The House in the Clouds - Victoria Connelly Page 0,26

he’d stepped out of one of those country magazines one finds in waiting rooms. He was just missing a spaniel by his side.

‘Can we go up the stairs?’ Rosie cried.

‘Is it safe?’ Abi asked Edward.

‘Well, the roof issue has been sorted,’ he said.

‘Has it?’

‘Thank goodness. We can move on to more interesting things now.’

‘This must be costing a fortune!’ Ellen said.

‘Well, naturally,’ Edward agreed. ‘But worth doing. Worth preserving a place like this.’

‘Not preserving,’ Abi said. ‘Not exactly. We’re not holding it in time like an insect caught in amber. It’s more like we’re giving it new life.’

‘Can we live here with you, Aunt Abi?’ Rosie asked as they climbed the stairs.

‘I’m not sure your mum would like that! But you can visit whenever you want to.’

Edward led the way, opening a door here and a door there, each leading into sizeable rooms with high ceilings, marvellous views and a heap of issues to sort from crumbling ceilings to cracked walls and the floorboards where the builder was working. In her romantic daydreams about Winfield, Abi had managed to forget just how much there was to do to the place in order to make it habitable. But they’d get there. Step by step.

‘We’re now in Abigail’s half,’ Edward said as they crossed the landing.

‘How did you choose who’d get which half?’ Ellen asked, always practical.

‘It was mutually agreed,’ Edward said.

‘And very lucky too,’ Abi confessed. ‘Edward wanted the views towards the downs and I wanted the rooms that overlooked the main part of the walled garden.’

Bethanne tugged at Abi’s sleeve. ‘Can we see the garden?’

Abi smiled. Just like her, Bethanne preferred exploring outside, and it was pretty dusty inside. It would be lovely to get back outdoors.

‘Listen, Edward – we don’t want to keep you,’ Abi told him as they went back downstairs. ‘We’ll just have a quick look at the garden and then be on our way.’

‘Okay,’ he said.

‘It’s been good to meet you,’ Ellen said. ‘I didn’t even know this place existed until today.’

Edward smiled. ‘Been keeping it a secret?’

Abi could feel herself blushing. ‘Just waiting for the right time to tell everyone.’

‘Well, listen, I’ll get those plans over to you. See what you think.’

‘I’ll look forward to it.’

They held one another’s gaze a moment, and Abi could feel Ellen’s eyes upon her.

‘Garden!’ Rosie yelled, breaking the spell.

‘We’re going,’ Abi promised.

‘I’ll see you, Abigail.’

She nodded and they left the hall.

‘Well, you were certainly keeping him a secret!’ Ellen said.

Abi could feel her cheeks flushing again. They had a horrible habit of doing that. ‘No I wasn’t!’

‘So what’s the deal with him?’

‘What do you mean?’

Ellen leaned in closer to whisper so the girls wouldn’t hear. ‘Are you getting half of him with the house?’

‘We are merely business partners,’ Abi declared, but Ellen’s raised eyebrows showed that she didn’t wholly believe her.

Rosie and Bethanne had run across the driveway now and were heading into the walled garden and Abi was glad of the distraction.

‘Just look at this space!’ Abi enthused as they joined the girls.

Ellen looked around. ‘There are brambles everywhere!’

‘I know. It’s been horribly neglected.’

‘It’ll take weeks of work, Abi. Months!’

Abi sighed. Ellen always saw problems rather than potential. ‘Well, I’ve got months ahead of me, haven’t I?’

‘You’re talking as if you’ve retired.’

‘I’ve not retired. I’m just resting a while. Catching my breath.’

‘Having a fling.’

‘What?’

Ellen gave a tiny smile. ‘You know, you should have a fling. And this – what’s his name?’

‘Edward?’ Abi frowned. Did she mean him?

‘Yes – he’s flingable, isn’t he? Is that a word?’ She nodded as if it was.

‘Whether he is or he isn’t is irrelevant seeing as that’s the last thing I’m thinking about.’

‘The last? Surely not!’ Ellen said. ‘I mean, you have noticed how handsome he is, haven’t you?’

Abi didn’t reply.

‘Come on!’

It was clear her sister wasn’t going to let this drop.

‘He’s easy on the eye,’ Abi said at last, ‘but that’s not what this is about. I came to Winfield to find a home, not a husband.’

‘Who said anything about a husband?’ Ellen cried.

Abi could feel herself blushing again.

‘Anyway, I don’t know anything about his situation,’ Abi told her.

‘Well, he’s not married, is he?’

‘No, but he could very well have a girlfriend. Why are we even talking about this? I wanted to show you the garden!’

‘Okay, okay,’ Ellen said. ‘Show me this garden.’

They ventured further into the walled garden, passing through a small orchard of fruit trees where the girls were playing tag. The grass was overgrown here, and there were nettles