‘I’m not!’ the woman sobbed. ‘They all hate me. They’re doing it out of jealousy! Why else would they … Michael,please…Don’t!’
Oh dear God! Seeing what was about to happen, Emily rapped urgently on the window. ‘Michael! Stop!Michael…’ The words died in her throat as Michael’s clenched fist hit its target.
Nausea swilling inside her, Emily backed away from the window, fumbling her phone from her pocket as she flew towards the front door. Her heart almost stopped beating when Natasha emerged, fleeing for her life, blood oozing from her nose and mouth, staining her white T-shirt stark crimson.
Michael was close behind her. ‘They know you’re on the pill!’ he yelled from the doorstep, his face puce with rage and waving a piece of paper at her, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Emily was there. ‘They know what fucking brand you’re on! You said you wanted children!’ He scrunched the piece of paper into a ball and tossed it out after her. ‘You said you wantedmybaby!’
Emily hesitated for a second, and then moved to snatch the paper up and race after Natasha as she blundered away from him.
‘It’s not true!’ As Natasha squirmed around to face him, Emily caught hold of her and tried desperately to lead her away. ‘Why won’t you believe—’
‘Liar! Cheating, lying little whore!’ Michael screamed. ‘Ilovedyou!’
Watching him sink to his knees, Emily’s heart broke for them both. She’d wanted Natasha to get her just deserts, but not this. Never this. Her legs trembling, tears sliding down her own cheeks, she squeezed the woman close and steered her gently towards her car. ‘It’s okay,’ she whispered. ‘I’ve got you.’
‘It’s not okay,’ Natasha cried pitifully, smearing snot and blood across her face with the back of her hand. ‘It’s not true. None of it. Why would someone do this?’
‘Shush.’ Emily tried to soothe her. ‘Come on, let’s get you in the car, and then I’ll drive you somewhere safe.’
Helping her into the passenger seat, Emily closed the door and, one eye on Michael, dashed around to the driver’s side. It was clear he was devastated, broken. He wasn’t about to follow. But still, she would feel safer putting some distance between them. Feeling sick to her soul, she gulped back the rock lodged in her throat and started the engine.
Driving quickly away from the farm, she pulled into a passing space in the lane beyond it. Her heart bleeding for the woman, despite her suspicions, she reached for a tissue from her pocket, passed it to her and gave her a moment.
‘I think we might need to get you to the hospital,’ she suggested, once Natasha was more composed. Her face would be terribly bruised. Emily only hoped there was nothing broken.
Natasha shook her head. ‘No,’ she said, gulping hard. ‘Thanks, but I’d rather not.’
‘What happened?’ Emily probed gently.
Twisting the tissue nervously into a knot, Natasha looked tentatively at her. ‘You picked up the letter?’
Emily nodded. ‘Would you like me to read it?’
Closing her eyes, Natasha answered with a small, defeated nod.
Emily’s mouth dried as she smoothed out the crumpled piece of paper. She had no doubt the contents would be incriminating. Who would they incriminate, though?
You should keep an eye on your whore wife, she read, her stomach turning over.Did you know she was on the pill? Microgynon 30.
Goosebumps prickling her skin, Emily looked at the signature:An anonymous friend. It told her nothing.
‘It was pushed through the door while I was out,’ Natasha whispered. ‘They wanted Michael to see it. They wanted this to happen.’
Nine
Sitting at Emily’s kitchen island, Sally gawped at her over her wine glass. ‘You’re joking,’ she gasped, taking a mouthful of her wine and almost choking on it.
‘I wish I was.’ Emily drew in a breath and reached for the bottle.
‘And he actually hit her?’
Emily nodded, a shudder running through her as she recalled the incandescent rage Michael had been consumed with. ‘She was absolutely terrified. I wanted to take her to the hospital, but she refused to go. She wouldn’t report him either. I feel dreadful for her.’
‘Well, yes, I do too, but …’ Sally hesitated. ‘You know, I never thought I would ever say this … I mean, I could never condone physical violence no matter how driven a person was, but I can see why he lost it. This confirms everything, doesn’t it?’ She looked down at the letter between them and then back to Emily. ‘That she’s every bit the money-grabbing trollop we thought she was.’
Emily wasn’t so sure it did. Natasha had looked more like a frightened child than a sex siren when Emily had dropped her off at her mother’s house in Worcester. She denied absolutely cheating on Michael, and said that she loved him. When she’d thanked Emily for being the only one in the village who would care enough to be concerned about her, Emily had felt awful. The fact was, though, that if there were any truth in the letter sent to Michael, wouldn’t that confirm that there was some truth in the email?
‘Possibly.’ She sighed. ‘But to have punched her like that …’ She felt a shudder run through her.
