The House in the Clouds - Victoria Connelly Page 0,14

window, gazing out over the expanse of the downs.

‘How do you propose to divide the house?’

Edward got up and joined her. ‘It would be pretty straightforward actually. I’ve spoken to my builder about it.’

‘So where would the division go?’

‘Well, the staircase is central and it seems that the house naturally divides itself from there into two sides. So everything to the left of it upstairs and downstairs would make up one half, and then the right-hand side both up and down would be the other half.’

Abi thought about this for a moment. ‘And do you have a preference?’

Edward smiled as he gazed out of the window. ‘I’ve kind of got used to this side.’

‘With the view of the downs?’

‘Yes.’

‘I suppose it’s only right that you get first choice,’ Abi admitted reluctantly.

‘I suppose so.’ He looked back at her.

‘And how are you proposing to half the place?’ Abi asked. ‘I mean, will you be putting up walls and barriers and things?’

‘Nothing that restrictive. Nothing that will detract from the character of the place.’

Abi nodded, relieved to hear this.

‘Listen,’ she said, ‘this is a bit of a bombshell, I have to admit, and I’m not quite sure what to think. Would you mind if I took a look around the garden? I often think better outdoors.’

‘Okay,’ Edward said. ‘I’ll be here if you need me. Oh, and there’s a hard hat on the windowsill by the front door. You’ll need to put that on if you’re looking around the rooms.’

‘Thank you.’

They looked at each other, an awkward sort of silence falling between them. Then Abi pointed to the door.

‘I’ll be in the garden then. For a bit.’

She left the room and walked back down the corridor that led to the entrance hall, her ears assaulted by the builders’ noise.

Escaping out into the fresh air, she took a deep, settling breath as she glanced up at the hills. The bright sky had darkened now and there was a mist hanging over the downs. As she rounded the hall towards the walled garden at the back of the house she thought that it truly was the House in the Clouds today. That was its nickname, wasn’t it? The estate agent had told her that and she’d remembered it. Looking back at it now, her heart swelled with love for the place.

And it could be yours, a little voice told her.

Well, half of it could be hers. If she wanted it. And did she? Could she? Would Edward Townsend interview her formally before she was allowed to purchase the half he loved the least. How would this all work? She wasn’t at all sure, but she was sure of something – the deep, unsettling, wonderful feeling of excitement, like a great big bubble about to burst inside her. And that told her one thing – she had to make this work. Every other property she’d looked at had left her feeling empty and frustrated because she’d known in her heart that Winfield was the one. She’d known it the first moment she’d seen it and she knew it now. Even if that meant sharing it.

Okay, she told herself, think. Don’t get carried away by this.

She looked up at the hills, now shrouded in low cloud, admiring the dark beauty of the day. It was a true testament to her love of the place if she could adore it as much on a cold, winter’s day as she could on a golden autumn one. But adore it she did. Walking around the garden, she noted once again the long red-brick wall and the lean-to greenhouse with its missing panes of glass. How she longed to breathe new life into it and to raise seedlings here and to grow as many sunflowers as she could within the safe, warm walls.

If Edward was making his home to the left of the staircase, that would give Abi the rooms and the garden to the right. As she looked around them now, working out the position of the sun during the day and how easy it would be to grow her beloved sunflowers, she felt her heart flooding with peace. Of course, if she accepted Edward’s proposal to buy half of Winfield, it wouldn’t be the same as being its sole owner, she knew that, but that wasn’t an option, was it? She had hoped to run art courses and to lease rooms to arty types and turn Winfield into a delightful retreat from the world. Would that be an