Page 107 of A Recipe for Love
‘But what about me?’
‘What about you?’
He forced himself to ask. ‘Do you still love me?’
‘Of course I do. And I understand it.’
‘What?’
It was what he’d explained to her weeks ago when he’d told her the story of the first baron and the girl from the village. ‘You are Lowbridge. I get it. Which is what makes selling even more insane, because…’ She stopped as she caught sight of his expression.
‘The baron is part of the place. The title. The laird. But I’m just Adam.’ His voice cracked. ‘I want to just be Adam. I thought you loved Adam.’
‘That’s not fair. You don’t get to make this my fault.’ She was yelling now. ‘You made a huge decision about all our futures and you didn’t even mention it to me.’ Bella stuffed the last handful of clothing into her pack, and marched past him. ‘Goodbye Lowbridge.’
Chapter Eighteen
Bella’s anger carried her out of the castle, across the courtyard, past the coach house and out as far as the road. Then the practicalities of the situation hit her. The nearest station was in Strathcarron. Someone would have to drive her there. She could hardly pop back inside and ask Adam for a lift. She dug out her phone and tapped on a contact. It was answered straight away.
She hung up the call when she heard movement behind her. ‘No point going over it all again. I’ll be gone soon.’
‘That’s a shame.’
Bella turned towards the voice. Not Adam. Veronica.
‘You think so?’ she asked.
‘I do.’
‘I thought you’d be glad to see the back of me.’
‘Perhaps a few weeks ago.’ The older woman came and stood alongside her. ‘You’re quite decided on leaving?’
Bella nodded. She’d been stupid to think that Lowbridge could have been her home. ‘I rushed in, didn’t I?’
‘You did.’
‘And now I’m getting my comeuppance.’
‘I didn’t say that.’
‘You didn’t have to.’ Bella was nothing if not a realist.
‘I’m sorry if I wasn’t as welcoming as I should have been when you arrived.’ Veronica clasped her hands together across her body. ‘I know what a role like Lady Lowbridge can do to a person. You have to be the right sort.’
Not a mad hippy from a council estate in Leeds.
‘It’s broken the hearts of stronger women than you,’ Veronica murmured, almost to herself.
‘Well it’s for the best that I’m off then isn’t it?’
Veronica finally turned to face her. ‘Is that really what you think?’
Was it? She’d had such big plans. She was going to make Lowbridge the heart of the community. She was going to use produce from the estate in the cookery school, maybe even open an estate shop one day. She was going to… she shook her head. ‘What does it matter now? Adam’s made up his mind.’
Veronica sighed. ‘Well someone has.’
‘And you were right anyway.’ That was the part that was making Bella really angry. ‘I wasn’t up to it. I don’t know why I thought I would be.’
