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
- Suggested topics for reading-group discussion
- Keep Reading …
- Lisa Stone also writes under the name of Cathy Glass.Don’t miss her latest book …
- About the Author
- Books by Lisa Stone
- About the Publisher
‘Yes,’ Jan said. ‘He’s a big softie, aren’t you?’ She tickled Tinder’s chin. The reason Camile had wanted someone to rent the cottage who could look after Tinder was because he didn’t do well in kennels or being left with someone else – even someone he knew.
‘Would you like a drink?’ she offered. They were still in the hall.
‘If it’s not too late,’ Chris replied, and took off his wet coat. ‘I walked here.’
‘You walked here from the village in the dark and rain?’ Jan exclaimed. ‘Along Wood Lane!’
‘Yes,’ he laughed, following her into the living room. ‘There’s nothing in the woods that can hurt you. It’s people who do the harm.’
‘There are people in the woods?’ Jan asked.
‘No. I’m just saying it’s people, not the dark, who can do you harm. Are you all right? You seem a bit on edge.’
‘I’m OK. I’ve just been worried about Tinder.’
Now Chris was here her previous fears and conjecture had gone and she was starting to feel safe again.
‘What would you like to drink?’ she asked, placing Tinder on his rug.
‘Whatever you’re having,’ Chris replied. His gaze went to the bottle of whisky she’d used for the hot toddies.
‘Whisky. Anything in it?’
‘Just a splash of water, please.’
As Chris sat in his usual armchair, Jan poured two generous whiskies. ‘Ice?’ she called from the kitchen.
‘No, thanks.’
She added water and carried the glasses into the living room, handed one to Chris and then sat on the sofa. Tinder immediately jumped onto her lap and she began stroking him.
‘You seem quite at home here,’ Chris remarked, sipping his drink.
‘I suppose I am.’ How different the cottage felt now she had company. ‘You were out late?’ she said.
‘I was returning from seeing a friend.’
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.’
‘It’s fine. We’re old school friends. We get together every couple of months and sink a few beers. Quite a few, in fact, which is why I didn’t take my car.’
‘I’m so pleased you found Tinder,’ Jan said. ‘I’ll know next time where to look for him.’
‘He’s never gone that far before. I guess he chased something into the woods and got lost.’
‘He did, but what made you think that?’ Jan asked.
‘You said before he’d chased something from the garden.’
She nodded and took another sip of her drink. ‘Whatever is coming into the garden was here again tonight. I think there could be more than one.’
‘Where are they getting in?’