Page 46 of Daydreams at the Farm on Muddypuddle Lane
His mother didn’t reply, but Adam could see the cogs turning.
His dad began to bluster. ‘I think I know what’s best for my son.’
‘Do you, Dad?’ Adam’s tone was steady, but inside he was seething. His parents clearly didn’t give a jot whether he was happy or not, as long as he did what was expected of him. ‘I’ll come take a look at that car,’ he said.
‘Is that woman really leaving Picklewick?’ his mother demanded.
Otto said, ‘She will if Adam doesn’t convince her to stay. She told me about you and Mr Haines making Adam choose between the woman he loves and the parents who don’t love him enough.’
Martin took a step towards Otto. ‘How dare you! I love my son unconditionally.’
Otto raised his eyebrows.
Adam’s father subsided, flushing bright red as he realised what he had said.
‘Martin, I don’t want to lose him,’ his mum cried. ‘He’s myson.’
Adam turned to her. ‘You don’t have to lose me, but you must trust me to know what’s best forme. You’ve got to let me live my life the way I want to live it.’ He looked at his father. ‘I’m sorry Dad, but I hate accounting.’
Martin rolled his eyes. ‘Now he tells me.’
‘I did try to tell you years ago, but you wouldn’t listen.’
‘Do you really love this woman?’
‘Maisie. Her name isMaisie. Yes, I do. With all my heart.’
He waited for his parents to say something – anything – but when they didn’t, his heart sank. It looked like they were still intent on disowning him, which made trying to convince Maisie to come back to him almost impossible. She had been willing to end it, rather than cause a rift between him and his parents. That rift wasn’t going to go away, it seemed.
But then his father said, ‘What are you waiting for, Adam? Haven’t you got an engine to fix?’
And Adam felt a wild surge of hope as he jumped in the van and followed Otto up Muddypuddle Lane towards the farm and the woman who had stolen his heart.
Engines clearly weren’t either Maisie’s or her mum’s strong point and despite opening the bonnet and peering hopefully inside, the car had continued to refuse to start. Turning the engine over repeatedly had resulted in a flat battery, and now the damned thing was completely dead.
‘I might know someone,’ Otto had said. ‘His number is down at the cottage. I’ll call him on the way to the restaurant.’
‘You’re going in early,’ Beth had observed.
‘Got things to sort out.’
Maisie and Beth had gone back inside.
‘Put the kettle on,’ Beth had instructed. ‘We might as well have a cuppa while we’re waiting. Got any biscuits?’
Maisie had grimaced. The thought of food turned her stomach. Otto had tried to tempt her with some homemade scones earlier, but she’d refused. Bless him, he had done his best to make her feel better, saying that he fully understood her reaction last night, but Maisie still felt awful. He had been so kind, and she had repaid that kindness by causing ructions in his restaurant.
He had found her sitting at the table nursing a cold cup of tea at ten-to-six this morning, and she had ended up telling him all about the overheard conversation, Adam confessing his love for her and that his parents had threatened to disown him, which was whyMaisie felt she had no option but to leave. She couldn’t have that on her conscience.
Otto had been incredibly sympathetic, which had made her feel even worse.
Dulcie had calmed down too, Maisie discovered, when her sister had rolled out of bed an hour or so later. Dulcie had even chatted to her as Maisie had stuffed the last few items into her case, telling her that she didn’t have to leave if she didn’t want to. Dulcie had said that Maisie could stay on the farm indefinitely, but Maisie had insisted she was better off going back to Birmingham.
There was no way she could remain in Picklewick now.
Maisie was sitting at the kitchen table with her hands around yet another cup ofuntouched tea and was deep in thought, when she felt a touch on her shoulder. Expecting it to be Dulcie or Mum, Maisie almost leapt out of her skin when she saw Adam standing by her elbow.
‘What are you doing here?’ she gasped, her heart pounding uncomfortably fast.
