Page 26 of Last Dance, Second Chance

Nathan drove out of the town and into the countryside. The day was overcast but warm. They drove in companionable silence, with Radio2 in the background.

The roads were all familiar to Jessica and memories of being driven along them to various ballet competitions, shows and rehearsals came flooding back. How her mum and dad must have wished for a weekend off from driving around sometimes, she thought.

They turned off the main road onto a private lane and Nathan drove along it until they rounded a corner and found a grand medieval manor house laid out in front of them, looming over an ornate walled garden.

“Bowerbridge Manor! I remember this!” Jessica said immediately. “We came here with the school.”

“I wondered if you’d remember,” Nathan said with a grin. “I haven’t been since we came on that trip. Matthew Brown fell in the pond over there. I thought it would be a nice place to bring the dogs, and there are plenty of benches for you to take a break on.”

“This was a really good idea,” said Jessica. It was a perfect day to be outside. “I’d forgotten all about poor Matthew! He had to travel home on the coach still soaking wet, didn’t he?”

“Yes, I was sitting next to him and he stank of pondweed.”

“That is unfortunate,” said Jessica, laughing.

“There’s a café here which is supposed to be good, so why don’t we have a little wander and then we can grab a coffee and you can give your foot a rest?”

“Sounds good.”

The gardens were lovely. The manor house was also open to visitors, and they’d gone in on their school visit, but they couldn’t with the dogs and Jessica’s foot definitely wouldn’t be up to walking around the house anyway. Plus, it was too nice a day to be inside.

Jessica was getting more comfortable on her crutches, though was still wary of the dogs banging her foot by mistake as they ran around her. Nathan kept Monty on the lead as he couldn’t be trusted like Dennis could to come back when called.

Visiting somewhere like this definitely wasn’t something Jessica usually did, but it turned out to be a very good idea of Nathan’s. The pathways were flat enough for Jessica to navigate, and the multitude of available benches meant she was never far from one if she needed to take a break.

The air was filled with floral fragrances and the sounds of the stream which ran through the grounds.

With it being the weekend, there were quite a few people around, mainly couples, though there were also some families. Jessica and Nathan took a side path which led through a gate into a deserted meadow.

“We could let Monty off his lead here so he can have a run about with the ball,” Nathan said, looking around for possible doggy escape routes. “It looks enclosed.”

“Sure,” agreed Jessica.

“And there’s a bench there under those trees for you to rest on,” Nathan pointed out.

They walked over to the bench and Jessica sat down. Nathan let Monty off the lead, and the two dogs immediately started chasing each other.

“I guess they don’t need a ball then,” Nathan said, sitting down next to her. “How’s your foot feeling?” he asked.

“Achey,” Jessica said honestly.

“Let’s get it elevated. Pop your legs up on me.”

Jessica gingerly eased her legs up so they rested on Nathan’s lap. She was very aware that she was wearing a dress and was glad she’d rather precariously shaved her legs in the shower earlier.

“Relax,” Nathan said gently. “I won’t bite.”

Jessica did her best to relax her muscles, but it wasn’t easy being so close to Nathan. Was she sweaty? Why was she feeling so awkward? She was a dancer — her work meant she was used to being close to men, much closer than this, and wearing far less, to be honest.

Nathan fiddled in the rucksack next to him and retrieved a bottle of water. “Would you like some?”

“Sure,” Jessica replied. It appeared she could only speak in monosyllables when she was this close to Nathan.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes,” Jessica squeaked. She cleared her throat. “I’m fine. It’s lovely here.” It’s especially lovely in this position, she thought to herself.

“I’m appreciating it much more now than I did when I was nine,” Nathan said. “Shall we give the dogs and your foot a few more minutes and then head to the café?”

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