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As the weekend approached she found herself counting the hours and was genuinely appalled at her weakness, especially as she couldn't discern whether the overriding feeling which had her heart missing a beat now and again was one of excitement or nervousness. Whatever, it didn't make for restful sleep or tranquil days. Which made her angry and even more disturbed.
On Friday morning when her mobile rang just as she'd sat down in the tiny back garden with Harvey, a cup of coffee and a plateful of wickedly delicious chocolate biscuits at her side, her heart did a mad gallop before she realised Travis didn't have her number so it couldn't be him making an arrangement about the weekend. Shaking her head at herself, she answered the call.
'Beth?' Catherine's voice was all bubbly. 'Guess what? Michael's mother has offered to have James for a couple of days so we can have a loved-up weekend by ourselves, and Michael's booked a hotel on the outskirts of Shropshire so we can call in and take you out for a meal for a few hours. What do you think? Oh, Neddy, I can't wait to see you. It seems like ages.'
Catherine's use of the old nickname told Beth her sister meant what she said. Catherine only ever used it when she was feeling particularly sentimental.
'But if it's supposed to be a weekend for you and Michael, won't he mind?' she prevaricated. She got on well with her brother-in-law, who was a true salt of the earth type, but she didn't want to take advantage of his good nature, something Catherine was prone to do on occasion.
'Darling, it was Michael who suggested it and booked the hotel, I promise. He knows how much I've been missing you. And it'll only be for a few hours. I'll make sure I reward him handsomely for his sacrifice, I assure you.' She giggled. 'So, how about we call for you tomorrow evening? Say about sixish? You can tell me all the Aga-saga gossip. It'll be lovely.'
'Cath, I don't see a soul and that's what I love, but do come if you're sure you can spare some time out of your precious weekend. It would be lovely to see you, but only if you're sure.'
'Totally. And I'll bring the latest photos of James. You won't believe how much he's changed in a month. See you tomorrow, then. Love you, little sis. Very much.'
'Love you too and can't wait to see you.'
Beth finished the call and put the phone down, picking up the fragrant mug of hazelnut coffee and licking the creamy froth with the tip of her tongue. She hoped Travis called by before Sunday so she could make it clear she was going out for the evening. That would teach him to suggest she was the equivalent of a friendless little orphan Annie.
And then she sat sharply upright, cross with herself for caring what he might or might not think. For goodness' sake, what was the matter with her? She was letting him monopo¬lise her thoughts in a way that had never happened before. She had to get a grip! She was turning into one neurotic female.
She drank the coffee and shared the biscuits with a slaver¬ing Harvey before going for a long walk, and once home again worked in the front garden for the rest of the day. After checking it was all right with the owner of the cottage via John Turner, she had decided to create a border of flowers in the somewhat sterile frontage and had bought several trays of brightly coloured primulas, Michaelmas daisies, delphiniums and other hardy perennials from a local garden centre. It might not be financially sensible, but she felt the cottage was giving her so much that she wanted to put a little back.
She worked on until a soft-scented twilight fell, refusing to acknowledge that for the last few hours she had had one ear cocked for the sound of a car approaching. At last, when it was too dark to see, she retired to the cottage with a somewhat crestfallen Harvey who had been admonished more than once for happily digging in the freshly overturned earth, thereby scattering flowers in all directions.
Perhaps Travis wasn't going to come this weekend, after all. As she made supper, Beth told herself she didn't care one way or the other. Maybe work commitments or even things of a more personal nature were keeping him in Bristol. He was a very attractive man; there were bound to be plenty of women who would have their eye on him.
She didn't know why she felt so disgruntled and irritable as she got ready for bed, or why she lay awake for a good couple of hours before she drifted off into a troubled sleep full of complicated tangled dreams and shadowed images. Or perhaps it was just that she didn't want to know. Whatever— self-examination was not an option.
Catherine and Michael arrived on the dot of six o'clock the next day. Harvey was delighted to see his old friends and gave them an ecstatic welcome, and Beth's sister and her husband declared themselves in love with the cottage and its position. With Shropshire in general, in fact.
