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But it was still… quiet.
There were no sirens, no shouting, none of the bustle that I was used to outside our flat in London.
It was… weird. Very weird. I wasn’t sure if I would get used to it. I’d become so accustomed to it just being noisy all the time that these sounds of nature were so alien to me.
Even barking dogs sounded different.
I took a deep breath and looked out of the window. Camilla said I had to go and meet the Devons tomorrow instead of today after they had something come up, so that gave me the rest of the afternoon to myself.
The problem was that I’d had an awful lot of those lately, and I wasn’t quite sure what to do with this particular one.
I supposed that exploring the village would be a good thing. It wasn’t like I was going to be here long enough to need to know what happens here, but it seemed like a much better idea than sitting here on my own. Besides, Nora had mentioned there was a pub, a café, a bakery, and some small little shops, so if all else failed, I could get something to eat and drink.
It was better than nothing.
I changed out of the clothes I’d travelled down in and grabbed my coat. It was sunny outside, but I knew English weather far too well to trust it to stay like this.
It’d probably be raining by dinner.
I double checked to make sure I had everything, including the keys, and headed out. The cottage was only just on the outskirts of Moorhaven, and Nora had assured me it was only a couple of minutes of walking on the lane before I would reach the bridge that would take me into the village.
So I started walking.
It was so pretty here. The hedgerows that lined the road were taller than I was, and little birds flew in and out of them. Some had little sticks in their beaks, and I found myself smiling at them as I walked.
They were so busy. It was adorable.
Wow.
I really did need this escape.
I was losing my mind.
I came to the small stone bridge Nora had mentioned and slowly made my way across it. The stream rushed below, smashing into big rocks in the water, and it wound its way through the trees before it disappeared from my view. I brushed my fingers over the uneven, raggedy rocks that lined the top of the bridge sides and hopped off the end, then took a deep breath as I looked at the village.
It was like stepping into a fairy-tale.
The terraced row of little buildings was a mix of stone and painted exteriors that blended well, and the slate-tiled roof was a gorgeous contrast as the sun glinted off the windows. The café Nora had mentioned was identifiable by the cast iron table and chairs on the pavement outside and an adorable pink and white striped awning provided a little shade over the front door and windows.
The stores were all a mix of things. One was a clothing store with a mix of vintage and boho styles. The one next door was an old-school sweet shop complete with huge jars of all the best sweets and hard candies in the window. The row was completed by a post office, a small touristy shop that sold various knickknacks like pens and postcards and magnets, a bakery, and what looked like a furniture shop.
I continued walking past a bed and breakfast, a larger hotel, and some other general-type stores including a greengrocer.
I hadn’t seen one of those in a long time, and I made a mental note to stop by today and take some fresh fruit and veg back to the cottage with me.
The other side of the street was the stream, another small bridge, and what looked like the entry to a woodland area.
I really hoped Cam wasn’t wrong, and I’d be able to get done what I needed to relatively easily so I could maybe have some free time to explore.
Or maybe she wouldn’t mind me hanging out for a couple more days when she got here.
Whoa.
What was happening to me?
I’d been here for ten minutes and was already considering extending my stay.
Was that a sign it was time to find the pub?
