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‘No, he was here for set up only,’ the young woman said. ‘He had to get off. But don’t worry, everything’s under control and we can call him if we have any problems. It’s going great, isn’t it?’
‘Yes,’ Holly smiled but her heart ached. It didn’t look as if Mitch was coming back up for the fair. With the funding having been approved and Tom off her back, the tight knot which had inhabited her stomach had been untied and she felt free. The only strong feeling she had left was love and the need to apologise properly.I must find him,she thought.
Heading for the farm, Holly waved to people as she passed, not wanting to stop, as she darted between them. She needed to tell Mitch exactly how she felt. Glancing behind her she saw the villagers milling around her land, but all that seemed to matter, right now, in that moment, was Mitch. He was the person she wanted to share everything with. The person who made her feel human again because that was what she was feeling right now human with intense feelings. Laughing, she sped down the grassy slope her chest burned and she had a stitch but she felt free. She could not put it off any longer.
Stopping outside his home, she knocked on the farmhouse back door. Silence. She spotted a solitary figure near the cow sheds. Three minutes later as she approached breathless, she could see it was not Mitch, it was his herdsman. Holly took a moment to catch her breath.
‘Hey,’ he said. ‘You okay, love?’
Holly nodded. ‘Where’s Mitch?’
‘He’s gone already. Don’t worry, he’s left full instructions. He said he was going to drop them up to you. We’ll still be supplying your market in the interim and he’ll discuss it with the new owner to ensure it continues.’ He smiled and looked up the hill. ‘Looks like you’ve done a roaring trade.’
Holly stood in silence, trying to process what she had been told. ‘New owner?’
‘Mitch is going to consolidate everything in Essex. Not practical he says to have farms on opposite sides of the country. Lucky for us staff, the family have assured us it will be sold as a going concern.’
The knot returned to Holly’s stomach.
The herdsman looked back up the hill. ‘I’m surprised you didn’t see him. He only left the sheds a short while ago. He said he was dropping something off to you, then he would be on the road.’
Holly turned and ran back up the hill. Her tired legs felt weak. She had not spotted Mitch’s pick-up at the house. Maybe it was parked around the front and he was still loading it up?Please let him still be here,she thought.As she made her way back to the house. It was as if she was in one of her bad dreams, running through thick tar. Her muscles ached and slowed her down but she had to catch him. Holly stopped and put her hand up to shield the sun from her eyes and watched as she glimpsed Mitch’s pick-up in the distance. It was to the right of her vision, gliding away from the caravan before disappearing around the bend as he drove out of Lovelands and out of her life.
The rest of the day went in a blur. Never had Holly put on such a brave face. She spoke to no-one on the matter, not even Jaz. Blocking from her thoughts the fact that Mitch was gone. She remained composed, as the staff and village helpers cheered when Jaz announced that they had raised well over five thousand pounds.
After the last person had left and her land was empty, Holly’s chin trembled as she arrived back at the caravan with Trixy walking at heel. When she entered the caravan, there was a box on the dining table with a note stuck to it. Lifting the lid she found a file about the farmer’s market and a pack of letters tied in string. The letters were those she had found in Sidney’s desk, but were now all open. She picked up the note which Mitch had left her.
Holly,
I found these letters. I thought you might like to see them, it’s our joint family history. Collect the painting of Ivy from the house when you are ready. I’ll be in touch about the market. Don’t worry, everything is under control. I’ve decided it’s best for me to return to Essex and sell Booth Somerset. I will ensure the new owners buy into the market also, if that’s what you wish. Look after Trixy, I can’t take her with me as Sid’s working dog is now in Essex and is too aggressive for Trixy. She loves you more than me anyway. I’ll transfer money for her food and have left details of the pet insurance, which I have paid for in full for this year.
It’s for the best. Mitch x
Later,in bed with Trixy sleeping at her feet, Holly picked up the bundle of letters, reading how desperately Sidney had loved Ivy, realising that while the family feud was over, it appeared that a relationship between and a Booth and a Loveland was forever doomed.
