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Travis, on the other hand, would stride into old age as virile and magnetic as ever, perhaps even more so because his rugged attractiveness lent itself to the ageing process.
She hailed a passing taxi cab and, once she was on her way home, relaxed against the seat. Travis had told her she was the love of his life, that he would never love anyone else and that he wanted to marry her. He had been unbelievably patient with her from the very first whilst still forcing her to face her gremlins and conquer them. He was everything in the world she had ever wanted and she had told him she didn't love him and had sent him away.
Would he forgive her? She shivered in spite of the warm day. And how had she thought she could ever live the rest of her life without him? What was she going to do?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
By evening time Beth knew exactly what she was going to do. She had told Keith she was an all or nothing girl and it was true. She had made a mistake of momentous proportions in refusing Travis; only an equally momentous act of repen¬tance would do. She had to show him she meant what she said when she told him she loved him, that she had loved him for some time but had been too scared, and too stubborn, to admit it. It was all the eggs in the basket time.
The next morning she phoned John Turner dead on the dot of nine o'clock. 'John? It's Beth,' she said, after his secretary put her through. 'Have you re-let Herb Cottage yet?'
'Good gracious, no. You'd paid the six months' rent in advance so there was no hurry as far as the owner's con¬cerned. Why?'
'I'm coming back.' She waited silently for his reaction.
'Right.' A pause followed. 'How long for?' he asked care¬fully. 'Do you intend to see out the rental period?'
Beth got the idea he thought she was a crazy woman and she couldn't blame him. When she had given the keys over she had been adamant she wouldn't be back and that they could re-let at once. 'For the rest of the time and possibly a farther six months if the cottage will be available. I'm.. .I'm selling up in London. I shall be looking for work in your area.'
'I see. I thought—' He stopped abruptly. 'Does Travis know?' he asked after an uncomfortable moment or two.
Obviously the Shropshire grapevine had been active. He dearly was aware there was some sort of trouble between item. 'He will shortly.' Beth Hoped he'd leave it at that.
'Right.' There was a longer pause before he said, 'Travis is a good man, Beth. I'd hate to see him messed about.'
'So would I, John,' Beth said softly.
The next telephone call was to the practice where she was employed. After speaking to the senior partner, who was wonderfully understanding, Beth confirmed she would send in a written resignation and he promised her a glowing reference in return.
She wasn't too concerned about that, but she thanked him and they parted amicably. The sale of her flat would mean she was financially independent for a long time, even if she did not secure another job immediately, but she was quite prepared to work at something else—in a shop, helping out at a pub, anything—until the right professional position came along. In fact, she thought she'd rather enjoy it.
Later that afternoon she put the sale of the flat into the hands of the estate agent who had sold it to her. Then she phoned her sister and explained what she was doing. When she had recovered her power of speech, Catherine offered to store any of the furniture and possessions Beth wanted to keep in her spare room and one half of her double garage.
All the immediate wheels set in motion, Beth sat looking out of the flat window over city rooftops as the sky changed from bright blue to dusky mauve streaked with pink. John had promised to drop the cottage key under the plant pot before he went home that night and her bags were packed.
She looked round the flat one last time. Harvey, who had sensed something was afoot and was acting as though he was on springs, whined at her feet. 'One last thing,' she told the big dog quietly. 'The most important thing. Keep your paws crossed for me, Harvey.'
She dialed Travis's mobile number, her heart thumping so hard it hurt. Each ring seemed like a lifetime but then his voice, deep and smoky rich, came over the line. It was a recorded message and, to her surprise, she burst into tears.
Several tissues later, she tried again, and this time managed to wait for the beep. 'It's Beth, Travis. I need to talk to you. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I've been such a fool. You're right, people have gone through much worse than I did and I have been self-pitying and all sorts of things. Can you ever forgive me? I shall understand if you can't.' She took a deep breath. 'No, no, I won't,' she retracted incoherently, 'because you said you loved me and that means however stupid I've been you still love me. I...' She was crying once more but managed to sob, 'I'm going to the cottage again. I'm staying there. I don't want to leave. I—'
