Escape to the Country (4 page)

Leah decided to walk over neighbouring farmland to the nearest shop.
Her decision had almost nothing to do with the fact that her chosen
route gave her the best possible chance of bumping into a tractor
driver. As a child, she'd loved the freedom of being allowed to make
that walk alone to spend her pocket money, whenever her visits
coincided with Jayne being away at university. It was just over a
mile each way by footpath, more than a six mile round trip by car.
Shame the shops hadn't been that far away when she'd quit smoking.
Despite ready access to cigarettes then she'd found the willpower to
stop; she'd find the strength to get through her current difficulties
and make a fresh start.

Although Tarragon didn't pull, holding his lead was making her tired
arms ache. Even switching from hand to hand didn't help much. Once on
open grassland, Leah unclipped his lead. He bounded off, his grey
speckled ears flapping up and down with each long stride. He
repeatedly came rushing back to her side before setting off somewhere
else. She laughed at his eagerness to go about the important doggy
business of sniffing and exploring combined with his eagerness to
bound back towards her, wanting only an affectionate greeting and rub
of his silky head. Such a change from big business and people only
interested in money.

She shook her head to dislodge her negative thoughts. Her fresh start
would include Adam. Could it take place in the countryside? They'd be
free of the vicious circle of needing more and more money to pay for
things that didn't make her happy. Clothes for work functions she
didn't want to attend, Blackberries and notebooks to stay in touch
with people she didn't like.

Leah couldn't see Tarragon. She yelled his name. Moments later, he
was careening down the bank towards her. He managed to slow up just
enough that he didn't quite knock her down as he skidded up against
her borrowed wellington boots.

"Good boy!" She gave him a meaty chew as a reward for
returning so promptly.

Leah reached into her pocket to check her phone. There was no point;
if it had rung she'd have heard it. Anyway it wasn't like Adam to
apologise, even when he knew he was in the wrong and this time it
seemed he wanted to put all the blame on her.

She looked up to see Tarragon hauling himself over a wooden style and
lollop off at speed towards a herd of cows. They were black and
white; great rangy things, not cute Jersey's like Jayne's house cows
Rosemary and her daughter Rosepetal. Leah, worried the dog might
chase them or get chased himself, called to him. He seemed not to
hear.

Leah clambered over the style and followed, shouting the dog's name.
He stopped, turned and bounded back to her. When he reached her side,
he trotted along quietly, occasionally sniffing her pocket.
Eventually she took the hint and remembered the treats.

"OK, boy, you can have one."

He unrolled his tongue and used it to gently take the snack from her
hand.

"Do anything for those, won't you? Sit!"

Tarragon obediently sat and received a reward.

"Lie down."

He did and was fed again.

They'd attracted an interested crowd. Huge, hairy black and white
bodies surrounded them. What were they doing out? She was sure most
people kept their cows in over the winter. Several cows had their
heads lowered as though to charge. Others sniffed and slobbered at
Leah and Tarragon. They must have seen her feeding him and wanted the
same.

"Shoo, go away. I've got nothing to give you." She flapped
her arm. The cows made no move to retreat. "Come on, Tarragon,
we'd better make a run for it!"

Leah ran as fast as she could, not daring to look back to see whether
the dog or the herd of hungry cows were following.

Leah's borrowed boots and the uneven ground made progress difficult.
The rowing machine and stepper down the gym were no preparation for
running, terrified, down a steep slope. She'd have to slow down or
she'd fall and the cows would trample her. The sight of Tarragon's
flapping ears cheered her a little, at least he was safe. After a few
more strides she realised the cows, who would be used to moving over
uneven grassy surfaces and so could presumably move at least as fast
as she, had not butted her or knocked her over. Perhaps after all,
they didn't intend any harm.

She looked back to see the cows milling about near where she'd run
from. Several had moved a short way as though to follow. Some seemed
to be looking at her as though wondering why she'd run. None were
chasing her.

"Guess they were just being nosy eh, boy?" she asked
Tarragon.

The dog looked at her pocket, but didn't sniff. Obviously he didn't
understand her new game so wasn't sure if he'd yet earned another
titbit. She gave in and put her hand in her pocket for what was
nearly the last one.

Leah tried to take a step toward the dog, but her foot slid out the
boot. Hastily she pushed it back in. Looking down she saw she was
stuck in very dark mud. The foot of each boot was entirely covered in
black gunge. Almost immediately she realised it was also very smelly.
Leah bent and grasped the top of one boot and tugged. There was a
sucking sound, but the boot didn't come up. She tugged again and
almost fell backwards. It was amazing how unstable she felt when she
couldn't reposition her feet.

She'd be able to get away, but not with the boots on her feet. The
smelly mud looked remarkably cold. She didn't fancy going back in
just her socks. Leah tried scrunching her foot into a ball to keep
the boot on as she lifted her foot, but all she achieved was to rub
the top of her foot and get pins and needles.

Maybe Tarragon could help tug her free? She persuaded him to get
close enough for her to attach the lead, then threw a biscuit for
him. He lurched forward, jerking the lead out her hand. The boots
hadn't moved and Tarragon had mud an alarmingly long way up his legs.
Even if she could make him understand a steady, sustained pulling
was required, it seemed possible they'd both become stuck. Sinking
two foot into mud was unpleasant for her, it would be far more
serious for him. She wasn't prepared to risk that.

Leah checked the mud level and after allowing for it to have splashed
about a bit as she struggled, calculated she wasn't still sinking.
Maybe Jayne would have some advice, she'd probably got stuck in the
mud herself before. Leah fumbled for her mobile and discovered the
battery was dead. After a moment's euphoria at the thought Adam might
have been trying to reach her and she was unaware, she realised a
silent phone wasn't a good thing. Typical. In the city where there
were taxis, crowds, police and phone boxes every few feet, she
charged her phone every night. In the country where any moment she
might be stampeded by marauding cows or get sucked into sinking mud,
she drank cowslip wine instead.

She'd got so used to Adam sorting out things like charging her phone,
renewing the tax on her car and arranging home insurance she was out
the habit of organising her own life.

"Tarragon, go fetch help," she ordered with little
enthusiasm.

The dog wagged his tail as though quite willing to take part in any
game she liked, just as soon as he figured out the rules.

"Look, doggy, I don't know the right instructions, but if you
fetch someone to get me out of here, I'll buy you a whole box of the
chewiest and meatiest dog treats on the market."

Tarragon barked once, then rushed past her. Slowly, so as not to risk
overbalancing, Leah turned the top half of her body to see where he'd
gone. Tarragon bounded in circles around a curly-haired man. The man,
who was striding towards her, looked strong enough to lift her to
safety. So long as his incredibly large wellies actually fitted him,
she was saved.

"Hello," the man greeted her. He seemed amused.

Her heart beat a little faster as she returned his smile. That was
just because of the slight danger she was in, or maybe it was just
her body's way of telling her she recognised him. She had seen him
somewhere before, she was certain. Odd she couldn't think where as he
had the kind of impressive physique, cheeky grin and moody good looks
it was hard to forget.

"Hi," Leah replied. "Do I know you?"

Chapter 3

The man shrugged. "Tarragon seemed to think you'd like some help
getting out of there."

"He's right, I would. Very much." Now help was at hand,
she'd stopped panicking and realised the mud was really only a few
inches deep. That didn't mean she wasn't grateful to Tarragon for
having drawn attention to her plight or for this man having
responded.

Tarragon wagged his tail enthusiastically, as though he knew he were
being discussed. Perhaps he did. The dog was amazing and this bloke
wasn't half bad either, although they were attractive in different
ways.

"Oh! You're the dish... er, I think I saw you driving a tractor
yesterday?"

"Ah. The pink car?"

"Guilty."

They grinned at each other.

"I don't want to seem demanding or anything, but if you're going
to rescue me could you do it quite soon? My feet are going numb."

"Right-oh!" He removed his waxed jacket, strode forward,
scooped her into his arms, lifted her gently and stood her on his
jacket. Her chilly feet appreciated the warmth from his body retained
in the quilted lining.

The dishy tractor driver then extracted her boots and put them next
to his jacket.

"They look a bit big. I think that's your problem."

"Yes. I borrowed them from my aunt."

"Best get your own then."

"I don't think I'll be around long enough to need them."

Was it her imagination, or did he look slightly disappointed? Maybe
she'd spoken too soon; she didn't have any reason for rushing back to
London.

Her legs really were feeling a bit numb so she honestly couldn't help
the way she had to cling to him for support as she got her feet back
into the boots. He must have understood as he didn't seem at all
bothered.

"Are you OK to walk back? I'm not sure I can carry you back to
Primrose Cottage, but I could fetch some transport."

"I'll be fine, I think. Thanks for your help."

"No problem. If you like, I could walk part of the way with you,
just to make sure you're OK?"

She would like that.

"So how did you get so stuck in the mud?"

'By moving in with a very dull computer nerd' she could have replied,
but instead she explained about the cows chasing her.

Her rescuer laughed. "Sorry, I don't mean to be cruel, but I bet
you looked funny."

"Maybe, but I was frightened at the time. I hadn't expected to
see cows outside in February."

"It's an experiment we're trying at Home Farm. The milkers are
kept in, but some beef cattle are hardy and can be kept out all year
round. It saves on buildings and bedding and should produce leaner
meat."

"I suppose this is the idea of the amazing Mr Gilmore-Bunce?"

"Er, yes. Why do you say that?"

"Sounds typical of him. Letting the poor cows suffer..."
She trailed off as she saw his reaction. Ranting at a man she'd only
just met and who'd just rescued her wasn't exactly the best way to
impress or thank him.

"They're not suffering," he pointed out. "It's more
that we're trying a more traditional way of doing things. I do bring
them extra food every day. That's where I was going when you passed
in your car." He spoke very gently, as though to calm her down.

Leah took a couple of deep breaths. She didn't want to seem crazily
biased against his boss as well as hopeless in the face of mud.
"Sorry. You're right. I over reacted." She had good
reasons for hating Mr Gilmore-Bunce, but her rescuer presumably saw a
different side to him and depended on him for a job. "Are these
special cows then?"

"Yes, Belted Galloways are a fairly rare and very hardy breed."

"Funny name."

"It's because of the white stripe around their black bodies."

Leah hadn't stuck around long enough to notice their patterns.

"Oh!"

"What?"

"I have to go back that way."

"I'll protect you - not that you'll need it."

"You don't know what they're like."

"Yes I do. They're very nosy so were checking you out. We don't
get many people walking over the footpath."

Leah hadn't exactly been sticking to the footpath anyway, so maybe
the cows had a right to wonder what she was playing at.

When they got near the cows, the tractor driver called to them and
they wandered over. Thankfully their speed and enthusiasm wasn't a
match for Tarragon's. This time she was walking close to the fence so
didn't feel so vulnerable to trampling and had remembered that cows
are vegetarians. They were still huge though. The tractor driver
stroked their necks and scratched the top of their heads which the
cows seemed to enjoy. She took his word for the fact that they'd let
her do the same if she tried it. He was right, they did look a bit as
though they were wearing scruffy white belts.

"So, Jayne Tilbury is your aunt?" he asked.

"Yes."

Were they all psychic in the country? She could handle Jayne knowing
more about her than Leah ever said, but it was a bit freaky when a
total stranger seemed to have the same ability. He'd known where she
was going too. Maybe he'd seen her car in Jayne's yard, but that
didn't explain about him guessing their relationship.

"Don't look like that," he said.

"Like what?"

"As though I'm either a psychic or a crazy stalker. I saw you
driving to her smallholding, you're out with her dog and you've
borrowed her wellies."

Not a mind reader then, just a face reader. Maybe she'd better stop
looking at those full lips of his and wondering what they'd feel like
to kiss.

"I'm staying with her for a while. A short break, you know?"