Page 47 of A Secret Escape

“Even if that’s true, she can’t give it up at the moment. She has made a commitment. It’s not fair on everyone else for her to drop out at this late stage.”

“Lighten up, Milly. If you want to make her carry on going to drama, that’s up to you, but she’s going to have to miss next week either way. If I bring her back for drama, I’ll be spending the whole day in traffic. Zoe will be fine. Avery has a friend who works at the theater in the city, and she’s got us front-row seats forA Midsummer Night’s Dreamon Saturday night. Zoe is going to love it.”

Zoe would love it. Milly had tried to get tickets herself, even though going there would be a massive trek, but it had been sold out.

But Avery had contacts.

The wave of insecurity almost knocked her off her feet.

She tried to ignore it. In the end all she wanted was for Zoe to be happy, and this was going to make her happy.

“That’s kind and thoughtful of Avery.”

“She’s a kind and thoughtful person.”

The implication was that Milly was anything but kind and thoughtful.

She opened her mouth to say that Avery hadn’t exactly been kind and thoughtful when she’d taken a hatchet to Milly’s marriage but managed to stop herself.

She ended the call, so upset that she didn’t know what to do with all the emotion swirling inside her. She picked up her half-empty mug, tempted to throw it hard at the wall, but then she put it down again. If she did that she’d have to clear up the mess. Another job.

Martyr Milly.

For the first time in eighteen months she felt relieved she was no longer married to him.

Chapter11Connie

I can’t believe you’re back again this morning. I thought you’d be aching from head to toe.” Janice, who owned Waterside Trekking, led Harley out of his box and handed the reins to Connie.

“I can hardly move, but yesterday’s ride was the happiest two hours I’ve spent in as long as I can remember. I can’t wait to do it again.” She stroked Harley’s neck. “Can you stand taking me out again? Did I bore you yesterday?”

Janice tightened the girth and pulled down the stirrups. “That’s the great thing about horses. They’re perfect listeners. There are just two of you on the ride this morning. Hello, Brian! We were just talking about you. Pepper is all ready and waiting in her stall.”

A man about Connie’s age walked into the yard carrying a riding hat.

Connie felt a thud of disappointment. Not that she’d expected to be the only person on the ride. Far from it. Yesterday she’d been one of eight, and it had been perfect. She’d blended in and, apart from friendly small talk when they’d been gathering in the yard before leaving, had spoken to no one. No one had asked about her life.No one had sympathized with her about Milly’s situation. No one had asked how Connie was coping.

She’d felt delightfully anonymous as part of a group.

But riding with Janice and one other person?

She’d be expected to make conversation.

Resigned to it, she smiled politely. “I’m Connie.”

“Brian.” Unsmiling, he gave her a brisk nod and let himself into Pepper’s stall. He clearly knew what he was doing, because what seemed like only moments later he was mounted and talking quietly to the lively mare, his hands light on the reins as he calmed her.

Connie, who could barely move after her ride the day before, was rethinking her decision to ride again so quickly. Harley was nowhere near as boisterous as Pepper (thank goodness!), but still Connie was wishing she’d waited until her muscles had recovered.

Gritting her teeth and forcing her legs to move, she mounted Harley and waited while Janice led her own horse out of the stable.

There was a slightly awkward moment as Harley took a few side steps, and Connie found herself side-by-side with Brian.

“It’s a beautiful day,” Connie said politely, and Brian frowned and glanced briefly at the sky, as if he hadn’t noticed the weather before Connie had mentioned it.

He said nothing in response, and Connie was briefly offended that he’d made no effort in response to her show of good manners, but then decided it gave her the excuse to ride in silence, which was exactly what she wanted.

He obviously wasn’t the chatty sort, and that was a good thing. She didn’t want chat. She wasn’t here to chat.

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