The Final Chase by Allison Lee

Author:Allison Lee
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blossom Spring Publishing

Chapter Sixteen

Back in the village, Emma left Gethin to collect his tools while she walked across the green to the village shop to buy essentials for her move to the cottage. Her list consisted of cleaning materials and basic essentials with the addition of food for a few days. She cast her eye over to a shelf at the back of the shop, conscious that Eliza, the old woman who ran the shop, was scrutinising her closely. Emma selected two bottles of wine, one red and one white and took her overloaded basket to the counter.

“Hello,” she said cheerily as Eliza shuffled towards the counter, pulling her shawl tightly around her shoulders.

“Morning, young lady,” Eliza replied in a croaky voice, her milky eyes darting from Emma to the groceries like a lizard spying on its prey. “Buying a lot of things today,” Eliza continued inquisitively. Emma nodded and smiled as she began packing the bags that Gethin had given her. Despite her age and frail appearance, Eliza was surprisingly fast at checking out groceries, and Emma struggled to keep up with her packing. Eliza waited patiently for Emma to count out her money and thanked her as she passed the notes over the counter.

“Leaving us, are you?” Eliza asked suddenly, taking Emma by surprise.

“Er, yes and no,” she stuttered, not knowing how to respond to the old woman’s direct question.

The doorbell rang; Emma turned to see two old women enter the shop. Relieved, Emma took this as her cue, heaved her bags from the counter and quickly made her exit. All three women watched her leave, their eyes boring into the back of Emma’s head, making her feel uncomfortable for no apparent reason.

Once outside, she squinted as her eyes adjusted to the daylight again, after spending time in the shop’s dark interior. Emma took a deep breath and looked up.

“Here, let me,” Gethin said as he strode over the Green to meet her. He took two of the three bags from her and headed to his Land Rover, which was parked outside the Inn. “Are you ok?” he asked, sensing Emma was a little quiet.

“Yes, yes, I’m fine, it’s just…” Emma began.

“Eliza, yes, she has that effect on people.” Gethin finished her sentence for her. “She’s harmless, though; don’t let her worry you. I will tell you all about her when you have time to listen, but we have a cottage to fix up for now!” Emma felt herself relax. Gethin was right; Eliza was just a nosy old woman, and she wasn’t going to let a busybody bother her, not today anyway. Today was a new start.

“I have the car packed with my tools,” Gethin said, taking Emma's third and final shopping bag and placing it on the back seat of his Land Rover. “Why don’t you go and pack your stuff in your car, and we can take both cars back to the cottage when you’re ready?” he asked.

“Sounds like a plan!” Emma said, skipping through the door of the Inn as the two old women descended from the shop doorway, glaring at Gethin.

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