Escape to the Country Read Online Free PDF

way as though to follow. Some seemed
to be looking at her as though wondering why she'd run. None were
chasing her.
    "Guess they were just being nosy eh, boy?" she asked
Tarragon.
    The dog looked at her pocket, but didn't sniff. Obviously he didn't
understand her new game so wasn't sure if he'd yet earned another
titbit. She gave in and put her hand in her pocket for what was
nearly the last one.
    Leah tried to take a step toward the dog, but her foot slid out the
boot. Hastily she pushed it back in. Looking down she saw she was
stuck in very dark mud. The foot of each boot was entirely covered in
black gunge. Almost immediately she realised it was also very smelly.
Leah bent and grasped the top of one boot and tugged. There was a
sucking sound, but the boot didn't come up. She tugged again and
almost fell backwards. It was amazing how unstable she felt when she
couldn't reposition her feet.
    She'd be able to get away, but not with the boots on her feet. The
smelly mud looked remarkably cold. She didn't fancy going back in
just her socks. Leah tried scrunching her foot into a ball to keep
the boot on as she lifted her foot, but all she achieved was to rub
the top of her foot and get pins and needles.
    Maybe Tarragon could help tug her free? She persuaded him to get
close enough for her to attach the lead, then threw a biscuit for
him. He lurched forward, jerking the lead out her hand. The boots
hadn't moved and Tarragon had mud an alarmingly long way up his legs.
Even if she could make him understand a steady, sustained pulling
was required, it seemed possible they'd both become stuck. Sinking
two foot into mud was unpleasant for her, it would be far more
serious for him. She wasn't prepared to risk that.
    Leah checked the mud level and after allowing for it to have splashed
about a bit as she struggled, calculated she wasn't still sinking.
Maybe Jayne would have some advice, she'd probably got stuck in the
mud herself before. Leah fumbled for her mobile and discovered the
battery was dead. After a moment's euphoria at the thought Adam might
have been trying to reach her and she was unaware, she realised a
silent phone wasn't a good thing. Typical. In the city where there
were taxis, crowds, police and phone boxes every few feet, she
charged her phone every night. In the country where any moment she
might be stampeded by marauding cows or get sucked into sinking mud,
she drank cowslip wine instead.
    She'd got so used to Adam sorting out things like charging her phone,
renewing the tax on her car and arranging home insurance she was out
the habit of organising her own life.
    "Tarragon, go fetch help," she ordered with little
enthusiasm.
    The dog wagged his tail as though quite willing to take part in any
game she liked, just as soon as he figured out the rules.
    "Look, doggy, I don't know the right instructions, but if you
fetch someone to get me out of here, I'll buy you a whole box of the
chewiest and meatiest dog treats on the market."
    Tarragon barked once, then rushed past her. Slowly, so as not to risk
overbalancing, Leah turned the top half of her body to see where he'd
gone. Tarragon bounded in circles around a curly-haired man. The man,
who was striding towards her, looked strong enough to lift her to
safety. So long as his incredibly large wellies actually fitted him,
she was saved.
    "Hello," the man greeted her. He seemed amused.
    Her heart beat a little faster as she returned his smile. That was
just because of the slight danger she was in, or maybe it was just
her body's way of telling her she recognised him. She had seen him
somewhere before, she was certain. Odd she couldn't think where as he
had the kind of impressive physique, cheeky grin and moody good looks
it was hard to forget.
    "Hi," Leah replied. "Do I know you?"

Chapter 3

    The man shrugged. "Tarragon seemed to think you'd like some help
getting out of there."
    "He's right, I would. Very much." Now help was at hand,
she'd stopped panicking and realised