Life Less Lived Ch. 04

Back in the kitchen, the riders warmed themselves up with mugs of coffee and some white and dark chocolate chip cookies that Sophie had baked in the oven ready for their return. Daniel was enthusiastic about the trip, happy that his livestock seemed to be ok and pleased that the three riders had helped carry as much feed as possible without any mishap, skirting neatly around Lady Barbara's brief unseating without hinting how amused he had been by it. He was full of praise for Marina, who had said from the outset that she had never ridden before and Daniel proudly declared her to be a natural. Sophie beamed at her adopted heroine.

Daniel offered to walk back with Lady Barbara to her cottage and take the opportunity to speak to Mavis. He also wanted to check if the Hammonds were back from their trip up North, although he very much doubted it, considering the extent of the snow. Lady Barbara and Sophie had already confirmed that the farm manager and his family hadn't got back during the morning. They weren't due back until tomorrow anyway and the nationwide nature of the unseasonal snowfall was likely to have an effect on their journey plans.

While Daniel and Lady Barbara were gone, Marina and Sophie got on with preparing the evening meal. Sophie looked out some salmon from the freezer and Marina peeled and chopped carrots and potatoes for mash and looked out some frozen petite pois. By the time Daniel had returned with news that there was no sign yet of the Hammonds, it was quite dark and extremely cold out. The grilled fish meal was virtually ready to serve, but Daniel was allowed to have a hot shower first to warm himself up before the girls served up a welcome repast.

With them all sitting around the table Daniel once again thanked Marina for her help with checking and feeding the sheep and reiterated his admiration for her horsemanship. Marina admitted that she thoroughly enjoyed the exercise and thanked Sophie once again for her timely advice and the loan of her lovely horse.

Daniel then started "Lady Barbara ..." and paused.

They all looked at each other and as one they burst out laughing.

"Poor Auntie Barbara," Sophie observed, "She's still harbouring thoughts of marrying Daddy -"

"What?!" interjected Daniel, "That's news to me! Don't I have any say in who I marry, if I ever re-marry?"

"Of course, Daddy" Sophie soothed, "But that doesn't stop people speculating or plotting for your future happiness."

"Damn," Daniel said, "I'm not even sure I like Barbara, let alone ever consider marrying her."

"Perhaps you better tell her then, Daddy."

"Oh golly, how do I do that?" he groaned, "I'm deadly sure I have never given her any encouragement ... oh, no, Soph, you don't think I've unconsciously given her encouragement to think ... the unthinkable, have I?"

"Don't think so, Daddy. Perhaps you just need to show her that you are interested in someone else ..."

They both looked at Marina.

"Don't look at me," Marina said, putting her nose in the air and putting on a shrill high-pitched voice, "I'll have you know I'm the original and perpetual 'old maid'!"

They all laughed at that.

Marina hadn't taken much part in the earlier conversation, so taking the opportunity to find out more about Lady Barbara and her involvement with the Medcalf family was informative. They all took part in the washing up, brewing up a fresh batch of coffee, before retiring to the warm parlour for the evening.

Daniel explained that Barbara had been a school friend of Penny's and for a decade or more worked as a glamorous globe-trotting model, while Penny went on to med school and ultimately hospital consultant. They were opposites in many respects but always remained close friends. Barbara was god-parent to both the girls and Penny and Daniel had been god-parents of Barbara's daughter. After her modelling career expired, Barbara married her long-time lover Philip Sands, of the SandRock Corporation, the very same company that were planning to build the extended motorway. He was later knighted for his services to industry. The couple had separated two or three years previously after Sir Philip had been caught cheating on her and Lady Barbara came down to stay with her friend just as her terminal illness was being diagnosed.

***

Jessica Lovage-Martin was not happy today. She was absolutely convinced that she was in love for the first time in her young life, and this weather was playing havoc with her ability to see the one person who had recently made her life worth living. Of course they spoke several times today on the phone, but it was always out of doors because, she was told, "walls have ears".

Jessica could understand this, so soon into their relationship, with her new partner still having to tie up loose ends to a rapidly-concluding prior arrangement. However, Jessica still had some surfacing insecurities about this burgeoning partnership. She couldn't help thinking that there may have been an element of her new partner keeping irons in the fire during this relationship changeover or complications that Jessica was completely in the dark about. She had low self-esteem earlier and those feelings kept reappearing at every set-back in this new relationship.

Jessica hoped that a longed-for thaw in the weather would lead to significantly more heat in her burgeoning and somewhat obsessive romance.

To be continued