Page 78 of The Farmer Has a Wife

A few minutes later, she was being escorted to the outside terrace, where she saw Isabella sitting and enjoying her tea as if the world were not spinning off its axis.

“Oh dear,” Isabella said. “I assume something dreadful has happened?”

Eleanor sank into the chair opposite her, rubbing her temples. “I’m not sure if dreadful serves,” she said. “But the most extraordinary thing has happened.”

Isabella lifted a brow. “You’ve learned to knit?”

Eleanor shot her a glare. “No.”

“Good. Dreadfully common hobby. In fact, I disapprove of the word hobby. Pastime is a far more serviceable word.”

“Grandmama,” Eleanor said in exasperation.

“When you get to my age, dear, nothing seems quite as urgent anymore. But my apologies. What is it that has you so ruffled?”

Eleanor took a breath. “The offer on the estate is gone. There’s no longer a buyer. No one wants it.”

Her grandmother hummed, taking a slow sip of tea. “Interesting.”

“One minute I’m being snowed under with offers, practically begging me to sell the land at the very least, and suddenly, now, there’s nothing.” It didn’t sound real, even as she was saying it. It hadn’t sounded real when the bank had informed her that the offer had been rescinded.

Isabella set her cup down with a quiet clink. “Then, my dear, you should be suspicious.”

Eleanor frowned. “Suspicious?”

“Nothing in this world simply disappears without cause. You should find out why.”

Eleanor exhaled, wishing she could run her hands through her hair but not wanting to ruin her immaculate chignon. “I can’t get hold of Elizabeth.”

“I see.” Isabella picked up her cup again. “Well, until you can, answer me this. Were you truly going to sell?”

Eleanor hesitated, staring over the terrace railing. The thought of giving up the estate had once been unthinkable, but now…

“Yes,” she said quietly. “If it was the only way that I could have Danni, if it would prove to her that I’m worth having, that I’m not so in love with something else that she’d have to fight for me, yes, I would have done it.”

“Interesting,” Isabella said.

“Why is that?”

Her grandmother gave her a knowing smile. “Because itmeans that you’ve finally figured out what’s truly important.” She waved her hand. “Selling the estate was a grand gesture, but I was fairly certain it would never pan out. Not many people have the money for large houses these days, and it was unlikely that the developer had considered the constraints of building around a protected property. I’m assuming Marren was just the spokesperson, the money must have come from elsewhere.”

“You never intended for me to sell the estate?” Eleanor asked in horror.

Her grandmother shrugged. “It’s just a house, my dear. If you sold it, then so much the better, as long as it was what you wanted to do. But I didn’t think it would be easy. What really needed to happen was that you had to see that the house was keeping you from living the life you wanted. You can have both, you know, as long as you’re willing to compromise.”

Eleanor sighed and sat back. “As it happens, I do have another idea.”

She laid out the details before her grandmother, Isabella listening carefully, and then nodding in approval.

“That could work,” she said finally.

“Good,” Eleanor said.

“However, if you want Danni back, you’ll need to do more than make plans,” said Isabella. “You will need to show her how you feel.”

Eleanor stiffened. “I’m not one for grand displays.”

“And therein lies your problem.” Isabella lifted her china cup and sipped.

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