CHAPTER 8 (Visit to Beth's)

How Sarah kept on the road when she was so deep in thought she could not explain. She knew she did not want to be with Sam. She had very confused and mixed feelings for Tim and couldn't imagine why since he was increasingly reserved. In any case, he was willing to send her off potentially to sleep with somebody else – hardly an example of caring love!

In the end, somehow, she couldn't bring herself to continue in the London direction.

It was almost by default that she found herself driving through the gap between the rolling Mendip and Brendon hills towards the early evening mists and hollows of Exmoor.

By 3 o'clock she was threading her way through the tiny roads that led to the Inn where she had passed that first night in Somerset and was worrying how it would feel to confront her guilt.

It was with great relief that when the tiny inn came into view with it's stream alongside and wisteria over the door, nestling in the lap of the rural Exmoor hills, she found her feelings were mainly of pleasure. It seemed like an old friend that had been witness to pain but had not been the cause.

About half a mile along the twisting road and she was outside the house she calculated would be Beth's. A goat was in the garden keeping the grass down. Beehives created a natural border along one end and an overgrown vegetable garden made a strange off hand centrepiece. The garden was characterised by a complexity of half started projects.

The bridge over the stream created with old railway sleepers had a handrail of rope where wood should be. The fish pond revealed untidy plastic around the edges but teamed with insects and plant life. A half completed conservatory with wooden uprights and glass roof leaned casually against the front wall of the cottage but without walls and windows.

There was a bell pull by the door and it was with a growing feeling of excitement and pleasure that Sarah gave it a vigorous pull then stood back enjoying the loud peal of bells inside.

Beth appeared after a few minutes and without hesitation flung the door wide open and wrapped her arms around Sarah in a huge embrace.

"I knew you'd come back and see me." Her smile was broad and her Somerset accent even broader. She continued:

"Come on, me dear, and make yourself comfortable. I was just about to cook myself up a bite to eat." She smiled kindly at Sarah's enthusiastic reaction.