Page 103 of Escape to the Country

But she was smiling to herself as she sat there, feeling ridiculously pleased that he had called her cute.

Later on, as they walked slowly back to the house, Eleanor watched Dylan leap and bound his way through the long wild flower meadow that should really have been the back lawn. The red poppies and blue cornflowers were vivid amongst the long grasses and got her thinking as to which flowers she could use to add to her creams.

Nearly at the patio, she noticed that a flower bed full of roses was in full bloom. However, some petals had already dropped onto the ground. She picked them up and inhaled the sweet scent that they had retained.

‘Aren’t they lovely?’ she asked.

Deep in thought, it took her a few moments to realise that her mobile was ringing. Feeling relaxed, she drew it out of her pocket expecting it to be her mum. But when she read the name, she immediately felt as if someone had drenched her in cold water. It was Theresa, her ex-editor.

‘Excuse me,’ she murmured to Tom.

Once she was far enough away from the house, she picked up the call.

‘Eleanor?’ said Theresa, by way of greeting. ‘That Tommy King is all over the press still. What was that story you had for me?’

She stood rigid in shock. This was it. Here was her chance.

Eleanor glanced up at the patio where Tom was playing with Dylan. The rest of the family were nearby and were starting their pre-dinner drinks. Arthur was smiling at something Rose was telling them all. Probably yet another outrageous story. Sam had his arm around Annie as he tried not to listen. Annie was laughing and looking out to see where Eleanor had got to.

And then there was Tom. He had a tear in his T-shirt from where it had caught on a nail. But he looked so much happier and relaxed than when she had first met him. She thought of his kindness with Arthur and how much work he had done in the stable for her.

And she knew she couldn’t do this to any of them.

‘I was wrong,’ Eleanor said down the phone. ‘Sorry but it was a non-story, after all.’

‘Have you any idea who the girl was in the photo at Glastonbury?’

Eleanor gulped. ‘Not the slightest idea, sorry.’

‘Pity,’ said Theresa before hanging up.

But Eleanor found that she wasn’t upset at all as she re-joined the family on the patio. Her life at Hot Gossip! magazine was all behind her now.