Nell burst out laughing. ‘And I’ve fallen in love with the bluebell wood. I was going to offer to buy that from Elise. Fine pair of business people we are!’

They carried on along the row, then walked back to the second house where Nell had set out some biscuits and brought the tea-making things.

Angus didn’t even need to ask Nell’s opinion. ‘When can you two move in?’

The two visitors stared at him as if he were crazy.

‘Is that it?’ Stacy asked. ‘I mean, can it possibly happen so quickly and easily?’

He shrugged. ‘Why not? It’s my property, after all, and the village was Nell’s idea, so if we’re in agreement, that’s it.’

Elise got out her handkerchief and blew her nose hard. ‘I thought you’d say I was too old.’

‘You’re never too old to be creative,’ Stacy told her gently. ‘At least, that’s what one of my art teachers always told me. And he was still working at ninety.’

‘Thanks. I’ve a bit of a way to go still to reach ninety!’ She turned to Nell and Angus. ‘I accept. I’d love to come and live here. I prefer Number Three, if that’s all right with you, Stacy. Otherwise we’ll have to toss for it.’

‘I’d be happy in either house. It’d be wonderful to be living and working in the same place. I’ll be able to potter about any time I want.’

‘Well, let’s sign you up and arrange your moving-in dates.’

When the two women had signed the necessary papers and left, Nell and Angus went back to the big house.

She filed the paperwork in the office, then sat on the sofa and cuddled up to him. ‘Your family ghosts said Number 2 would be “Stacy’s house”, didn’t they?’

‘Yes.’

‘You don’t sound happy about that, Angus.’

‘I still can’t come to terms with the idea of ghosts, and I never quite know what is really happening and whether we’re seeing their influence where it doesn’t exist.’

‘Who cares? They always sound friendly and they were right about a Stacy coming here, weren’t they? Her creations are delightful.’

‘It may not be businesslike to do things this way, Nell, but I have a feeling she and Elise will go far and give our artists’ village a head start. If they do, we’ll more than get our money back.’

‘I agree. I wonder what the other artists will be like.’

‘I bet they’re just as nice, but we can’t get all the houses ready at once, and it’d be prudent to see how this goes before we put in anyone else. And the two biggest houses seem too big for one person. I still haven’t worked out exactly what to do with them.’

‘It’ll come to you. You’re good at getting ideas.’

‘We’ll have to be careful, though. I started this because I wanted to increase my regular income. Instead I’ve spent a lot of my contingency fund modernising the houses and now we’ve arranged for those two to live there rent-free.’