Independent Jenny by Sarah Louise Smith Page B

to lie on.
    Outside, Hayley and Wentworth were sitting on a bench looking out at the water, so I left them there and went to the car. I unloaded our luggage, put Hayley’s stuff into one room and mine into the other, then I sat on the bed and got my phone out to call Shane. I’d promised him a call to announce our safe arrival but I had hardly any network signal. I decided to send a text instead and he replied straight away telling me to have a lovely time and unwind. I lay back on the bed for a minute and let my body relax against the soft duvet. I was going to enjoy some peace, quiet and tranquillity here, in this little piece of Scottish heaven.
    Next, I unpacked all my clothes, and all the food, then went out to Hayley, who hadn’t moved. Wentworth was asleep by her feet. I sat down with them and looked out. It really was a stunning view.
    “The cottage is lovely,” I told her.
    “I think Guy’s here,” she said, turning to me. “I can feel it.”
    I tried not to roll my eyes. “You think you can feel it because you want it to be true.”
    She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m hungry.”
    “Me too.”
    We went back inside and reheated the chicken curry we’d brought with us, then opened some wine and sat at a small pine dining table to eat. It’d taken us all day to get here, but it was worth every mile. I couldn’t wait to get out and walk the hills, stare out at the lochs, and breathe the fresh air. I hadn’t thought of Ross or Aiden once since we’d crossed the bridge, I realised. I felt proud of myself.
    “That was yummy, thank you,” I told Hayley. Her cousin Jason was a well-known chef and she had had a few lessons from him. Her food was always good.
    “Thank you.”
    “So, have you thought about what you’ll say to Guy’s parents?”
    “No ... Oh wow!” Hayley looked out of the window behind me, then went outside. I followed her and whispered a ‘wow’ of my own. The sun was setting and the sky was full of warm colours: yellows; oranges; pinks; reds. The clouds and mountains were a dusky mauve and the last of the sunlight danced on the water like golden glitter. It was spectacular. I got my camera and tripod and took photos until the sun disappeared on the horizon.
    An hour later, I was tucked up in bed, reading a book and smiling to myself. I felt safe and protected, out here in the middle of nowhere, with no big decisions to make just yet at least. It might only be for a week, but I’d found an escape. For the first time in a while, I felt completely calm and content.

Chapter Sixteen
     
    The next morning I woke up to the sound of chickens clucking outside my window. I took Wentworth out for a bathroom break. He looked at them warily at first but then wagged his tail amicably, before dropping his head disappointedly as they ran away in the opposite direction.
    After a nice hot shower, I spent a considerable amount of time looking at my wedding and engagement rings before finally deciding to take them off. I tucked them inside my toiletries bag and then stared at the dent they had left on my finger for a while. It was kind of liberating to have them off. Was this me making the decision to end it with Ross, one step at a time? It didn’t feel like a conscious thing, but maybe I was slowly distancing myself from my marriage.
    I made scrambled eggs on toast, ate it, then took my book to the bench outside and alternated between reading the words on the page, staring out at the view, and looking at my naked ring finger. I was just wondering if Hayley would ever get up when she came out and joined me, mug of tea in one hand and the cold eggs I’d left for her in the other.
    “Morning!” she said, bright and breezy.
    After some conversation about how we both slept, she started looking agitated.
    “I’ll get ready and we’ll go to Guy’s house, yeah?”
    I agreed although I still wasn’t convinced this was the best plan. But as we were here I agreed we may as well go and find out.