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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

Still nothing. Worried and annoyed that she was having to retrace her steps, Jan went back along the lane. He’d been following her the last time she’d looked, not half a minute ago, but now he’d completely disappeared. She kept going, calling his name and looking into the woods on both sides. He must have chased something. But in which direction? There were trees to her left and right on both sides.

‘Tinder!’ she shouted at the top of her voice. Then she heard a rustle.

She spun round and looked into the woods where the noise had come from – just in time to see Tinder reappear, running flat out towards her. But what was that behind him? A flash of someone also running, the briefest glimpse before they disappeared into the woods. An image, an outline, the size and shape of a child, similar to the one she thought she’d seen scramble over the side gate of the cottage. Was it possible there could be a child or children living feral in the woods? Surely not. And yet …

FIFTEEN

Shaken, Jan ran along Wood Lane, her thoughts spinning. She kept her eyes straight ahead and didn’t look into the woods either side and certainly not behind her for fear of what she might see. Tinder was running flat out beside her, his little legs working hard to keep up.

It could have been a child and yet something in its shape and the way it had moved between the trees suggested otherwise. Could it have been an adult trying to keep low to avoid being seen? She thought it was possible, which made her more afraid. Were they following her? If so, why? What did they want with her? Thank goodness she’d reported it to the police and an officer was coming this afternoon. It gave her some reassurance.

Perspiring and out of breath, Jan finally stopped running when the lane met the main road. She put Tinder on his lead and then continued at a brisk walk towards Merryless. Tinder was also out of breath and panting heavily, his tongue drooling. He seemed as unnerved by what had happened in the woods as she was.

Further up, she crossed the road and continued along the pavement to the village shop. Her pulse rate and breathing began to settle. Her biggest worry now was that she had to return along Wood Lane. The clouds were still gathering – thick grey clouds causing the sky to darken and the light to go early. If only she’d brought her car.