Country Affairs. Zara Stoneley

cute and quaint, he decided, but it was a hell of a lot easier finding a shack in the middle of the bush than locating someone in this village.

      And one step further into the cottage convinced him it had been more than worth it. Perched on a bar stool, large glass of white wine in hand was the most glamorous woman he’d seen since landing at Manchester airport.

      ‘This is Todd.’ Sam and Todd exchanged admiring glances, which was worrying, given his track record, though at least it might stop the ‘lifting and tucking’ and nappies conversation for a bit.

      Sam beamed. ‘Wow, I’ve heard all about you. Did Tab really let you ride that horse of hers?’

      ‘Well I guess to be fair, I didn’t really ask.’ He moved in closer and winked. ‘I was on it before she had a chance to say no.’

      ‘You were with Lottie in Barcelona weren’t you? That is just so romantic, just spending time chilling and not worrying about anything. When we go away it’s always to these places with your own chef and hairdresser and stuff. It must be cool not having any of that. When I was a kid we went camping, but my mum didn’t like the mud, and then when me and Dave first went out we went to Cornwall with these big caravans, you know before he got the contract, so I suppose it was a bit like that?’ She topped up the wine glasses. ‘The only time I’ve been to Barcelona is when Dave was playing and they arranged for this coach to take us to all the sights while the boys were training, then to this really posh tapas bar with these amazing cocktails where the stuff was like in smoke and froth, but it’s not the same as just sitting on the beach is it?’

      Pip, seeing the look on Todd’s face sensed interesting times ahead. ‘Sam is married to David Simcock, the goal keeper.’ He didn’t look put off. ‘The England goalkeeper.’ Not that Sam would ever be interested in a beach bum with a penchant for bigamy. ‘Todd is a surfer, who’s married to lots of people.’

      They ignored her, Todd plonking himself on the bar stool next to Sam and ditching the rucksack, which sat like an unwelcome guest in the corner.

      ‘Cool. So you go all over the world with him, then?’

      ‘A bit, but I like it here. I didn’t at first, did I Pip? Cos I didn’t know anybody, but Pip has been lovely and we got a dog.’

      ‘And she’s thinking of getting a baby next. Well, lots of them.’

      ‘Getting? Like Brangelina? All different colours? Good on you.’

      Pip sat back and decided to watch this one out.

      ‘No, silly.’ Sam giggled, glad that somebody was actually interested. ‘I want to have them myself. Davey loves kids. So where are you staying then, with Pip?’

      ‘No, he’s not.’ She tried to avoid looking at the scruffy rucksack.

      ‘Well actually,’ Todd shifted in his seat and grinned, ‘I am. Rory introduced me to your man Mick this morning. He said you wouldn’t mind if I crashed here for a bit seeing as you’ve got a spare room. Seems like a good bloke.’

      Pip would have dropped her drink, if it hadn’t been wine, which meant she instinctively held on. Clutching the stem in a death grip. ‘Mick said?’ So it hadn’t been Lottie, it was worse. Mick had sent him here. She took a deep breathe. Mick, why would he do that? And Mick had said there was a spare room? Was it worse than not loving her? Was he so bored he was thinking of a threesome? No, that was totally out of character, and anyhow men always went for the two-girl sandwich, didn’t they?

      Or maybe Lottie had asked Mick. Yeah, that would make more sense. Except she wouldn’t do that, would she? That would be sneaky and not like Lottie at all, however desperate she was.

      Letting Mick move in a while ago, so he didn’t have to use the groom’s flat at Rory’s, had seemed like a good idea. Now, all of a sudden, it didn’t. It was confusing. ‘He what?’ She needed this spelling out, just in case she’d misheard.

      ‘Ahh, isn’t that lovely?’ Sam obviously liked the idea, even if she didn’t. ‘It means I can get to know you. I’m here all the time, aren’t I, Pip?’

      ‘Mick said what, exactly?’

      ‘I could crash here. That’s not a problem, is it?’

      Inspiration struck. ‘You can use the groom’s flat, Mick’s old place.’ Making sure Todd didn’t get under Lottie’s feet was one thing, having him under her roof was altogether different. She’d act as childminder in the day, not the night.

      ‘Afraid not.’

      ‘What do you mean, afraid not?’

      ‘Tab’s moving in,’ Todd grinned, ‘after all she is the groom and she’s getting fed up of being with her dad. She’s ready to fly the nest. I mean, a girl that age doesn’t want to live with her old man, does she? Watching her every move, if you know what I mean.’ He winked at Sam, who giggled.

      Pip glared and tried to think of something to say, but she’d been wrong-footed. In an hour or so on the yard he’d found out all kinds of things that even she didn’t know.

      ‘And all that horse stuff isn’t really me, you know, more of a water type myself.’

      ‘Are you a Pisces, babe? Two little fishies.’ Sam snuggled in.

      ‘More a Taurus, me.’

      ‘Yeah full of bull, I’d say. Look, you can’t get away from horses here, Todd. You’ll hate it.’ Pip sighed, at least if he hung around for a bit she’d have a kindred spirit in the house, and she had to admit he wasn’t that bad. As daft and irresponsible as Lottie, maybe, and he probably hadn’t given being arrested another thought. Couldn’t comprehend the resulting meltdown for Lottie – which Pip suspected had come more from confusion than a real pain of losing Todd. Losing Todd had meant Lottie had just lost her alternative, had to face up to the truth of what she really wanted. Tippermere.

      And she would be helping ease Lottie’s burden. Lottie, who had found her a job when she’d moved here, introduced her to everybody, was as generous and undemanding as a friend could be. Payback time.

      ‘Oh, you can escape the horses if you come over to our place at Kitterly Heath, Todd, we don’t have any, just dogs.’ Sam was practically clapping her hands with glee. ‘Are you going to be around for a bit, then? I can plan stuff, introduce you to some people if you like. You’ll love the girls.’

      Todd grinned. ‘Yeah, that would be ace. Might even see if I can find a job round here for a bit. Must be some apple-picking or something I can do, eh?’

      ‘But why?’ Okay she sounded pathetic. ‘You’ll be bored. I mean a week or two is more than enough for most people. And it’s the wrong time of year for apples.’

      He shrugged. ‘Bartender? I’m sure I can find something to fill the time in. You did, didn’t you?’ His blue eyed widened and Pip knew she was being made fun of.

      ‘That’s different.’

      ‘Hey, you never know, I might find some long-lost rellies in the UK.’

      ‘Rellies?’

      ‘Yeah, folk. Y’know, family. Aren’t we all related to your royal family, or something? Six times removed?’

      ‘Oh God, not another one.’ Pip was on the verge of putting her head in her hands and wailing. ‘I think you need to go over and see Tom and you can both dig up the past together. He’s obsessed with long-lost relatives.’ Which wasn’t entirely true. When Tom Strachan had arrived in Tippermere he’d been drawn to Folly Lake Manor, unaware that it was his birth place. But his obsession with the place had nearly driven her nuts, and had caused more than one raised eyebrow in the village. For a long time rumours had been rife about him and the current owner of the place, newly widowed Amanda, until her relationship with Dom had come out into the open, and the wily Elizabeth had finally revealed the truth. ‘You have met Tab’s dad I take it? Tom?’ She paused.