help but wonder if she’s found her man at last …’ Her voice trailed away and her eyes slowly closed.
For a moment Ben thought she had fallen asleep, but then she suddenly straightened herself up in the chair and asked him another question. ‘Do you think you’ll ever get back with your ex-wife?’
Ben shook his head. ‘It was a long and messy business, and now it’s over, and so is our relationship.’
‘And the girl?’
‘You mean Abbie, my daughter?’
‘Yes. How does she feel about you and her mother splitting up?’
To Ben, the question was like a stab below the belt, but he answered it all the same. ‘It was hard for her – hard for all of us. In the end it was all for the best.’
‘And is she an only child?’
‘She is, yes.’
‘Would you like more children?’
Ben smiled, a long, lazy smile. ‘You mean, if I ever got married again?’
Lucy nodded. ‘Of course! When you and Mary get married, I want a whole horde of grandchildren.’ She grew wistful. ‘A boy, especially. It would be wonderful to cuddle a little boy.’
At that moment, Mary returned with the tray. ‘Here we are!’ Setting it on the coffee-table, she handed each of them a mug and pointed to the plate of chocolate slices. ‘Help yourselves,’ she told them.
Over the next half-hour, the conversation centred on Ben and his farming.
‘So you’ve found a new way of life, is that it?’ Lucy was ever inquisitive.
‘It’s certainly a very different world from the one I knew,’ Ben answered. ‘As you said yourself, London is busy and demanding. I used to get up at seven, struggle into the office …’ He had expected her to interrupt, and she did.
‘What work did you do?’
‘I’m an architect by trade.’
Lucy was impressed. ‘And were you good at it?’
‘Yes – or so I’m told.’
‘And was it your own business?’
‘It was, but I eventually went back to work for the local council in my home town.’
‘Mmm.’ She glanced at Mary, who was trying desperately to bring that particular conversation to a halt. ‘So you’re not short of a bob or two then?’
‘Mother, please! No more questions, or I’m sure Ben will never want to set foot in this house ever again.’
Lucy addressed Ben. ‘Have you had enough of my questions?’
He gave her a half-smile. ‘Look, I’ll make you a deal. I’ll tell you all I think you should know, and then there’ll be no more need of questions.’
Lucy agreed. ‘So, you were saying … you got up at seven and struggled into work.’
‘That’s right. Then I worked until eight or nine at night and struggled home again.’
‘Hmh! It’s no wonder your marriage broke up.’
‘MOTHER!’ Mary gave her a warning glance.
Lucy closed her mouth and listened.
Curiously relieved that he was finding it easier to talk about his troubles, Ben went on, ‘One night I got home and found my wife in bed with my ex-partner, Peter. Apparently they’d been having an affair for almost a year.’ He gave a sad little smile. ‘So, you could be right. Working all those hours probably was the reason for my marriage break-up.’
Lucy couldn’t help but make a comment. ‘I hope you leathered him good and proper?’
‘Oh, I was tempted, but it would have solved nothing. My wife wanted out, and I said yes.’ Dropping his gaze to the floor he said in a small voice, ‘I think the love had long gone, on both sides. By the way, you were right, Lucy. I am worth a bob or two. But that means little when your whole life has been turned upside down. I didn’t want to stay in London, so I packed a few things and set off. I looked far and wide before I found this lovely part of the world, and now I’m settled and content.’
He laughed. ‘I’m a farmer and proud of it. These days I’m up in the fields checking my sheep at five in the morning, and often fall into bed just before midnight, but I’ve never been happier in my whole life.’
He paused to reflect before ending light-heartedly, ‘So there you are!’ He smiled. ‘I hope that’s told you enough to be going on with?’
His hostess gave a long, contented sigh. ‘Even I am satisfied with that,’ she said. ‘Thank you, lad. It’s been a lovely day today, all due to our having met you. And now, I really must go up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire!’
IT WAS STRIKING eleven when Lucy announced she was ready for her bed. As she got out of her chair, Mary handed her the walking stick and Ben hurried to open the drawing-room door for her. ‘I’ll take you up, Mother,’ Mary offered.
‘No, you won’t!’ Waving her stick at Mary, she ordered, ‘You stay here with Ben. I’m perfectly capable of taking myself up the stairs to bed without your help.’
Knowing how stubborn her mother could be, Mary did not argue, but walked on with her to the bottom of the stairs. ‘Leave me be, lass!’ Lucy was growing agitated. ‘Don’t make me out to be a useless old biddy who can’t even climb a few stairs.’
In fact, if truth be told, Lucy was beginning to feel the worse for wear. The wine, and the long evening, and her fall in the churchyard, had all caught up with her. Halfway up the stairs, she suddenly took a dizzy spell; aware that the two of them were watching from the foot of the stairs, she clung onto the banister and braved it out. ‘Go on, be off with you!’ she complained impatiently. ‘You’re making me nervous.’
Regaining her composure, she set off again, but when the dizziness returned with a vengeance, it seemed as though the treads were moving beneath her feet and the whole flight of stairs was spinning round. As she felt herself falling, she could only think of Barney … and them.
Mary’s voice lifted her senses. ‘It’s all right, Mother, I’m here.’ She had run up the stairs to catch Lucy’s crumpling figure. For a moment, she staggered; her mother a dead weight in her arms.
Mary was glad to let Ben take over. Sweeping Lucy into his arms, he followed Mary’s directions and took Lucy straight into her bedroom, where he laid her on the bed.
‘Please, Ben, run and tell Adam what’s happened, will you? He lives in the cottage at the side of the house – you can’t miss it.’ Mary wondered how she could sound so calm, when her insides were in turmoil.
