An Invitation to Seashell Bay by Bella Osborne

Author:Bella Osborne [Osborne, Bella]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2023-03-07T17:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-One

Nancy had left breakfast hopping mad that she’d lost the All Things Crafty contract. Although Freddy said that according to his Uncle Dickie there never had been an offer of a contract, she still felt swindled and right now Freddy was in the firing line. Her anger and upset was also driven by the reality that she was fast running out of ways to save her company. It was like she moved from one lifeboat to another and each one had a leak.

Knowing looks were exchanged between Freddy and his mother making her wonder what else was going on that she knew nothing about. Freddy crossed his fingers as they got in the Land Rover and Oscar revved up the engine. Freddy quickly plugged in Nancy’s seatbelt before jumping in the passenger seat and grabbing hold of a handle near his head.

‘Hold on tight,’ said Oscar, looking at Nancy via the rear-view mirror. ‘Tally ho!’

The Land Rover skidded away from the house and across the gravel driveway but instead of heading down the treelined drive, Oscar veered off. The vehicle bounced over a grass verge down a small slope and started off across the fields scattering confused-looking sheep in all directions.

Oscar picked up speed as he headed for a mound. ‘Shitting hell!’ said Nancy.

‘My thoughts exactly,’ said Lady Louisa, as the vehicle was launched into the air and landed with a bounce. Nancy was sure her teeth were rattled loose.

Oscar drove along the edge of a field with two wheels up on a ridge, so the car was tilted at a precarious angle and Nancy hoped her seatbelt was in properly because it was the only thing stopping her sliding along the seat and crushing Louisa who was pushed up against the window.

Oscar suddenly turned the car to point it across an empty field. For a moment Nancy was pleased to be returned to a normal level but as she looked ahead, she could see that although the field was just grass pasture it had likely once been ploughed because there were a series of undulations going from left to right. Oscar put his foot down and the car took off. It went over the bumpy surface with ease, but it was a lot like being on a rollercoaster without the security of a full harness or safety bar.

After a few more minutes of extreme off-roading they joined a rough path, went over a cattle grid and reached a high gate between two imposing pillars. The gates opened and Oscar waved a hand at the camera mounted above as they drove through sedately. Oscar was humming away happily. All his passengers were shocked into silence. They trundled down the side of the church and into the car park.

‘How much fun was that?’ asked Oscar, twisting in his seat to eyeball Nancy.

Fun wasn’t how she would have described the trip, but it had taken her mind off the non-existent contract. ‘I think I might walk back,’ said Nancy, and everyone fell about laughing.

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