45
Back home alone, Rose collapsed into her couch and let out a frustrated ‘grahhhh’ noise loudly, startling Muffin from his nap.
Her parents had stuck around most of the day and left after having dinner in the cottage. They had spent a majorly long time making small talk and praising the new Laird, how handsome and charismatic he was, and how very sophisticated his girlfriend seemed to be. Rose had wanted to stab her own eyes out with a fork but had managed to smile sweetly, nod and not say anything that would give them any suspicions.
She had not been much good at keeping the conversation in neutral territory when all her parents wanted to do was gush over their idea of a celebrity around here.
Abby had gone after lunch, making strangling gestures towards her parent’s backs and laughing as Rose threw a mock kick up her butt. Finally, glad to be alone to let the madness process and her brain have some much needed quiet. Muffin was sound asleep again and exhausted after her father had walked his little legs off, so he did not even need out for a walk. Regardless, she pulled on her sandals and ventured outside. The need for air and calm peace around her, now that she had long awaited breathing space.
The walk was what she needed now, to soothe her frazzled brain as the sun lowered in the sky, making the light around her dull and grey tinted. The flies were not so bad tonight and even bare armed she was not being bothered by them.
She walked out of the gravel road, onto the main road and began walking away from the manor entrance. She needed to put as much distance between her and his abode as she could tonight. Away from town and out towards the town limits. She had no intention of walking far or any inclination of where she was heading but she just needed to walk. To feel nothing. Just concentrate on footsteps on grass in the cool silent air, looking at the scenery. A chance to clear her mind and let the chaos of the day evaporate, take a minute for herself. She scooped up a long piece of grass, using it to trail along the flower heads absently and push at items of interest on the ground. Losing track of time or distance she just kept on going, wanting this short-lived feeling of calm to continue.
The road sign over her head indicated she had come a few miles and it was getting darker faster. Looking back where she had come from she immediately regretted it as it occurred to her she had no torch and the road was not lit at all. By the time she got even halfway back she wouldn’t be able to see even a foot in front of her. The nights here moving in fast and thick with the lack of suburban lighting and the road was not heavily used, so traffic could not even light her way.
God dammit Rose.
Heading for home, she tried to quicken her pace from the gentle meander to a much more purposeful step. If she hurried maybe there would be enough light to see her most of the way back.
She was wrong.
Pitch blackness surrounded her only thirty-five minutes later and she still had over a mile to go. The air had cooled enough to make her skin goose bump all over and the sounds of wildlife and bats in the surrounding hedgerows had started to freak her out. Cursing internally at her own stupidity, she kept on. Knowing home was a straight road and she would get there if she kept on. She just kept moving and taking steady steps. She had not even lifted her mobile phone!
Another couple of meters down the road she saw headlights coming towards her and moved into the grass verge again. She had been walking on the road so as to avoid tripping but could not be sure the driver would see her and moved over. She stumbled slightly on the curb and righted herself on the grass, smoothing down her dress as the headlights passed, facing away from the road and then continuing onward when she knew she could move back to the roadside.
Her heart dipped into fear as she heard the car skid to a halt and start reversing at speed, panic moving in and moving straight back to the grass verge.
Shit!
Even though heinous murders and rapes were not the norm up here, she was aware this was exactly the kind of situation women found themselves in when they least expected it. She looked around, trying to make out an escape route but could only see a wall of darkness around her.
Picking up the pace, she tried to hurry forward, but the car came level with her and skidded to a stop. The overwhelming fear made her feel almost faint and about to break into a run, eyeing the ground for any signs of rocks or sticks to defend herself.
‘Rose? Is that you?’
She paused mid inhale, body getting ready to scream and blinked instead. Knowing that voice a little too well.
She looked down at the open window as the interior light was flicked on, a wave of relief washing over her, followed by a wave of ‘Oh fuck.’ Rob was frowning at her from the inside of his black car and Rose couldn’t do anything except stare right back.
‘Get in!’ It wasn’t a question, it was a command. She was too scared from freaking herself out to argue and slid into his sports car, unable to look at him as she clipped on the belt. Relief short lived as she saw the glint of temper in his dark eyes.
‘For the love of god woman! What are you doing out here in the pitch black?’ Rob’s voice was majorly gruff.
‘Taking a walk. ‘She stared out her window as he pulled off, once again that usual internal rhumba starting at his close proximity.
Damn him for the way he made her react!
‘In that?’ He nodded haughtily at her light weight dress, she glared at him and caught him looking her dress up and down, her bare shoulders and neck.
‘Why not?’
He gritted his teeth, flexing his jaw and never responded. Just looked for a cut off in the road to turn around and head back to her cottage in a smooth manoeuvre.
Sitting in the dark, illuminated only by dashboard lights she felt cocooned with him in a little black box. He expertly spun the car around, shifting gear and heading back. He was a capable confident driver and somehow that just added to his list of charms that made her feel like throwing her shoes at him. His posture tense and unreadable as he kept his eyes on the road.
‘Going somewhere nice?’ Rose said airily.
None of her business, but well, she decided to be as intrusive and rude as him for a change.
‘Nope! Just picking something up.’ He retorted drily.
‘At...’ She glanced at the clock on the dashboard, shocked at the time. ‘Ten pm at night?’ Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. Feeding on his snarky atmosphere.
‘Managed to pick you up at that time, didn’t I?’
His jaw was set in a stubborn ‘don’t push me’ kind of mood. Something had obviously killed his earlier chatty and cheerful mood from the bakery. She turned away, giving up as he turned into her road, all too soon the cottage illuminated in his headlights, not that she felt relief at seeing it suddenly.
‘Thanks!’ It wasn’t grateful thanks, but more of a ‘thanks for nothing’ kind of throwback, fueled by his mood and bristling her own temper. Turning to slide out of her seat and pushing the door open, he suddenly grabbed her wrist, his grip tight but not aggressive. He didn’t turn to look at her, just clenched jaw, gritted teeth, staring head ‘I‘m trying to make this easy on both of us Rose. Trying to be civil when we see each other out and about; It would help if you got with the programme and stopped acting like a moody kid.’ His voice was calm, but there was anger in its depths. She shook him off angrily, feeling like her wrist was burning with the contact.
‘I don’t think cosying up to my parents with the girlfriend in tow is something I can ‘get’ with! But thanks anyway!’ Stung by his words, she didn’t wait for a response, just swung her legs out and stormed towards the cottage, slamming the unlocked door behind her dramatically. She stood inside pressing her back against the closed wooden door, heart pounding in her chest, wondering if he would follow her, scared that he would but heartbroken that he might not. She swallowed back a sob as the roar of his engine indicated the speed at which he had reversed out of there.
