Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange by Jenny Kane (the little red hen ebook .txt) 📗

He sighed. ‘Sam’s already told me they want to do a bit with me talking about how archaeology can be good therapy.’

Tina followed Tom towards the stables. ‘But you’d rather not.’

‘The thing is, I’m not sure it would do you guys any favours to have me on screen. Lots of people watch Landscape Treasures, and there are people in my past – well, women – who might take it upon themselves to come here and give me a piece of their minds once they knew where I worked.’

‘Oh.’ Feeling out of her depth, Tina concentrated on placing the measures in the set of drawers that had only been delivered the day before.

Tom gave a humourless laugh. ‘That sums it up nicely. The thing is, after I left the army, before I found archaeology, I got a bit… lost. I wasn’t a gentleman. Moved from woman to woman, leaving broken promises behind me like a trail of disaster. I hate who I was. I don’t want anything I did in the past to reflect on Mill Grange now.’

*

Helen hung back from the stables. She’d dashed over to fetch a handful of finds trays, but on hearing Tom’s voice had hung back. Now, running towards the bathroom, so she had a genuine excuse for taking longer than she should away from the site, Helen wished she hadn’t overheard. Tom wasn’t the man for her. She was foolish to have even considered it. She was lonely and Tom was the first single bloke she’d met with similar interests in years. That was it.

The last thing she needed was to become one in the long line of broken hearts on Tom’s tally.

*

Tina found Sam watching Shaun talking into the camera about how out of place many of the Roman soldiers must have felt in the middle of Exmoor, especially in the midst of a northern winter when they would be missing the local festivals at home. It was only the memory of Tom’s concerned face that caused her to break away from listening to the recording to tug at Sam’s arm so he knew she wanted to talk.

‘Are you alright?’ Sam sat next to Tina on the bench outside the kitchen.

‘I’m loving this. It’s so interesting watching the site being uncovered. Every time I go up there it seems bigger.’

‘Thea’s got one more test pit to dig, then they’ll concentre on the two trenches and two other pits already open.’ Sam gave Tina a look. ‘That isn’t what you wanted to talk about, is it?’

‘Have you been inside for your lunch today?’

Sam shuffled on the seat. ‘No. There’s always someone in there when I go to fetch my food.’

‘That’s what I thought. But you’ve been doing so well, shame to stop now. Did you go in yesterday? I was so busy I didn’t get the chance to ask.’

‘Not until about four.’

‘That’s not good, Sam. You need to eat.’ Not giving him the chance to respond, Tina got up and peered into the kitchen. ‘There’s only Mabel in there at the moment. Go now before everyone else swarms in.’

‘But…’

‘She’s cooked hot sausage sandwiches if that helps tempt you.’

‘I thought I could smell something delicious.’ Sam glanced at the kitchen door, but he didn’t move.

‘Sam love, sooner or later you are going to have witnesses to you being inside. That’s sort of the point. And if you think for one second Mabel would judge you for being fearful, then you’re wrong.’

‘I know.’ Sam swallowed, gripping Tina’s hand. ‘You must think me a coward.’

‘I think no such thing,’ said Tina, standing up, ‘but I know that Phil wants to film you talking to Shaun about your plans for this place, and you’ll do it much better on a full stomach. For one thing, the sound guy won’t be thrilled if he picks up the sound of your belly growling with hunger on the microphone.’

Sam licked his lips. ‘Are the sandwiches ready on the edge of the table?’

‘Yes.’

He got up. Tina could see there was a shake to his legs, but nothing like as bad as she’d seen in him before.

‘Would you like me to come in as well?’

‘Stay here. Have a cuddle waiting.’ Sam took a deep breath then exhaled slowly through gritted teeth, before walking at high speed towards the back door. Without pausing he dashed inside, making Mabel jump as he grabbed his prize and cannoned outside again.

‘Bloody hell, that was fast!’ Tina engulfed him in the promised hug as Sam’s pulse rate eased back to its normal pace.

‘I think I scared Mabel.’

‘I bet you did. Whirling dervishes move slower.’

‘The speed was accelerated by the desire to get a sausage sarnie while it was hot.’

‘For that I can’t blame you. I think I’ll get one while reassuring Mabel that you haven’t purchased jet-powered boots.’ She was halfway to the kitchen, when Tina said, ‘Don’t go anywhere. I need to talk to you about Tom.’

*

Taking advantage of a few minutes without having the camera trained on them, Shaun smiled at Thea as they scraped back the topsoil on the test square they’d opened over what the survey suggested was the far reach of the fortlet’s left side.

‘Enjoying yourself?’

‘Very much.’ Thea brushed the sticky clay soil from her hands. ‘Ever since we found this place, I’ve been dying to get properly stuck in. It was unbelievably frustrating not being able to crack on once the topsoil was taken off.’

‘Sorry it took so long to get here. Honestly, I could have swung for that tile expert when he arrived. Apparently, he hadn’t understood the urgency of the request, and had made a jaunt out of his trip south, with a bed and breakfast stop on the way.’

Tapping the tip of her trowel against a stone protruding from the soil, Thea worked more carefully, unsure yet if it was just a random stone, or part of the wall. ‘Actually, I think it’s worked out for the best. Keeping it in the