Escape to the Cotswolds

Who doesn’t seem to mind how many times I ask him to take me to The Cotswolds

Chapter One (#u087cf73f-931b-5769-b50f-a7645a10a441)

‘I’m leaving him, Emma.’

There was determination in her voice but an underlying hesitation as well.

‘And not a moment too soon, if you ask me.’

When Holly pulled the corkscrew out of her strawberry-blonde curls the side bits were just long enough to reach her mouth. It had been a habit since childhood, sucking the ends of her hair when she was agitated.

‘Yeah, well it’s easy for you to say,’ Holly said, the tiniest edge to her voice. She was never short with Emma, her oldest friend and her shoulder to cry on. At the moment though she was understandably distraught and Emma took it in good part.

‘No, of course it isn’t. But it’s time you showed Harry what you’re really made of.’

‘He’s seen what I’m made of. He just doesn’t seem to be interested any more.’

‘Oh, Holly, you have to get yourself out of there and as soon as possible.’

Holly sucked harder on her hair while conjuring up a picture of her best friend on the other end of the phone: willowy and with long thick dark waves that Holly had envied ever since they were nine years old. She still found it hard to believe Emma was the mother of six-year-old twins.

‘So have you decided what you’re going to do?’

‘No, I’ve just been getting through one day at a time. I haven’t even told Harry yet.’

‘And you’re waiting for what exactly?’

‘Courage.’

‘Oh, Holly,’ Emma repeated then paused, as if she didn’t quite know what to say next. ‘Do you want me to come over?’

In spite of her pain Holly smiled. ‘What, like hop on a bus, you mean? Emma, I live in London. You’re in the middle of the country.’

‘Why don’t you come and stay with us then? Just for a while, just till you work out what to do next.’

Holly’s mouth, and her fingers, fell open. and the curl dropped away and sprang back into place.

‘What, just ditch everything? I have a job remember.’

‘You must have holiday time owing. Take extended leave and see what happens. Why not?’

‘You don’t think a husband and two small boys are reason enough?’

‘You don’t have two small boys!’

‘You, you fool,’ Holly said, with a ready smile even in these circumstances.

Emma’s voice, naturally deep, lowered even further.

‘I suppose you’re right.’

It sounded bald. Holly tried to disperse the lump in her throat. ‘You’ve got enough to do without me there as well,’ she said, hoping her token protest hadn’t prompted Emma to change her mind.

There was a long wait when not even a crackle could be heard on the line. And then, with steel in her voice that could have cut paper: ‘For heaven’s sake, Holly, how long have you known me? Since for ever! And Tom since you were eighteen. As for the boys … In any case, don’t think it’s going to be a picnic. You’ll be washing the dishes, scrubbing the floors, helping with Jake and Jamie …’

Holly felt relief flood through her whole body. She realised she’d been holding her breath.

‘In that case I can’t think of anything I’d rather do right now – that is if you really don’t mind.’

‘Don’t be stupid.’

‘I guess I’d better break the news to Harry then. Can I let you know when, just as soon as I’ve sorted things out here?’

‘Whenever you’re ready, but don’t put it off any more. It’s time, Holly.’

Holly swallowed hard. Telling Emma had made it a reality. She was right. It was time to move on.

‘Just out of interest, Hol, what’s the bastard done now? Another woman? Again?’

‘Does a leopard change its spots? I don’t think any of them ever last very long. It’s happened so often he’s become careless. His shirt absolutely reeked of perfume when I took it out of the laundry box this morning, and it definitely wasn’t my perfume. If the smell is anything to go by his latest certainly doesn’t count subtlety among her attributes. Still, I don’t suppose that’s the sort of attribute Harry’s looking for. It’s the last time though. I should have made this decision a long time ago.’

***

It didn’t take Holly long to realise that a distance of almost a hundred miles didn’t mean she’d left her old life behind her. Emma and her family made her as welcome as anyone could but Holly’s heart was in London; at least it was at first.

In spite of a determination to start anew and reminding herself she was after all only in her late twenties she found herself thinking, not of the bad times with Harry, but of the trips to the theatre, the candlelit dinners – at home and in some of the countless wonderful restaurants in the capital. Harry was an attentive and charming host and she had to keep reminding herself that he’d been attentive and charming to several other young women as well. It wasn’t really until she began house-hunting though that she started looking forward instead of back.

***

‘I’ve been checking out the property market,’ Emma said not long after Holly arrived. ‘Do you want me to arrange some viewings for you?’

‘Regretting your impulse already, Em?’ Holly asked, using the nickname her friend hated because she thought it made her sound like someone out of an Ian Fleming novel. Emma swiped her round the head with a tea cloth. ‘No, but I might if you carry on like that.’

‘I’m not sure I’m ready yet. Maybe I’ll just rent somewhere for a while, get out of your hair.’

‘You are not in my hair and you can stay as long as you like; you know that. Don’t even think about renting.’

Holly looked at her friend and swallowed hard. ‘I’m scared.’

Emma’s features softened immediately. She could obviously feel her friend’s pain.

‘Of the commitment? Are you changing your mind? Thinking of going back?’

‘No, not that. Definitely not that. In any case, I’ve already resigned from my job and initiated divorce proceedings. When I first came to stay it was to give me breathing space. But I’ve visited you enough over the years to know now that I want to make my home here permanently. It’s just that it’s such a big thing.’

‘Okay, I won’t push you if you’re really not ready.’

‘No, you’re right. I’ve marked time for long enough. Go ahead, make the call.’