both wore silk scarves made by Chantelle. Leah's was grey and
purple which brought out the blue of her eyes. Jayne's was a soft
green to contrast with her red hair.
It was surprising how much alike the two women looked, despite the
differences in their age and lifestyles. Jayne had always worked
hard, only leaving the farm to go to college and even then she'd
studied agriculture.
Leah, on the other hand had it easy. Her father was a diplomat, so
Leah had attended an expensive English boarding school and spent her
holidays with her parents in various exotic locations, or in
Winkleigh Marsh with her grandparents and Jayne.
Seeing Jayne's eyes sparkle at the prospect of the party made Leah
realise how strained she'd looked over the last few days. Now she
looked so young and happy.
"We look pretty good, I think?" Jayne said as they admired
themselves in the long mirror.
"We do. The fresh air and exercise have done me a world of good.
You'd already said I don't look plain and fat anymore, now I don't
even feel it."
"I should hope not! You never were plain or fat, even when you
had those braces you were beautiful. Who on earth told you
different?"
"No one," Leah said truthfully. He'd never actually said
it, but somehow Adam had made her feel that way.
"Hmm. You can talk to me, you know."
"Yes, I do know." Leah hugged Jayne. "I reckon we
could tell each other anything."
"Of course we could, lovey."
"So what is it that the doctor told you to take the spring out
your step?"
Jayne gasped, then grinned. "How did you manoeuvre me into that,
you crafty cow?"
"I used your own techniques against you. Now spill."
"All right, I am worried about my health. And you're right, I
should talk about it. Not now though, eh? The taxi will be here any
minute."
"Well..."
"Come on, lovey. We'll talk about it tomorrow and you can be
properly sympathetic, but we'll enjoy the party first."
"All right."
Jayne hugged her again. "Thanks, lovey. I expect I've been
getting myself into a state over nothing. I feel better just to know
I've got you to share this with. I knew I had, I just didn't like to
say because... well, tomorrow?"
Leah had been at the party for thirty seconds before realising she'd
been right about their clothing. There were plenty of beautiful, but
stick thin, women in dresses that obviously cost more than Leah
earned in a month. They didn't look particularly comfortable. There
were also other people, some of whom Leah recognised as being local,
who were dressed as though they were there to have a good time.
Glancing round, Leah could see that the party was designed for fun,
not for a good write up in Hello! or to make other people's efforts
at entertainment look inferior.
The drinks, which were Elderflower champagne, local beer and fruit
cup, were packed into cages and lowered into the icy cold mill water.
In the courtyard garden a hog roast was set up. The fire from that
warmed the outside space. Real fires were also lit inside the mill.
The height of the room and the curved wooden beams gave the
appearance of a cosy cathedral. The decorations were huge tubs of
greenery and twigs with coloured bark. Higher up were draped lengths
of printed silk. These were mostly of the same soft green as Jayne's
scarf, or in the mauves and greys of Leah's so the women felt they
fitted in perfectly.
There were huge glass dishes of classy salads, a huge chocolate cake
and a mountain of fresh fruit.
The music was provided by a series of live bands and singers. Leah
recognised many of the songs from the radio and television. It took
her a while to realise the singers were familiar too and the
entertainers weren't simply covering the songs of famous artists.
The first part of the evening was taken up with looking round
Chantelle's interesting home, being introduced to numerous people -
both local and famous, and with eating. Duncan greeted her more
enthusiastically than she'd expected after she'd turned down his
offer of a drink. It was
purple which brought out the blue of her eyes. Jayne's was a soft
green to contrast with her red hair.
It was surprising how much alike the two women looked, despite the
differences in their age and lifestyles. Jayne had always worked
hard, only leaving the farm to go to college and even then she'd
studied agriculture.
Leah, on the other hand had it easy. Her father was a diplomat, so
Leah had attended an expensive English boarding school and spent her
holidays with her parents in various exotic locations, or in
Winkleigh Marsh with her grandparents and Jayne.
Seeing Jayne's eyes sparkle at the prospect of the party made Leah
realise how strained she'd looked over the last few days. Now she
looked so young and happy.
"We look pretty good, I think?" Jayne said as they admired
themselves in the long mirror.
"We do. The fresh air and exercise have done me a world of good.
You'd already said I don't look plain and fat anymore, now I don't
even feel it."
"I should hope not! You never were plain or fat, even when you
had those braces you were beautiful. Who on earth told you
different?"
"No one," Leah said truthfully. He'd never actually said
it, but somehow Adam had made her feel that way.
"Hmm. You can talk to me, you know."
"Yes, I do know." Leah hugged Jayne. "I reckon we
could tell each other anything."
"Of course we could, lovey."
"So what is it that the doctor told you to take the spring out
your step?"
Jayne gasped, then grinned. "How did you manoeuvre me into that,
you crafty cow?"
"I used your own techniques against you. Now spill."
"All right, I am worried about my health. And you're right, I
should talk about it. Not now though, eh? The taxi will be here any
minute."
"Well..."
"Come on, lovey. We'll talk about it tomorrow and you can be
properly sympathetic, but we'll enjoy the party first."
"All right."
Jayne hugged her again. "Thanks, lovey. I expect I've been
getting myself into a state over nothing. I feel better just to know
I've got you to share this with. I knew I had, I just didn't like to
say because... well, tomorrow?"
Leah had been at the party for thirty seconds before realising she'd
been right about their clothing. There were plenty of beautiful, but
stick thin, women in dresses that obviously cost more than Leah
earned in a month. They didn't look particularly comfortable. There
were also other people, some of whom Leah recognised as being local,
who were dressed as though they were there to have a good time.
Glancing round, Leah could see that the party was designed for fun,
not for a good write up in Hello! or to make other people's efforts
at entertainment look inferior.
The drinks, which were Elderflower champagne, local beer and fruit
cup, were packed into cages and lowered into the icy cold mill water.
In the courtyard garden a hog roast was set up. The fire from that
warmed the outside space. Real fires were also lit inside the mill.
The height of the room and the curved wooden beams gave the
appearance of a cosy cathedral. The decorations were huge tubs of
greenery and twigs with coloured bark. Higher up were draped lengths
of printed silk. These were mostly of the same soft green as Jayne's
scarf, or in the mauves and greys of Leah's so the women felt they
fitted in perfectly.
There were huge glass dishes of classy salads, a huge chocolate cake
and a mountain of fresh fruit.
The music was provided by a series of live bands and singers. Leah
recognised many of the songs from the radio and television. It took
her a while to realise the singers were familiar too and the
entertainers weren't simply covering the songs of famous artists.
The first part of the evening was taken up with looking round
Chantelle's interesting home, being introduced to numerous people -
both local and famous, and with eating. Duncan greeted her more
enthusiastically than she'd expected after she'd turned down his
offer of a drink. It was
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