(Friday night)
Now, like the river she was watching as it rushed into the darkness of the tunnel, Sarah had come to Somerset. It was a desperate gamble. There was no way of knowing for certain which way events would turn or how much of what she held precious she would have to give up.
"Why are options always so limited", she thought bitterly and then tossed another stone into the dappled torrent.
"Time to move on!" Peter's voice seemed to come from faraway.
She turned a led the way down the road. Shaking his head, slightly, Peter followed.
Soon the Inn was in view again. She longed to be with David She only wondered how long she could resist her impulse to turn and run back to him.
Peter was now besides her. He had wrapped an arm around her waist and oblivious to these thoughts and memories, felt the most fortunate man in the world.
With a beaming face, he negotiated them both over the last few uneven and worn cobbles that led to the entrance of the inn.
Sarah's heart pounded in her chest. She wondered miserably how many other women over the centuries had passed this way into the bustling public bar and hotel reception. What stories could the heavy studded door tell of their hopes and fears as they struggled with the challenges of their times.
The Hunters Retreat Inn was genuinely rustic in a bravely offhand way and, Sarah grudgingly had to admit, a good choice by Peter.
Partridges hung from nails in oak beams. Pictures with cracked frames depicted hunting triumphs. The fading portrait of a long departed local Lord and patron, beamed with contentment - just back from the market. Well fed and bred.
The innkeeper, by contrast, was the complete professional with smiles, room keys and table bookings effortlessly provided.
Peter went up to check their cases, shower and change. Sarah said she had to make a call.
Her husband, David, answered the phone.
"Just a brief word to say I've arrived alright", she said.
"How is your mother", he enquired.
(Saturday and Sunday)
Then morning came and Sarah woke feeling refreshed and alive and ready to take the world on again on anybody's terms.
Peter was sitting in the window with the Sunday Paper Business section spread out around him. As soon as he became aware she was awake, he put it aside and came to pin her down onto the bed with his large body and a lustful kiss.
"Do you think I could use your terminal again this morning", he said nibbling her ear. "I need to send an e-mail to my bosses, the directors."
"Of course you can", said Sarah, suddenly awakened with renewed hope. It was the opportunity for which she had been waiting and here it was presented to her on a plate. After her good nights sleep, she was full of optimism that the viruses would work quickly this time.
A huge feeling of relief swept through her. As soon as he made that call, a bright New World would open for her and her husband.
When he moved to lift her night shirt over her head, she offered no resistance. As they moved together on the bed, it was with dreamy thoughts of better times that she allowed him once more to make love to her.
Later they had breakfast in the bay window. Peter was again clad only in his unbuttoned shirt. Sarah had got showered and slipped into a brightly coloured strapless summer dress soon after he had sent the e-mail.
"I don't know what you see in the business pages", she commented through a mouthful of toast.
"It pays to keep in touch", commented Peter. "There was some news about the company I work for this morning."
"What do you mean?"
Peter passed the paper to her and the headline made her blood run cold.
'Take over bid successful - 1000 staff lose jobs at computer centre as operations move to USA.'
Peter was now completely quiet, observing her reaction.
"The E-mail I sent accepted their redundancy terms for me. The rest of the staff will receive their redundancy terms in the post on Monday. I've known for a few weeks. They had to tell me so I could make arrangements to transfer all the data files. Of course, I couldn't tell anyone else because there was a real danger that angry staff could have sabotaged the system before it was taken off line yesterday."
Dimly aware her mouth had sagged open, she knew the bottom had fallen from her world. Not only had she failed to improve David's prospects but now his existing job was gone.
