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I shook my head “No, thank you, Arthur Would youif you could find Aunt Catherine? She appears to have disappeared into nowhere and I was hoping she’d have materialised by now”

He bowed his head “I’ll see what I can do I expect she went into the village I’ll make a few calls and see what I can do”

“Thank you I appreciate it Would you make a pot of tea for e return? It looks chilly out there”

“Of course, milady” He hesitated “Maybe you’d prefer a coat”

“I’ll be fine Thank you” I closed the door behind me and shivered There really was a chill in the air, and I wrappedmy aroing to rain soon enough, and I hoped the rain would hold off until I was back inside It was unlikely because, well, England, but it was alorth a little hope

Bloody hell

Arthur was right I would have indeed preferred a coat

Ah, well It was too late

The gardens were now closed to the public, so I was able to take the quickest route through the rose garden to where I’d left Alex and Miles to rebuild the fence I could hear laughter coravel toward them

I stopped every few steps to pull out weeds Not because I wanted to help Miles in any way, but because I both hated weeds and I found it therapeutic

It was like ripping off their invasive little heads

Yep

I needed some help

Miles’ steel wheelbarroas still out, so I threw the weeds into it so they could have a party with the ones he’d been pulling up earlier I took a deep breath and reveled in the silence for a moarden, right as dusk was approaching

As long as it didn’t rain

Even then, it was quite nice when it was that horridlittle more than a spray

Resisting the urge to take a huge detour and go through the vegetable garden and see if there was anything I could sneak away froan, I finished ether