Back The Cottage Save as PDF
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

Some asked where they could be tested and Ian sent them details of the firm he’d used – MyGeneticHistory.com.

The emails continued to arrive and Ian wondered what Moller was making of it, or perhaps he didn’t check emails on a Saturday, enjoying the weekend off, for there was no reply from him. Was he in for a shock on Monday morning!

An email arrived from Grant and Chelsea Ryan threatening to sue Moller for every penny he’d got, which wouldn’t be a lot by the time the fraud squad and HMRC had finished with him, Ian thought with satisfaction. Now heavily mortgaged and with huge debts, Moller would be bankrupt once the fraud squad got hold of him. Sweet revenge. Ian was destroying Moller’s life just as he had destroyed his and Emma’s, and all the others he’d deceived. Moller had played God and lost.

SIXTY

Jan stood to the right of the living-room window, partially secreted behind the curtain, and stared into the night. The rain had stopped but the sky was dark as fresh storm clouds gathered. She was still hoping the creatures would return. The motion-sensor light outside was off and she had her phone ready. One final chance to get the film she so desperately needed before Camile arrived. But the opportunity was quickly receding. It was after 8 p.m. now and Camile would be here before long. She’d texted from the airport to say her plane had landed and she should be with her by 8.30, depending on the traffic.

Jan had taken up her position at the window as soon as night had fallen, waiting and hoping they might come early. She was already packed and her cases were in her car. Just her coat and handbag remained in the cottage. She’d gone into the village earlier and bought some basic food items for Camile, and flowers to say thank you and sorry, which she’d put in a vase on the coffee table. She’d said goodbye to Lillian, who hadn’t appeared surprised to hear she was leaving. Camile had told Chris, who’d told his brother, who’d passed it on to Lillian. That was how news travelled in the village: a grapevine of conversations, as efficient as email or text.

Jan shifted position and continued to keep watch. Surprisingly, Camile had already found another tenant who would move in as soon as Jan had left, which eased Jan’s conscience. Camile was coming back to oversee the changeover, spend a few days with her family and Tinder, and then return to her job abroad. Heaven help the new tenant, Jan thought. They would need to be made of strong stuff to live here. Nothing would have enticed her to stay.