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The Cottage

Lisa Stone
Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. ONE
  4. TWO
  5. THREE
  6. FOUR
  7. FIVE
  8. SIX
  9. SEVEN
  10. EIGHT
  11. NINE
  12. TEN
  13. ELEVEN
  14. TWELVE
  15. THIRTEEN
  16. FOURTEEN
  17. FIFTEEN
  18. SIXTEEN
  19. SEVENTEEN
  20. EIGHTEEN
  21. NINETEEN
  22. TWENTY
  23. TWENTY-ONE
  24. TWENTY-TWO
  25. TWENTY-THREE
  26. TWENTY-FOUR
  27. TWENTY-FIVE
  28. TWENTY-SIX
  29. TWENTY-SEVEN
  30. TWENTY-EIGHT
  31. TWENTY-NINE
  32. THIRTY
  33. THIRTY-ONE
  34. THIRTY-TWO
  35. THIRTY-THREE
  36. THIRTY-FOUR
  37. THIRTY-FIVE
  38. THIRTY-SIX
  39. THIRTY-SEVEN
  40. THIRTY-EIGHT
  41. THIRTY-NINE
  42. FORTY
  43. FORTY-ONE
  44. FORTY-TWO
  45. FORTY-THREE
  46. FORTY-FOUR
  47. FORTY-FIVE
  48. FORTY-SIX
  49. FORTY-SEVEN
  50. FORTY-EIGHT
  51. FORTY-NINE
  52. FIFTY
  53. FIFTY-ONE
  54. FIFTY-TWO
  55. FIFTY-THREE
  56. FIFTY-FOUR
  57. FIFTY-FIVE
  58. FIFTY-SIX
  59. FIFTY-SEVEN
  60. FIFTY-EIGHT
  61. FIFTY-NINE
  62. SIXTY
  63. SIXTY-ONE
  64. SIXTY-TWO
  65. SIXTY-THREE
  66. SIXTY-FOUR
  67. SIXTY-FIVE
  68. SIXTY-SIX
  69. SIXTY-SEVEN
  70. SIXTY-EIGHT
  71. SIXTY-NINE
  72. SEVENTY
  73. SEVENTY-ONE
  74. SEVENTY-TWO
  75. SEVENTY-THREE
  76. SEVENTY-FOUR
  77. Suggested topics for reading-group discussion
  78. Keep Reading …
  79. Lisa Stone also writes under the name of Cathy Glass.Don’t miss her latest book …
  80. About the Author
  81. Books by Lisa Stone
  82. About the Publisher

Cover

Cover image: The Cottage by Lisa Stone

Dedication

A big thank you to my readers for all your wonderful comments and reviews. They are much appreciated. Thank you to my editors, Kathryn and Holly, my literary agent, Andrew, and all the team at HarperCollins.

Although this book is a work of fiction, incredibly the basis of the story is true

ONE

There was something outside.

Jan was sure of it. Just as she’d been sure the evening before.

The living-room curtains were closed against the night sky, but on the other side of the window lay a small patio, and there was something lurking out there. She hadn’t seen or heard it, but the dog on her lap certainly had. Tinder had been asleep, then his ears had pricked up as he’d raised his head. He was now staring at the curtain and growling, his pupils enlarged to black orbs. His behaviour was unsettling her even more.

Jan knew a dog’s heightened sense of smell and hearing gave it an advantage over humans, so Tinder could smell and hear things she could not. There was something out there and the dog knew – something alive, ominous and threatening.

It had begun four nights ago. Jan had been sitting on the sofa in front of the television with Tinder on her lap, as they’d got into the habit of doing most nights. She stroked his soft, wavy fur and he slept peacefully. Then suddenly he was awake, on guard, making her start and a little bit afraid. Now it was happening again. There was just her and Tinder in the cottage, which was situated on the edge of Coleshaw Woods.

With her senses tingling and not taking her eyes from Tinder, Jan picked up the remote control and muted the television. She listened, straining into the silence. But there was nothing: no noise in or outside the cottage. Outside the air was still; it was a chilly but calm autumn night. Tinder was still on guard, staring menacingly at the curtains, ready to attack if necessary.

‘It’s OK,’ Jan said quietly, stroking his back. ‘There’s nothing to be afraid of.’ She felt she’d said it more for her own benefit than the dog’s, although she wasn’t reassured any more than Tinder appeared to be.

She continued to stroke his velvety fur, hoping he would return to sleep – he was only small, a lapdog, and if he settled then so would she, for it would mean that whatever was out there had gone and the danger had passed.