Tara’s offer had plagued both his waking thoughts and his dreams, and as the sun rose he felt more than ready to leave Penge and his humiliation behind. She didn’t respect him, that was the crux of it, she saw him simply as a man struggling to make a living, not an artist, determined to paint whatever the cost, and certainly not as an eligible bachelor. Right at the moment the cost of his ambition seemed very high, so he would throw himself into the one thing that made life worth living - he would paint and paint until he had enough landscapes to mount an exhibition. Then he would sell them and become the talk of the town, and Tara would see just how far from the mark her plans for him were. He packed hastily and left Penge without a backward glance, he did not want to turn and see Tara looking out at him as he left, or worse, rows of empty windows showing him how inconsequential he was in her life. The village was only a mile away, Leo walked the distance easily. Uncaring about how early the hour was, he rapped hard on the ostler’s door to wake him up.
