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'Of course Co in and have some coffee'

Clare introduced Marie to her, and Jess shook her hand with a friendly smile Marie realised that she was older than she had looked at first Her casual clothes, old blue jeans, white shirt and a vivid green handkerchief knotted around her brown throat, had , but in fact she was e as Clare

They entered the cottage and went first into the tiny kitchen, a rectangular roo on the walls and blue Dutch tiles set into the worktops Every­thing was very ht, scrupulously clean

'This is the only rooed 'The rest I left as I found it It suited me'

There were three small roo-room, rather dark and old-fashioned, with heavy dark furniture and ornate wall­paper The second was a tiny room hite walls which contained only an easel, a ca the wall 'My studio,' Jess said calinally a larder, hence the white walls I stripped off the shelves and enlarged theIt faces south, so the light is good'

The third roo just an oval table and chairs and a large Victorian sideboard on which stood a silver fruit bowl and some candlesticks

'As you see, it only needs a little ent said optimistically

Clare eyed the furniture with horror 'It needs a great deal of work,' she said firet'

Jess eyed her 'Going to take it, Clare?'

'Yes,' Clare said certainly 'I knew that the moment I set eyes on it The interior is a mess, but the house itself is adorable I know James will love it'

'James? Where is he, anyway? In London?'

'He's been ill,' Clare told her 'Very ill That's ant a quiet cottage to live in—James needs some peace'

'What about upstairs?' asked the agent 'Shall we take a look up there?'

'Of course,' said Claire, erness

'I'll ham said She smiled at Marie and asked, 'Like to help me make it?'