Page 90 of Escape to the Country

Chapter 30

Eleanor found that by the end of the week, she hadn’t managed to bump into Tom. Mainly because she had been deliberately avoiding going to Willow Tree Hall in case she actually had to speak to him.

Then she received a call from Annie. ‘We thought you’d gone back up to London as we’ve barely seen you since Glastonbury,’ she said, pretending to be cross.

Eleanor blushed. ‘No, I’m still here. I’m just a bit embarrassed about the photo with Tom, to be honest.’

‘I thought so,’ said Annie. ‘I was only kidding. Look, how about we come over to your place later. It’d be good to get away from the house anyway as we can’t move for rabid fans hiding in the undergrowth.’

Eleanor frowned. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘Rose has blabbed to someone about Tom staying with us and now we’re overrun with fans.’

Eleanor could feel the panic beginning to swell inside her. Someone was bound to recognise her at some point.

She was still pacing up and down when Annie and Megan arrived.

‘Don’t fret. Look at me instead,’ said Megan, pointing at her pale nose. ‘Your cream is amazing. I didn’t even peel.’

Eleanor smiled, feeling proud of herself before realising that she hadn’t felt that way about any aspect of her working life for a long time.

‘It’s lovely that you’ve been able to spend a bit of time making your cream again,’ said Annie, sitting down. ‘Did you enjoy making it?’

Eleanor found herself nodding. ‘It was really good fun.’

‘Glad somebody’s happy,’ muttered Megan.

‘Is everything okay?’ asked Annie gently.

‘It is now I’ve got wine,’ said Megan, before taking another gulp. ‘I’ve just got a really big Glastonbury hangover. It was such fun to do something different. How about a movie or something? Have you gotMagic Mikefor us to lust over?’

Eleanor flicked through her Mum’s DVD collection. ‘No but we’ve gotMamma Mia.’

‘Oh, I love that,’ said Annie.

As Eleanor set up the movie, her mum came in to join them. ‘Megan, you look so much better than when I saw you the other day.’

‘All thanks to your daughter’s magic carrot cream,’ Megan told her. ‘Have you got any more? I used it all up, but I’m bound to get burnt again this summer.’

‘It’s right here,’ said Eleanor, handing her a jam jar full of the newly made up cream.

‘Oh! That feels so nice and cool,’ said Megan as she smeared it a little bit on her hand before sniffing it. ‘Have you got any other flavours?’

Eleanor shook her head. ‘Only plain and carrot cream, I’m afraid.’

‘You should experiment a little,’ said her mum. ‘There’s so many wild flowers out at the minute.’

‘You know what you should do,’ said Megan, warming to the idea. ‘You should make up some different types and we’ll try them out for you. Like a spa evening!’

‘Oh yes!’ said Annie, nodding. ‘You should come too, June.’

Eleanor’s Mum smiled. ‘You don’t want an old fogey like me being there.’

‘Of course we do,’ said Annie.

‘And you’re not old,’ added Megan.

‘A spa evening,’ said Eleanor, deep in thought. She supposed that she could make up a few creams for them all. Plus she had loads of leftover luxury items from various VIP goody bags that she had managed to get hold of. The contents of which she had virtually never touched.