Chapter 41
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Sarah returned to Derby briefly. It was agony working her last week at the factory but at least she had time to say goodbye to all her friends. Half of them couldn’t understand why she would leave to live in the middle of nowhere. The rest saw the lure of the house in the country and a cushy job.
Her mum wasn’t very pleased she was leaving.
‘How the hell am I going to pay the rent now that you won’t be bringing in any money?’ she sniped when Sarah told her.
‘You’ll have to get a job, Mum,’ Sarah taunted. ‘Like normal people do. It might do you good to get off your arse and out of the house.’
‘Oi, less of your cheek.’
‘Well, I’ve supported you far more than you did me when I was young.’
‘I’ve done my best for you girls and look how you repay me. I can’t believe you’re leaving to stay with Louisa.’
‘I wish I’d left here a long time ago,’ Sarah muttered.
‘Why, you cheeky cow. Just because you’re going to live with your sister who thinks she’s Lady Muck, you can’t talk to me how you like.’
‘She’s ill, Mum. I’m going to look after her.’ For some reason, Sarah had chosen not to mention to her mum that she was a grandmother. She didn’t want her demanding to see Daisy, traumatising both her and Louisa with a visit.
‘I’m ill too. Who’s going to look after me?’
‘I’m sure some other fool will be around the corner.’
She’d left the air turning blue, her mother cursing her, as she’d got into the taxi and headed for the train station. Stuff her, she mused. There was no way she was missing out on the opportunity to get away from this dump.
As they turned out of the street she’d lived in since she was born, Sarah settled into the seat and smiled. Her life here was well and truly over.
Once back in Mapleton, Sarah settled herself into the annexe.
Looking after Daisy was a doddle compared to the boring role she had left behind.
She had many opportunities to play in the garden with her when Louisa was ill.
When she was alone, she made time to drag Richard out of his studio for a drink, or at least a five-minute break.
Over a few weeks, she got to know him really well.
And soon she could tell that he was getting attracted to her.
It wouldn’t take much to change them from friends to lovers.
On the night she knew it would happen, she put Daisy to bed and checked on Louisa. Her sister was out for the count after her last round of medication and Sarah knew she wouldn’t wake until the morning. Which was just as well for what she had planned.
She went downstairs, grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses and headed out to the studio. The heat was still stifling, even though the sun had gone in an hour ago. The day had been sticky, but she’d showered and smelled delicious, even if she said so herself.
The wine lodged under her arm, she knocked on the door and went inside. Louisa had told her that Richard didn’t like being disturbed when he was working. Perhaps he said that to keep her away from him. She was such a whinger when she was tired, moping around as if she was dying.
Richard looked up as she came in, treating her to a lazy grin.
‘To what do I owe this pleasure?’ he asked.
‘It’s late. You’ve been working all day. I have wine to drink and I don’t want to do that alone. Louisa and Daisy are asleep so it’s just us two.’
‘Sounds good to me.’
She filled the glasses and handed one to him. Then she took a stroll around his studio admiring his work. Suddenly, she spotted a small canvas and gasped.
‘You weren’t supposed to see that,’ he said.
The image was of Sarah. She was sitting on the garden wall, the wind in her hair as she looked up at the sun. She seemed content, happy with life and Richard had caught her expertly.
‘When did you do this?’ she asked.
‘A couple of days ago. It didn’t take me long.’
‘It’s amazing. You are so talented.’
‘I like working magic with my hands.’
Taking that as her cue, she walked towards him, running a finger along his thigh as she drew level.
She put down her wine glass and took his from him.
Then she kept his hand in hers, turning it over as she examined it.
A shot of desire pulsed through her body as she imagined what he could do with it.
He was still looking at her as she moved closer. Their lips met and she pressed herself against him, enjoying the feeling of them together. She never gave a thought to her sister as she removed his T-shirt and ran a hand over his chest.
She slipped the straps of her dress from her shoulder and pulled it down. She was naked beneath it and she heard an intake of breath as he took in her body. Then she was pawing at his jeans as he ran his hands over her, before they dropped onto the settee at the back of the room.
As they made love, Sarah glanced over Richard’s shoulder towards the house. Part of her wished Louisa could see them as they joined together for the first time. It wouldn’t be the last, but she’d have enjoyed seeing her sister’s face as she realised what was going on underneath her nose.
She moaned at Richard’s touch, turning her face towards him. All she had to do now was concentrate on him. He was her meal ticket to a better life. She had a job here, and if she played it right, she would soon have the man as well.
Then she could get Louisa out of the picture and have the house too.