Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange by Jenny Kane (a court of thorns and roses ebook free txt) 📗

‘I suppose not.’ Tina watched the world blur through her window as they whizzed along the M5. ‘At least, if Tom’s back, the boys will get a few more jobs done. I feel ever so guilty not being there.’

Thea sighed. ‘I think there’s been far too much guilt over what’s been done and not done in and around Mill Grange over the last few days.’

‘That’s true.’ Tina brightened as she told Thea about how many bookings they had over the coming months.

 ‘There you go then. Despite the romantic fallout, Mill Grange is working.’ Thea tried an ironic laugh, but it came out as a groan of defeat. ‘We’ve earned a break and Helen needs to talk.’

*

The sofa he perched on had been designed for appearance rather than comfort. Tom could imagine Sue showing it off to visitors, but he couldn’t imagine Dylan playing or sitting comfortably on it.

As Sue came in with a tray of tea and coffee, Tom wondered if she’d been crying but dismissed the thought as a trick of the light.

‘You told me that Sam had no money, but I’ve seen the website. He’s loaded. He has to be.’

This was not the opening Tom had been expecting, but it was very “Sue”. ‘And I explained that buying the house and doing it up took all of his money and that it still needs a lot of work. The business is new. So far there is enough income to pay the staff and no more. Any weird ideas you have about titles and land equalling ready cash can be forgotten right now. This is Mill Grange not Downton Abbey.’

‘I don’t believe you.’

‘I can’t help that.’ Tom picked up his mug of coffee. ‘I also don’t see why we are talking about it. Sam’s financial status is none of our business.’

‘Your wages will be good though. You could easily afford to look after Dylan, couldn’t you?’

‘My wages are only a fraction above minimum wage and after maintenance there is nothing left. You know that.’ Leaning forward, Tom said, ‘Can you please just tell me what all this is leading up to?’

Taking a deep breath, Sue put down her tea and looked Tom straight in the eye. ‘I have a new partner. It was him I went away with. He wants me to move to Australia. I came home early so I could have space alone to think about what to do.’

Forty-six

Thursday April 9th

Helen pulled into Glastonbury Abbey car park as the church bells chimed two o’clock. She couldn’t see Thea’s car.

They’ll come. They haven’t changed their minds.

She picked up her mobile hoping to see a text from Tom. There wasn’t one.

Of course he hasn’t texted. He’ll be talking to Sue. Sorting out whatever she wants this time.

Telling herself to stop over-thinking everything before it became a habit she couldn’t break, Helen went off to tackle the unnecessarily complex parking pay machine. She was just tapping in her registration number when Thea’s car pulled up behind the Land Rover

*

Tom stared at Sue. He knew his mouth was open, but as hard as he tried, the words he was trying to say wouldn’t form.

‘Say something!’

‘You can’t go. I—’

Sue pursued her lips. ‘I can do what the hell I like, Tom. And if you think you can stop me, then you’re very much mistaken.’

‘No, I meant…’ Too winded to raise his voice, Tom shook his head. ‘Dylan, he’s happy here.’

‘Yes.’ Sue’s hostility faded. ‘He is.’

‘So how can you even—’

Sue raised a hand. ‘Please, Tom, just listen for a minute.’

Tom could feel his pulse thudding in his neck as he watched his ex get up off her armchair, grab a whisky bottle from the sideboard and pour herself a half measure.

‘His name’s Nathan. He’s my boss at the supermarket. There’s a new store opening in a large town near Sydney. Nathan is going to be the manager.’

Tom’s head reeled. To think that Helen had got it into her head that Sue was after a family reconciliation with him and Dylan. The family she must have been referring to when she’d spoken to Dylan didn’t include him at all. It didn’t even include living in England. There’d be no visits to Dylan. No picking him up from school. No nativity play trips with Helen to see his son as a shepherd or a wise man.

Is that why she dropped him with me for a week, to give us time together before she takes Dylan away forever?

‘Say something.’ Sue gripped her glass, staring into the autumnal liquid. ‘Do you want one of these? I assumed, what with you driving…’ She trailed off as she saw the agony on his face.

Tom tried to think of something to say, but nothing came. He felt sick.

‘It seems a nice place. Abbotsford it’s called. I’ve been on Google Maps. Some of the houses we’re looking at buying are amazing.’

Closing his eyes, Tom took a long slow breath. ‘How could you do this to Dylan? He’s just settled. He’s happy.’ And so was I, just for a while.

Rather than yell at him, Sue shifted uncomfortably in her seat and sipped some of the whiskey. ‘My move would give him stability, a chance to be part of a family. Even if… even if it meant that one of his parents was far away.’

‘Far away!’ Tom found his voice rising this time. ‘You’re talking about New South Wales Sue! That’s the other side of the bloody world!’

‘There’s Skype and Zoom and Facetime and—’

‘And no cuddles. No comforting him when he cries. No building dens or exploring. No pulling off his wellies when they get stuck. No helping with homework. No anything!’

‘There are holidays.’

‘On our wages? Come off it, Sue. Get real.’ Tom sank back, the uncomfortable sofa digging into his spine. ‘I honestly thought you’d changed. It really looked, just for a minute, that you were putting Dylan first.’

A single tear trickled down Sue’s cheek. ‘I didn’t mean to fall in love, Tom.’

Momentarily stunned, the concept