If only you knew. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Yeah, well, thanks for the apology. Now, I think it’s best you go.’
‘Seb.’ I placed my hand on his arm and he jumped back as though burnt by a hot poker.
‘Get out of here. Go on, go.’
I turned and walked away from the only man I’d ever truly loved. Seb hated me, Bertie hated me, everyone at Lowen Farm probably hated me. Whoever saidit’s better to have loved and lostwas a total liar. I wished I’d never met Seb, never set foot onLowen Farm, for the pain in my heart of having loved and lost was more than I could bear.
Chapter Forty-One
Just as she’d promised, Marion turned up at ten on the dot. Bertie hadn’t spoken to me since I’d announced our move, and whilst polite, the other residents at Lowen Farm seemed uncomfortable around me, avoiding lengthy conversations and sticking to practical topics if they spoke.
The only positive I could find from the past two weeks was that the new residents hadn’t yet arrived. For their sakes, it was better they didn’t land at the farm whilst me and my black cloud were still there.
I looked out of the window, wondering if Marion and Hugo were going to get out of their car. It seemed not, so I went outside, and Marion wound down her window.
‘I hope you’re ready.’
‘I just need to bring our suitcases down. Would you like to come and wait inside?’
Marion scrunched up her nose and shook her head.
‘Hello, Hugo.’
‘Hello, Olivia.’ My father-in-law seemed unable to look at me, keeping his eyes fixed beyond the windscreen. I wondered howbig a part he had played in this scheme. My guess was Marion was the instigator, her husband and son too pathetic to stand up to her. Or perhaps I was giving them too much credit.
‘Right. I’ll get our bags.’
Bertie was in the living room playing chess with Pat. I ducked my head around the door. ‘Five minutes till we leave, Bertie.’ Bertie refused to acknowledge me, but Pat nodded to show he’d heard.
Stephan found me wrestling with suitcases on the staircase. ‘Liv, Maggie asked if you could nip upstairs before you go. Why don’t you pop up there now and I’ll take these down to the car for you.’
‘Thanks.’ I ran up to the top floor, knocking on Maggie’s bedroom door.
‘Come in.’
I walked in and found her sitting in an armchair, looking out of the window.
‘Stephan said you wanted to see me?’
Maggie beckoned me towards her. ‘Look,’ she said, pointing out of the window to where my in-laws were waiting in the car. ‘Something’s not right about all this, Liv. They’ve been sitting out there since they arrived, po-faced and unsmiling. This isn’t a happy family reunion. We’re not stupid. We all know there’s more to your leaving than you’re telling us.’
‘Maggie, I can’t…’
Maggie reached across and gripped my hand. ‘I understand. Well, at least I’m trying to. But I’m worried about you, Liv. You and Bertie have become like family to me, and I know something isn’t right with all this. So, I’m going to call you every Friday at lunchtime. If you don’t answer or send me a message letting me know you’re OK, I’m going to come and find you.’
‘Maggie, you don’t need to do that.’
‘I do and I will. I’m afraid I’m not giving you a choice.’
I bent down and hugged her. ‘I’m sorry, but I have to go.’
Maggie nodded and turned her attention back to the window. ‘Stephan won’t linger to say goodbye. He’s got a thing about goodbyes, but know that he’ll miss you as much as I will.’
‘Bye, Maggie.’
‘Goodbye, love.’
