“This is Ivy,” he says. “Ursula’s great-grandniece. Can you take her up to Everlane Cottage?”
“Oh.” Her voice is high and breathy. “That’s so exciting, so what are—”
A sharp cough from Mayor Pendragon cuts off her question. “Miss Smith is from the mainland, Dolly.” He says it with an emphasis that has me side-eyeing him. Okay, so the locals are a little different. I kind of expected that. Small towns seem like places where strange goes to fester.. That’s how horror books likeITget written. Inspiration.
“Sure, I’ll take her.” Dolly turns to me. “You’re going to be my neighbor.”
I smile politely.
Whoopie for me.
We take the main road. The walk through town and out closer to the forest is fine, but the steep climb up the bluff my new place perches on top of is burning hell on my thighs.
The white cottage offers views of Lake Huron's turbulent waters. The brown thatched roof and matching shutters give it a cozy look. A little stone walkway leads from a small fence gate to the doorway. Dolly and I trudge uphill with my roller suitcase. She doesn’t attempt to make small talk and I don’t push it. She doesn’t say anything until we get to the bluff.
“This is it.” Dolly pushes open the gate. The hinges are old and squeal as they swing. She wanders up the stone walk to the doorway. While bending down to fish the keys the lawyer sent me out of my bag, Dolly turns the handle and the door swings open. I freeze, surprise holding me still for a moment.
“You have a key?” The question slips out as a mental note forms to check out locksmiths in the area ASAP.
“No, it’s open,” she says. That takes me a beat to understand.
“It was unlocked?”
She tilts her head, a pink lock of hair falling in front of her pale face. “Yes. No one on the island locks their doors.”
My gaze drifts back down the bluff road toward town. From this height, the whole of Main Street is visible, along with houses scattered through the surrounding area. A thick forest begins to my left at the end of the bluff.
“No one?” I ask. She couldn’t be serious. I’d come from Detroit, and leaving a door unlocked is laughable at best and dangerous at worst.
All Dolly does is shrug. “Everybody knows everybody. It’s a safe island."
“But what about, like, tourists? You don’t worry about that?”
Dolly giggles, the sound like off key wind chimes. I take a small step back.
“We don’t get tourists,” she says. “You’re the first new person on the island in twenty years.”
I nod placatingly, just wanting her to go away at this point. Because, of course, that’s not true. No new people in twenty years? This girl is off in la-la land somewhere.
“Okay, well, thanks for showing me the way. I think I have it from here.”
Dolly smiles, her white teeth contrasting with her pink-stained lips. She flounces off down the cobblestone path toward the lane.
“If you need anything,” she calls back while still walking, “I’m the next house down the lane. Just next to the woods.”
“Thank you.” I reply. Dolly seems nice enough despite her staring magenta eyes. I wish I could engage her more but with everything on my mind, my inner social butterfly has decided to take a break. I slip into the cottage, close the door, and set the deadbolt with an audible click.
Ivy
The inside of the cottage is warm and inviting, so long as I don’t think too much about the fact that the previous owner is dead.
To my immediate left is the kitchen. Copper pots and pans hang from hooks on the wall, and the cupboards are made of polished wood. On the right side are the living room and breakfast nook combined. The wallpaper has little rosebuds. The plump loveseat has another floral design with a crocheted blanket draped over the back. It smells of cleaning supplies and lemons. The kitchen table is rough-hewn wood, and on it lies a letter. The writing on the front is luxurious and curved, reading “Claw and Law, Attorneys.”
Miss Smith,as per your aunt’s instructions, the entire cottage has been deep-cleaned.
Well, that explains the slight bleach smell.
The team replaced the bed and supplied new linen. If you need anything, you only need to mail a letter or come by our office.
