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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

It took Camile nearly half an hour to reply: It gobbles electricity so best keep it off.

So that was the reason it was off. It made sense. She would switch it off again once it had served its purpose and illuminated whatever it was that was coming into the garden.

Jan had topped up the meter and was now waiting for eight o’clock – the time when whatever it was had visited the last four nights. Animals were creatures of habit, she’d read online. Once she knew what it was and that it wouldn’t harm her or Tinder, she could relax. Tinder was feisty but small and wouldn’t be able to protect himself if attacked.

It was pitch dark outside now. Jan had finished dinner, washed up and was now sitting on the sofa, the television remote and her phone within reach. Although she was miles away from her family and friends, they were keeping in contact by phone and text. Some of her friends said they were envious of what she was doing – taking time out. An ‘enforced sabbatical’, one had called it. Put like that, it sounded as though she’d made an informed decision, had had a choice, rather than being made redundant and then dumped by her boyfriend.

When Jan had spoken to her mother on the phone earlier she’d delicately asked if she’d had any thoughts about her future. Jan had mumbled something about a possible career change, maybe retraining as a teacher or social worker, but she was looking into it. It was enough to satisfy her mother, although Jan was pretty sure she didn’t have what it took to be a teacher or social worker. She wasn’t sure where her skills lay or what she wanted to do in the future.

Tinder jumped onto her lap and then spent some moments turning in a circle until he was comfortable. Jan absently stroked his head while looking at the gap in the curtains. As soon as the motion-sensor light flashed on she’d pull open the curtains and hopefully get a good look at what was there. It was 7.30 now. Half an hour to go. Her pulse stepped up a beat.

She picked up the remote control and switched on the television, more as a distraction than to watch anything. With the volume on low, she flicked through the channels. Tinder closed his eyes and began to doze.

An old film was running and Jan glanced between the television and the time on her phone. Eight o’clock gradually approached. A few minutes before eight Jan turned off the television and listened. Tinder was still asleep. She watched him carefully. He’d probably hear it first. He slept on.