After he’d gone, Beth again inspected each room but found she couldn’t stand to be there any longer. She imagined her aunt in every room, every corner, which only made her question why Rosie had never mentioned Prudence Campbell.
Sighing as she hopped into the driver’s seat of her rental car, she decided she didn’t have the strength to solve the puzzle of her family’s history. The past belonged in the past. It was time to build herself the future she’d always wanted, and in three months’ time, she’d be able to do just that.
CHAPTER
FOUR
When the sound of movement downstairs woke Beth the following morning, she blinked, stretched her limbs and sighed, her lips curving into a contented smile. She’d slept like the dead, thanks to the world’s most comfortable mattress and the gloriously soft sheets she lay between.
Yesterday, when she’d arrived at the Heart Country B&B, her skin had tingled with excitement. The property, one she recognised from her drive through town, belonged on the cover of a gardening magazine. With her suitcase in hand, she’d walked beneath the wisteria-covered welcome arbour, feeling a bit like Mary fromThe Secret Garden. Lush green grass carpeted the front yard, and white azaleas and lavender filled the garden beds. And there, in front of the house, stood the enormous jacaranda she’d seen from the road. But her initial fascination with the place had vanished when she met the host, Ellie, who’d been so upbeat and attentive that Beth had felt on edge the whole time they’d been together.
‘Welcome!’ Ellie had chirped when she’d opened the front door. ‘You must be Bethany Sullivan, right?’
Momentarily thrown, Beth had taken a step back. She’d been expecting someone much older, perhaps a woman with a blue rinse, not someone her own age with pink highlights in her blonde hair. With her welcoming smile and big brown eyes, Ellie was simply stunning.
Beth had felt completely inadequate and out of her depth. After her day of travel, she was in desperate need of a shower and a good night’s rest, and her long brown waves, which she’d piled on top of her head, probably resembled a rat’s nest. ‘Uh, yes,’ she’d answered, fixing her gaze on her suitcase as she pulled it closer. ‘I go by Beth, though.’
‘Oh, of course! Come in, Beth. It’s great to have you here.’ Ellie’s smile had deepened as she stepped back and pulled the door wider, revealing a dimple in each cheek and oozing small-town sweetheart.
But now, lying here in a cocoon of cosiness, Beth decided she could probably suffer the attentions of an overwhelmingly bubbly host if this was the payoff.
Reluctantly throwing back the covers, she climbed out of bed and wrapped herself in the fluffy guest bathrobe she’d found hanging on the back of the door. It was a nice touch and much appreciated, given that she hadn’t packed anything quite so snuggly and, now that she’d emerged from her toasty nest, she was freezing. The weather in this part of the country was nothing like the balmy warmth of Townsville.
Early morning light filtered through the window, distracting her. She justhadto see what the front yard looked like at this time of day.
Tiptoeing across the floorboards, wishing she had a thick pair of socks to keep her feet warm, she approached the window and—whoa—stared out at a springtime wonderland. The dew-covered lawn sparkled in the sunlight while the flowers in the garden beds swayed softly in the breeze … or were they being disturbed by fairies dancing beneath their vibrant canopies? Beth had lived in a lot of places but never anywhere that made her feel as if she were inhabiting a magical world.
Sighing, she turned from the window. She could get used to waking up to a view like that, but she couldn’t stare at it all day. She had work to do.
Picking up her phone from the bedside table, she saw it was after eight, which was when Ellie had mentioned the breakfast service ended. Thank goodness. The last thing Beth wanted to do was join a group of strangers for a meal. No doubt the other guests would want tochat. Ugh, no thanks. She’d simply grab a glass of water, then head to a local cafe for a bite to eat before rolling up her sleeves and giving her aunt’s place a thorough clean.
After pulling on her exercise clothes—the only outfit she’d brought that was appropriate for a day of cleaning—she slipped her phone into the pocket of her lycra leggings, grabbed her ear buds so she could listen to an audiobook while she worked, then made her way downstairs. Praying she wouldn’t run into anyone and be forced to make small talk, she stepped into the foyer on high alert, though it was impossible not to take a moment to appreciate the tasteful decor. When she’d stepped inside yesterday, she’d immediately fallen in love with the white wainscoting and dark wooden floorboards. Coats, hats and umbrellas hung from hooks to the left of the door, making the place feel lived in and cosy. The style sparked a yearning deep in her belly; when she finally bought her cottage, she’d decorate it just like this.
But she had a rundown old house to fix up and sell first.
And with that sobering thought, she padded across the hallway and into the dining room.
Just as she’d anticipated, breakfast had been cleared away, but a water dispenser and bowl of fruit sat on the sideboard. Not wanting to break any rules, she glanced around for some kind of indication that she could help herself. After all, these things could’ve been left here for any number of reasons. Who knew? Maybe Ellie was hosting a function later. But with no one to ask and no clue of what was expected of her, she opted to fill a glass and grab an apple, then hightailed it into the kitchen so she wouldn’t get caught.
Belatedly, she wondered whether the kitchen was a no-go zone for guests. It wouldn’t surprise her if there were health and safety regulations she was supposed to abide by. But making an assumption about B&B etiquette, she figured that washing, drying and putting away her glass was the right thing to do.
Standing in front of the sink, she drained her water and took a bite from the apple. Just as she did, the squeak of a screen door opening had her spinning around and, like a deer in the headlights, she stood frozen, stupidly clutching her empty glass and the apple, her cheeks bulging with a mouthful of fruit.
Time slowed as a man, wearing dusty jeans and carrying a large crate in front of him, stepped inside.
‘Hey, Elle. Got your ehhggz—’ He stopped short when he noticed Beth, halting so suddenly that the contents of his crate rattled.
Crap.She definitely wasn’t meant to be in here, that much was clear.
Raising a finger to beg a moment, she frantically masticated her mouthful so she could swallow it, apologise, and get the hell out of there.
As she did, the man’s lips curved into a grin, and he stepped forward and placed the crate on the stainless steel workbench in the centre of the kitchen. His gaze dropped briefly, taking in her outfit, before tracking up to her face once more. He pushed the crate aside and planted his hands on the bench. The sleeves of his dark blue flannelette shirt were rolled to his elbows, revealing tanned forearms that momentarily distracted her from her guilt. If Ellie was the epitome of small-town sweetheart, this guy was ‘ruggedly handsome farmer’.
Finally, Beth swallowed the now thoroughly chewed piece of apple, opened her mouth and …
Forgot how to speak.
The man arched a brow. ‘You’re a guest?’
