had not bruised her ribs. Lucas had been right. Automatics take some getting used to. Good thing that there was no one around watching. She tried again, easing the car away with only a couple of little jerks. Once moving, the car was a dream. She loved it. She drove slowly out of the drive and onto the road.
Left or right? She could not remember which way they had come yesterday. Well, she only had two choices and the village couldn’t be far. So she went right.
It was a quiet, leafy lane, twisting and turning so she drove carefully, hoping to see the village of West Eastly come into sight, cottages, pub and church. A male pheasant hopped across the road, its long tail feathers gleaming. If she was going the wrong way, then the station would appear. If she saw anyone, she would ask for help.
There was no one around, not a soul. Only a few grazing sheep and they weren’t much help. She doubted if they had any sense of direction. This was not the time to panic. Surely she could not get lost in such a small place?
She drove on. More leafy lanes, no signposts, nothing to say where she was. The hills looked all the same. There were no houses. At this rate she was going to end up in Brighton or Worthing or maybe back on the M27.
She was lost. She had no idea where she was. Surely MrsHarris didn’t cycle all this way from Dove Cottage to Upton Hall? Jessica glanced down at the milometer but the figures were no help. It was more than ten minutes ago that she left Upton Hall, turned right at the end of the drive and now she could be anywhere.
She slowed down, worried about petrol. She had not checked. Always check on your petrol before setting off, the driving instructor had said, many years ago.
She drew into the next lay-by and turned off the engine, taking stock, hoping that someone would drive by. If she heard a car coming, she would flag them down and ask for directions.
There was a throb of a car in the distance, coming closer, maybe too fast to stop for her. Jessica stood clearly on the side of the road, her hand up in the air, hoping for a Good Samaritan. She prayed that it would be someone helpful, articulate and English.
It was. Someone very articulate. The car braked.
‘What the hell are you doing out here, Jessica? I told you to wait for me. I said I would come with you, the first time you went out in the Austin. I suppose it was you who nearly took the garage door off? And now you are lost. Well, it serves you right.’ Lucas glared at her.
Jessica stood shocked by the onslaught. She didn’t deserve this. Her intentions had been the best. She had intended to get some books for Lady Grace and find out how to renew Lily’s inhaler prescription. Not exactly in line with robbing a bank or stealing the church silver.
‘Yes, sir, I am lost,’ she said, briskly. ‘All these lanes look the same. I’m hardly to blame if your council doesn’t spend any money on signposts. It must be because of some literacy deficit among the locals.’
Lucas was still glaring at her. ‘Did you turn right coming out of Upton Hall?’
‘Yes, I turned right. I’m not stupid.’
‘Then right again at
It was a small, low-roofed car with sleek lines, not what she had expected at all. She thought all Austin cars were saloon, family cars. This was a neat shape, park it anywhere, with a walnut dashboard, leather seats and the famous picnic trays at the back. She slipped into the driver’s seat and switched on the ignition, took off the hand brake. The car shot into life, almost taking the garage doors with it.
Jessica stamped hard on the foot brake, was flung against the wheel, no seat belt fastened. She gasped. She had not realized that automatic gears need very gentle handling to ease the car away.
She sat back, regaining her breath, slowly fastening the seat belt, hoping she had not bruised her ribs. Lucas had been right. Automatics take some getting used to. Good thing that there was no one around watching. She tried again, easing the car away with only a couple of little jerks. Once moving, the car was a dream. She loved it. She drove slowly out of the drive and onto the road.
Left or right? She could not remember which way they had come yesterday. Well, she only had two choices and the village couldn’t be far. So she went right.
It was a quiet, leafy lane, twisting and turning so she drove carefully, hoping to see the village of West Eastly come into sight, cottages, pub and church. A male pheasant hopped across the road, its long tail feathers gleaming. If she was going the wrong way, then the station would appear. If she saw anyone, she would ask for help.
There was no one around, not a soul. Only a few grazing sheep and they weren’t much help. She doubted if they had any sense of direction. This was not the time to panic. Surely she could not get lost in such a small place?
She drove on. More leafy lanes, no signposts, nothing to say where she was. The hills looked all the same. There were no houses. At this rate she was going to end up in Brighton or Worthing or maybe back on the M27.
She was lost. She had no idea where she was. Surely MrsHarris didn’t cycle all this way from Dove Cottage to Upton Hall? Jessica glanced down at the milometer but the figures were no help. It was more than ten minutes ago that she left Upton Hall, turned right at the end of the drive and now she could be anywhere.
She slowed down, worried about petrol. She had not checked. Always check on your petrol before setting off, the driving instructor had said, many years ago.
She drew into the next lay-by and turned off the engine, taking stock, hoping that someone would drive by. If she heard a car coming, she would flag them down and ask for directions.
There was a throb of a car in the distance, coming closer, maybe too fast to stop for her. Jessica stood clearly on the side of the road, her hand up in the air, hoping for a Good Samaritan. She prayed that it would be someone helpful, articulate and English.
It was. Someone very articulate. The car braked.
‘What the hell are you doing out here, Jessica? I told you to wait for me. I said I would come with you, the first time you went out in the Austin. I suppose it was you who nearly took the garage door off? And now you are lost. Well, it serves you right.’ Lucas glared at her.
Jessica stood shocked by the onslaught. She didn’t deserve this. Her intentions had been the best. She had intended to get some books for Lady Grace and find out how to renew Lily’s inhaler prescription. Not exactly in line with robbing a bank or stealing the church silver.
‘Yes, sir, I am lost,’ she said, briskly. ‘All these lanes look the same. I’m hardly to blame if your council doesn’t spend any money on signposts. It must be because of some literacy deficit among the locals.’
Lucas was still glaring at her. ‘Did you turn right coming out of Upton Hall?’
‘Yes, I turned right. I’m not stupid.’
‘Then right again at
Similar Books
