Maddie’s eyes flew open as she wondered what on earth had woken her and then she stopped, confused, staring around her in bewilderment. She took in the rumpled bedclothes, the plate still lying on the covers beside her, and the picture on the wall opposite which was in the wrong place entirely. The noise sounded again, and she realised it was exactly the same pounding that had been meted out against the front door the day before. The dogs began to bark.

The side of the bed next to her was empty and she groaned inwardly. How on earth was she still in Seth’s room? She must have fallen asleep, but she didn’t remember anything beyond his asking her if she wanted to stay, or the look on his face when she told him that she did. She touched a hand to her eyes, knowing they were dry, but recalling how her tears had spilled down her cheeks at the thought of having to leave. She sat up with a shock, suddenly realising what the noise meant.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up abruptly, swaying slightly as her body protested at the speed with which she moved. She yanked open the bedroom door and flew down the landing, her ears tuning in to the voices she could hear. She was absolutely right; one of them belonged to Agatha.

She realised her mistake the minute she marched into the kitchen. Seth gave a low groan, Clara’s eyes widened in surprise and Agatha’s mouth settled into a hard line. Maddie dropped the cord of Seth’s dressing gown as if it was on fire.

‘I see,’ declared Agatha. ‘Well, that certainly explains things.’

Dear Lord, could it get any worse? She threw Seth a look of abject apology, clearing her throat and turning to face Agatha squarely.

‘I know what this looks like, but it’s not what you think. I was cold and I don’t own a dressing gown if you must know. Seth very kindly lent me his.’

‘How chivalrous,’ Agatha replied, looking her up and down. ‘However, what you get up to no longer concerns me, Miss Porter. I made my position very clear yesterday, and despite being treated in a disgraceful manner, I was prepared to overlook it as I could see that Seth was somewhat inconvenienced. However, clearly not as incapacitated as I thought.’

Maddie was about to defend Seth when he jumped in first.

‘And, as I said, Agatha, the accusations you made yesterday were simply not true. Maddie has explained what happened in her previous position, and I believe her. Apart from anything else, however, what is important is that her work since she’s been here has been of the highest standard. Surely that should figure in to your considerations, not the lies of someone who set out to discredit Maddie simply to save her own skin.’

‘Are you suggesting that my niece hasn’t checked her facts, Seth? Because I can assure you, she has.’

Seth squared his shoulders. ‘No, I merely suggested that she was taken in by a class act, someone with no morality to speak of. Fortunately, I’m able to provide some clarity on the situation, having spoken to the person in question rather than listening to gossip. Surely that provides a much better basis on which to make a judgement.’

Agatha’s mouth opened and closed, her lips pursing together as she gave Maddie another once-over.

‘Yes, well I can see very clearly how you’ve made your own judgement.’

Maddie’s hands went to her hips. ‘Erm, excuse me. I am still in the room!’ She glared at Agatha. ‘I know you’re my boss but you could have at least done me the courtesy of coming to talk to me if you thought there was a problem. And then, even worse, when you’re informed that there is no problem, you basically accuse me of lying. Then, not content with that, of sleeping with Seth as well; which I did not!’

‘Well, technically speaking you did.’

Maddie whirled around to find Seth grinning at her. ‘We did actually sleep together. What we didn’t do is play three rounds of hide the sausage, which is what Agatha here is suggesting, I believe.’

There was a snort as Clara collapsed into giggles behind them.

He took a step forward, still favouring one leg, Maddie noted.

‘I’ve had just about enough of this, Agatha,’ he said. ‘You did, as you say, make your position quite clear, as I believe did I. Now it’s really very simple. You have sacked Maddie, and despite information which shows you to be in the wrong, you are persisting. As of today therefore, Maddie has been informed that her job with you is terminated. Given that she is still within her probationary period, you are required to give her only one week’s notice, which is paid I might add, during which time she will be a house guest at Joy’s Acre. At the end of this week, provided she accepts my formal offer, she will, instead, be employed by me.’ He took a breath. ‘I can’t make it any clearer.’

Agatha drew herself up to her full height, lifting her head so that she couldn’t look any further down her nose if she tried.

‘Then I withdraw my funding. Forthwith.’

Maddie stared at her. ‘What? You can’t do that! Oh for goodness’ sake, this is ridiculous… Look, I’ll bloody well go, if it’s that important to you.’

‘Stay where you are,’ growled Seth. He turned to Agatha. ‘You really are the nastiest piece of work I’ve ever had the misfortune to come across,’ he said. ‘And you’re prepared to throw all this away because someone pointed out you’re wrong. How much more arrogant can you get?’

‘It’s my prerogative, Seth, although you seem to be forgetting who I am.’ She fixed him with a glacial stare. ‘I will not stand by and watch you make a mockery of everything that Jen—’

‘Don’t you dare bring her into this!’ spat Seth, his eyes flashing. ‘This is my house, my farm, and as far as I’m concerned you are not welcome to set foot in here ever again. Do I make myself clear? Now get out!’

Agatha opened her mouth to speak but no words came as she and Seth locked eyes. The seconds stretched out, the threatening silence becoming more and more unbearable, until abruptly, thankfully, Agatha turned and stalked from the room.

There was silence for quite a few minutes while the air settled back down around them. Maddie’s face was burning with a multitude of emotions, none of them good, and Seth looked utterly distraught. She picked a spot on the far wall and stared at it resolutely, her jaw clenched together.

‘I can’t believe you said “hide the sausage”,’ said Clara into the silence. ‘That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all year…’

Maddie swung her gaze to where Clara was standing, her hand covering her mouth as she tried her hardest not to laugh. A small burble escaped her.

‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I just can’t help it…’

Maddie watched in horror as Seth turned to face her, his hand also lifting to his mouth. But instead of the explosion of anger she expected, his lips curved upwards slowly, and a strangely high-pitched giggle erupted from them, a noise so incongruous it made it even worse, until he clutched his sides in an agony of laughter, which was echoed by Clara.

‘Guys, it’s not funny!’ Maddie protested.

‘Oh, yes it bloody well is!’ he blurted. ‘I’ve never seen Agatha so angry. I thought her eyeballs were going to pop out of her head.’

At this, Clara laughed even harder.

‘Oh, don’t,’ she cried. ‘The poor woman. I bet she doesn’t even know what it means.’

Seth stared at her. ‘Of course she does! I bet she was a real goer in her day. You know what they say, it’s the quiet ones that are the worst.’

‘Mind you, there’s nothing quiet about Agatha…’ mused Clara, sobering suddenly, as she looked between the two of them. ‘Shit,’ she said. ‘What are you going to do?’

‘Not give a fuck, that’s what I’m going to do,’ said Seth. He was leaning back against the edge of his table, legs stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles, his arms folded across his chest. ‘I’m honestly sick of the sight of that woman and her demands. I’ve spent too many years having to grovel round her, going to her cap in hand for anything I wanted and being grateful for any scraps she deigned to throw me. Nope, from now on, we make our own futures.’

Maddie looked helplessly at Clara. Who the hell was Jen? There was something else here that went way, way deeper than what had just happened on the surface, and she hadn’t a clue what it was.

‘I’ll go and apologise,’ she stammered. ‘It was my fault after all, and I’ll beg if I have to. I don’t care about my job, just as long as you get your money back so you can carry on.’

Seth unfolded his arms. ‘You’ll do no such thing. We’re done prostituting ourselves.’ He gave her a long slow look, from head to toe, his lips curling upwards at the corners. ‘It looks better on you than me,’ he said. ‘Did you sleep okay in the end?’

She flushed bright red, pulling at the belt of Seth’s dressing gown. How on earth could he just change the subject like that?

‘I didn’t think… I’m sorry. I realise what it looked like.’

‘You didn’t answer my question,’ he said.

’No,’ she replied. ‘I didn’t… answer your question, that is, but yes, I think I did sleep well.’

She gave Clara a furtive glance, wondering whether she was finding the conversation as strange as she was, and suddenly remembering Seth’s final words to her of the night before.

‘And you?’ she asked. ‘How are you feeling this morning?’

‘What, apart from poor, you mean?’ He held up a hand. ‘Just kidding… gallows humour, sorry.’ He shifted his legs. ‘Bit sore still. My own bloody fault of course, but better, thank you. Nothing that a couple of days’ distance won’t cure.’

Maddie swallowed. ‘I think it’s an amazing thing you’ve done,’ she said. ‘I understand why you don’t want to talk about it, or have a fuss made… I just wanted you to know.’

His gaze softened as he held her look. There was acceptance there, slight embarrassment perhaps, and something else that Maddie couldn’t quite put her finger on, but something which brought an unexpected heat.

‘We probably ought to get some breakfast,’ he said after a moment. ‘And then get the battle plan underway. We’re going to need one.’

Clara came forward, touching Maddie’s arm as she passed. ‘Right, kettle first, and a mighty pot of coffee and then what would everyone like? You didn’t eat much yesterday, Seth, are you up for the full works?’

‘I might be able to manage that,’ he said. ‘Maddie?’

‘I should go and get dressed,’ she muttered, not quite meeting his eyes. ‘I’ll just have whatever’s easiest,’ she added, slipping from the room before anyone could say anything further.

---

Her bed stared accusingly at her, the sheets still rumpled where she had abandoned them. Rumpus was long since gone, off to find breakfast of his own. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, not quite wanting to look herself in the face for fear of what she might find. She smoothed a hand down the soft fabric of the borrowed dressing gown, her fingers splaying across her flat stomach. What had she done?

The shower was far too hot to stand under comfortably, but Maddie let it play over her skin, gulping in the steamy air. She had never felt like this before and the sudden force of her emotions shocked her. It was ridiculous that this should even be happening, and worse, she wasn’t entirely sure what had triggered the feelings in the first place. Things had been far from simple up until now, but this would only complicate things further still and under the circumstances it was the last thing any of them needed.

There was only one thing she could do. Despite all that happened, and all that had been said, she was still left with only one choice. If she packed now, she could be away in under an hour. She could slip away and all the things that had happened since she arrived would slip away with her, go back to normal, leaving lives and futures intact. She turned off the shower and stood, water and tears dripping from her body.

Back in her bedroom she dressed quickly, marvelling at the irony of finding herself packing to leave yet again. She was about to start throwing her clothes into her case, when there was a soft knock at the door.

‘It’s Clara. Can I come in?’

Maddie froze. She could pretend she hadn’t heard the door, but then Clara would only knock again. She might also be able to pretend she hadn’t heard that either, but after that? It wasn’t as if she could hide anywhere. They would have heard the shower in any case, and where else would she be but in her room? Reluctantly she opened the door.

Clara took one look at her face and in an instant pulled her into her arms, where Maddie stood, fighting hard to keep the tears at bay.

‘I feel so foolish,’ she said once Clara had released her. ‘Everything’s my fault.’

Clara gripped her arms, holding her back a little to see Maddie’s face. She cocked her head to one side.

‘What are you referring to, Maddie? The fact that you might have, unwittingly, set us all free, or the fact that you’ve strayed too close to Seth and now realise what a gravitational pull he exerts?’

Maddie gulped. ‘How did you know?’ she managed. ‘I’ve been trying to convince myself it was my imagination, but…’

‘You’ve never felt like this before?’

She hung her head.

Clara pulled her into a hug again. ‘Come on, come and sit down.’ She led Maddie over to the bed, patting the top of the duvet cover and then, once she was seated, taking up a place beside her. ‘The only reason I know is because I’ve been right where you are now, don’t forget. Only in my case, I really was crazy.’

‘But this was never supposed to happen, it’s the last thing I wanted, you have to believe me.’

‘You make it sound like it’s a bad thing,’ said Clara, gently. ‘But it doesn’t have to be. I’ve already told you that Seth’s a very special person. Ordinarily he keeps his cards very close to his chest, but if that changes it’s almost impossible not to be drawn in by it. And you honestly don’t need to look like that, I’m not cross with you.’

There really was nowhere for Maddie to hide.

‘I feel as if I’m standing in an asteroid field. Just when I think I’ve dodged one hulking great ball of rock, along comes another. The trouble is it was me that drove us in here in the first place, but I really am sorry… for everything. I can’t believe I didn’t think about what I was wearing before I blundered into the kitchen this morning. That wasn’t fair either, on Seth, or on you…’

‘Maddie…’ warned Clara. ‘Don’t apologise. It honestly was the funniest thing, like something out of a French farce. That aside, I know nothing happened between you and Seth other than you being there for him when he needed it… and possibly the other way around. But it honestly wouldn’t have mattered if it did. I told you there’s nothing romantic between us, and when I said don’t hurt him, I meant just that, not stay away from him altogether. I see how he looks at you. Come on, let’s go downstairs; we’ve got a lot of things to talk about.’

Maddie wiped her eyes, pulled her shoulders back, and inhaled. ‘I know, but there’s something else too. Who’s Jen?’

Clara put her finger to her lips. ‘No one you need to worry about just now. All in good time, Maddie. All in good time.’

Now what kind of an answer was that? She was about to frame another question, but the look on Clara’s face stopped her.

‘Are you sure it’s going to be okay?’ she asked instead.

‘Positive.’ Clara smiled. ‘We’re in this together, come what may, so let’s focus on what we really need to right now. Whatever happens we have a lot of decisions to make and it’s time we started making them.’