Lily Cruickshank’s eyes followed my hand. They raked over the statues and the little garden bench. There was an agonising pause. “Yes,” she admitted. “It is lovely. A very special place.”

She seemed lost for a moment, transported somewhere else. “This house… and the garden… it seems to have that effect on people.” Then she returned to the present moment. Her gimlet gaze was back.

“Apologies again, Mrs Cruickshank.” I rooted around in the back pocket of my jeans where I always stashed a pen and a mini notebook. I dashed down my details. “I meant what I said about the damage to the fence. Please let me know the cost.”

The woman accepted the piece of paper and eyed it with an odd look.

I gave a gentle tug on Harley’s lead. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go.”

I set off across the lawn, the long grass tickling against my jean-clad legs and started to squeeze Harley and myself back through the gap in the fence. I wanted to get away from her sniping and go home.

I kept my back turned away from Lily Cruickshank. Crikey! How embarrassing was that?! Bursting into tears like that in front of a total stranger. But she had been so spiteful.

“Wait.”

Her voice, calling out across the lawn, startled me. I was halfway through the broken section of fence.

I turned around.

Lily Cruickshank pursed her lips. “Did you drive here?”

“Yes.”

“Well, you can’t drive home like that.” Conflict travelled across her features. “I don’t want a car accident on my conscience.” She pointed at me in a gruff gesture. “You had better come back with me. Pull yourself together first before you go anywhere.”

She threw an awkward look over her shoulder. “I’ll stick the kettle on.”

I straightened up in surprise. I hadn’t expected that. Even Harley shot me a look, as if to say, “I didn’t see that coming either!”

I blinked and swiped my arm again across my damp cheeks. “Oh. Right. Thank you.”

She threw her eyes to Harley by my feet. “And I suppose you had better bring her with you too. Lord only knows what other damage she could inflict if we don’t keep an eye on her.” She gestured to the back door. “I’ll lock up here and see you round at the front.” I watched her vanish in a swirl of skirt and a flap of the heavy fleece she was wearing. What was she doing inside Merry Wood? That obviously meant she could gain access to the house, which meant she held keys for the place. That was odd. Why, if the house was sitting deserted, would Lily Cruickshank still possess a set of keys, and what for?