Page 43 (1/1)
CHAPTER ONE
SHE’D done it! It was finally hers A place where after all the trauma and e——and be in her oorld Answerable to no one No e sorted; she could do it at her own pace and it would fill her evenings and weekends, which was just what she wanted Anyway, if it had been in pristine condition she wouldn’t have been able to afford it
Willow Landon heaved a satisfied sigh and then whirled round and round on the spot before cohed out loud She was in control of her life again, that hat this cottage ain
She gazed round the s wallpaper and dusty floorboards could have been a palace, such was the expression on her rapt face Walking across to the grilass was cracked and the paintwork flaking, she opened thearden Monstrous nettles and brah weeds and aggressive ivy, which had wound itself over bushes and trees until the whole had becorass or paths, but she thought she could spy what looked like an old potting shed in front of the stone wall at the end of what the estate agent had assured her was a quarter of an acre of ground
She shut her eyes for ait as it would be when she’d finished with it Roses and honeysuckle cli seat on the sreen lawn and little arbours she’d create, a fountain running over a stone water feature She’d cultivate lots of old-fashioned flowers: foxgloves, angelica, lupins, gillyflowers, larkspur, and pinks—lots of fragrant pinks and wallflowers and stock And she’d have her own vegetable plot But those plans were for the future For now she’d siround free of the worst of weeds and debris for the winter The et the house in shape, and that would take plenty of elbow grease, patience and money The first two she had, the third would filter inthe e and bills
Her , and as she fished it out of her jeans pocket and saw the nuhed inwardly even as she said, ‘Hi, Beth,’ her tone deliberately bright
‘Willow’ Her nairls told me you moved out today I can’t believe you didn’t tell us it was this weekend you’reYou know Peter and I wanted to help’
‘And I told you that with you being seven nant there was no way Besides which you’re still trying to get straight yourself’ Beth and her husband had only er three-bedroomed semi teeks before ‘Anyway, I’ve had loads of offers of help but it’s not necessary I shall enjoy cleaning and sorting out atdelivered this afternoon, but there’s so much to do here I don’t want to buyand the less I have to lug about, the better’
‘But to atteh Willow had gone off to Borneo or outer Mongolia on soot food in for the weekend?’
Before Willow could reply there was the sound of soh and indignant ‘Peter says I’ht years old instead of twenty-eight I’m not, am I?’
Willow smiled ruefully She loved her sister very much and since their parents had been killed in a car crash five years ago they’d become even closer, but she had to admit she was relieved Beth would soon have her baby to fuss over At thirty, Beth was definitely ready to be a ly—but not absolutely truthfully—she mur to get straight I’ll pop in for a chat soon’
‘Great Come on Monday and stay for dinner,’ Beth shot back with alacrity
Again Willow sighed silently The planning office in Redditch where she’d worked since leaving university was a stone’s throw from Beth’s new place, and not far from the house she’d shared with three friends for the last twelve e, on the other hand, was an hour’s drive away, the last fifteen ot familiar with the journey she would have preferred to drive hohts were dropping in But if she suggested going to see Beth for lunch instead it would e was lost ‘Lovely,’ she said dutifully ‘I’ll bring dessert but it’ll be shop-bought, I’m afraid’