Page 110 of Escape to the Country

‘No!’ said Eleanor, shocked.

‘Oh yes,’ said Rose. ‘Such a kind, patient man. Why do you think he never married? I’ll leave it to you to see what you can do. She must have been so lonely all these years. She deserves a little happiness, don’t you think?’

Eleanor was reeling from all the new information. But perhaps now that her mother’s plaster was off and she was more mobile again, there was a chance. And she was giving up the animals as well.

When her mum came back into the kitchen, Rose changed the subject to some local gossip, so Eleanor wandered back into the front room to chat with her friends.

But on the way her phone rang. She was amazed to see Lucas’s name come up on the screen.

‘Hello,’ she said, hesitating before picking up. ‘How are you?’

‘I was wondering if you felt like opening the front door actually.’

In a daze, Eleanor went to the front door and opened it. And there, to her amazement, stood Lucas.