Page 49 of Escape to the Country

They’d been happy then. A little family unit. Idyllic summers. Laughter at Christmas. It all felt like ancient history.

‘Anyway,’ she carried on, brushing the painful memories out of reach once more. ‘From what I remember, the fete was actually pretty small. A couple of cake stalls which, thanks to theGreat British Bake Off, we’ll be able to fill. A few drinks. Some lame tombola. That’s it.’

Annie shook her head. ‘I don’t want it to be lame!’ she wailed. ‘I want it to be the best one ever, because it’s our first one. I don’t want people thinking Sam and I can’t do this.’

Megan exchanged frantic looks with Eleanor. ‘Okay, calm down,’ she said, putting her arm around Annie’s shoulder. ‘We’ll put some thought into it, okay?’

‘Not lame?’ asked Annie, sounding more hopeful.

‘Definitely the most un-lame fete ever to be held,’ said Eleanor. ‘We promise.’

‘I can’t do this on my own. There’s too much going on. The kitchen’s about to be done up. There’s so much to do for the wedding. And now I’ve got some fete to organise?’ She grabbed their hands. ‘We’ve got to stick together, okay? I jump, you jump, remember. You girls are my squad, okay?’

‘Yeah,’ said Megan. ‘Just like Taylor Swift’s but quite a bit shorter and maybe rounder too, in my case.’

They all burst out laughing.

‘Well, that’s a welcome sound,’ said Arthur, stepping out of the west wing and heading across the entrance hall. ‘Good morning, ladies.’

‘Hello Arthur,’ said Megan, obviously used to conversing with an earl of the realm.

Eleanor, surprisingly, felt a little more shy. After all, Arthur was her mother’s landlord. A lord. A real-life Earl of Cranley. He had always been a forbidding figure when she had been growing up. But on reflection, he had kind eyes and a gentle smile as he nodded his greeting at her. Of course, he was far more frail than he had been when she was growing up, but there was still that air of aristocracy about him. Albeit slightly shabby.

‘It’s Eleanor McCartney, isn’t it?’ asked Arthur, holding out a hand. ‘I don’t think I was able to introduce myself to you the other evening.’

‘Yes,’ she replied, briefly taking the hand gently in hers. ‘Hello.’

‘How is your mother’s foot? I hope she’s not in too much pain.’

‘It’s easing a bit, thanks,’ Eleanor told him.

‘And, how are you? I understand you were in a bicycle accident yesterday?’ asked Arthur.

‘I’m fine, thank you,’ said Eleanor.

‘I’m glad to hear it. Tom was quite concerned about you when he was telling me.’

Eleanor found herself blushing at the thought of Tom talking about her. ‘Unfortunately, the bike is a right-off,’ she said, trying to move the subject on.

‘Well, you can always borrow mine,’ said Arthur. ‘I think my Tour de France days are over.’

‘Oh, that’s a good idea,’ said Annie, coming to stand next to them. ‘And now I don’t need to worry about you getting any crazy ideas about cycling around the village.’

His eyes twinkled as he smiled down at Annie. ‘You worry too much about me,’ he said. ‘Now, where do you think we left it?’

‘I think it was outside near the patio,’ said Annie.

They had just stepped through the French doors at the back of the entrance hall when the front door opened. There was a sudden scrabbling of paws as Dylan charged across the floor towards them, followed by Tom and Sam.

‘Don’t jump up!’ said Annie, stepping in front of Arthur to protect him.

Dylan merely ran around and around them in a mad dash before veering off across the lawn.

‘He’s a bit mental,’ said Megan, staring after the dog as it jumped around the long grass.

‘He’s certainly got a lot of energy,’ said Arthur, nodding in agreement.

‘Morning,’ said Tom, as he and Sam joined them on the patio.