Escape to the Country by Patsy Collins Read Free Book Online

farm, wasn't able to deal with the likes of her
negligent landlord. Fortunately Leah was; thanks to the way Adam had
toughened her up. She could take on the high and mighty Gilmore-Bunce
and win this battle - and the one for her own reputation.

    The following day the rain eased. Maybe that's what caused the
improvement to Leah's mood. Equally it could have been learning the
tractor driver was called Duncan. "Actually, he's not just a
tractor driver, he's a kind of foreman. And he's not married,"
Jayne added as though that information might be of interest to Leah.
    "Where do you get your information from?" Leah asked.
    Jayne held up the morning's post.
    "You wrote and asked someone?"
    "No silly. Round here we actually talk to each other instead of
doing everything at second hand via e-mails and the like."
    "So you asked the postman? That's a good idea, he'd know who'd
moved in and what their names were. I'm not sure it was ethical to
tell you though."
    "Not ethical to know your neighbour's name? How can you welcome
them or offer help when it's needed or direct visiting friends who're
looking for their new home?"
    "Well,..." Leah was at a loss. Jayne knew the life history
of everyone in Winkleigh Marsh. Leah didn't know the names of all the
neighbours in her London flat. When she'd visited as a child she'd
never questioned the fact that everyone they met knew not just
Jayne's name, but her own and their relationship and what minor
mischief they were about to cause. It had been Adam who'd discouraged
her habit of making friends at every turn. It was a habit she
intended to re-acquire. Quite possibly she'd practice on Dishy Duncan
the tractor driver.
    Although they still had to wade through mud in the yard, to reach
some of the animals, the farm work didn't seem so hard in the
sunshine. Leah fed the chickens and cleaned out and refilled their
water containers before gathering the eggs. She carried buckets of
feed for the pigs and declared herself brave enough to attempt
cleaning them out. To her surprise the pens weren't particularly
dirty and all Leah had to do was sweep up the mess they'd carefully
deposited in a corner away from their bedding. They didn't even smell
too bad. Her next task was to fetch a bale of straw to top up their
bedding.
    Occasionally Leah almost lost one of her boots in the mud, but each
time just managed to avoid getting a wet and dirty foot.
    "I think I'll get myself a pair of wellies that fit," she
said.
    "Good idea. I've got to go into town and some some feed soon, so
we could go this afternoon and get you a pair."
    Leah decided to buy herself some suitable clothes too. Jayne's were
OK as a temporary measure, but she'd prefer her own. She wasn't sure
how long she'd stay this time, but planned to visit far more
regularly in future. There was now nothing to stop her coming down
whenever she wanted. If she wasn't reinstated at work there'd be
nothing to stop her staying permanently. Of course she would be and
then she'd be back to her normal busy work schedule and long hours.
With a sigh Leah realised that when she wanted to visit Jayne before,
it hadn't just been a shortage of time which prevented her, she
hadn't liked to risk upsetting Adam by being more insistent that he
accompany her and somehow he'd made her feel it wouldn't be a good
idea to go alone.
    Leah spotted Tarragon on the opposite side of the yard. He seemed to
want to cross over to her, but was glaring at the mud which prevented
him from doing so and reaching his destination with clean dry paws.
After her own experience with a muddy foot she didn't blame him, but
couldn't help laughing at the way he'd got himself trapped by picking
his way round the edge. Strange that he'd coped better when it was
actually raining. With a bark, the dog leapt forward through the mud
and bounded towards Leah. She braced herself, but he didn't jump up,
just sat calmly by her side and sniffed at her pocket.
    "And I thought you'd come to see me, boy, and all