Chapters (82)
- Cover
- Dedication
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
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‘Yes, really. Lillian suggested I take you to the cinema where I can’t talk and put my big foot in it again.’
Jan found herself smiling. ‘Let me think about it.’
‘OK, thanks.’
She watched him go. Would she accept his invitation? She wasn’t sure. Nice of him to apologize and help her out, though.
THIRTY-SIX
As night fell, Jan’s unease at being alone in the cottage returned. Ruby had been right when she’d said it was creepy. The cottage was picturesque during the day, but as the sun set it blended in with the woods as if the trees were advancing, laying claim to it and its inhabitants.
Before it was completely dark, Jan went from room to room, switching on lights and closing curtains, then she checked the front and back doors were locked and bolted. She poured herself a glass of wine and sat on the sofa in the living room. Tinder jumped up and sat beside her. Although Chris had secured the wood over the hole in the hedge with very long screws, Jan was sure it wouldn’t make much difference. Her repair work had still been there the night before when Ruby had heard something tapping at the window. They were using a different way in.
As she sat there nursing her glass of wine with the night ahead of her, Jan wished she could have taken up Ruby’s offer to stay straight away. But not only would she have been running away, she would be letting down Camile big time. She could imagine her disappointment when the purpose of leasing out the cottage was to have someone take care of Tinder in his own home. Someone reliable and trustworthy who likes dogs … Camile’s advertisement had read. Jan cringed.
Jan finished her first glass of wine and was about to refill when her phone rang. Camile’s number showed on the display. That was a weird coincidence, she thought, as she answered. It was only the second time she’d phoned. All their contact had been by email or text. Coincidence? Or had Chris been in touch with her?
‘How are you doing?’ Camile asked brightly.
‘All right, thank you,’ Jan replied. ‘How are you?’
‘Work is challenging, but otherwise I’m OK. How’s Tinder?’
‘He’s fine.’
‘Do you both have everything you need?’
‘Yes, thank you. You left him plenty of food.’
‘Chris called a short while ago and said you were having problems with forest animals coming into the garden.’ So it wasn’t pure chance she was calling.
‘Yes.’
‘Don’t worry. It happened to me, but they won’t harm you. Chris tells me he’s fixed the hole in the hedge so that should keep them out.’
‘Do you know what they are?’ Jan asked.
‘No. It was always dark. Tinder used to chase them off. I guess they get hungry in winter.’
‘That’s what Chris said.’