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Chapter 1
The cottage was perfect. From the moment I paid the settlement fee until I arrived this morning to pick up the keys, I worried it was a con. But it was even prettier than in the pictures. Now, I had to hope the inside wasn't derelict.
A gaudy yellow high-end sports car pulled up beside me, and a man in a designer suit stepped out. After checking his styled blond hair in the mirror of his car, he walked to me. "Good morning, are you Ms. Cana's daughter?"
Raising a brow at the assumption, I folded my arms across my chest. "No. I am Miss Cana."
Brows jumping, the man's eyes widened as he looked me over. "Really? I was expecting an older woman to want a cottage like this."
At twenty-eight, I wasn't too young to own my own home. "Yes, my name is Vera Cana, and I purchased the cottage." For the first time in years, I didn't have to force my smile. Not that this egotistical man caused it. The cottage and the keys to it that this man was holding gifted me this joy.
Grinning, his eyes traveled over me a second time. It wasn't lecherous, there was nothing to see. My long sleeved teal boat neck top covered my breasts, and the loose black slacks went all the way to my ballet flats. Since I couldn't be bothered straightening it today, my mahogany wavy hair was up in a bun. I wore no makeup, so my skin was my natural alabaster, something my ex didn't find attractive.
That was my look now, neat, put together, but as unattractive to the opposite sex as I could be. Danny Ready perused my appearance, then frowned and returned his eyes to my fake muddy brown ones. My eyes were actually a vivid green; a feature men tended to pay attention too. To be unremarkable, the eyes needed to stay hidden.
"Well, it's nice to finally meet you. I'm Danny Ready. Your real estate agent's representative here since they don't have an office down this way." Danny held up the keys. "Here are the keys to your new home, Miss Cana. Should we look inside to make sure it's what you purchased?"
Taking the keys, I met his eyes again. "Is it furnished still?"
"Yes, of course, that was part of the sale contract. Mr. Ways son only removed personal effects and memorabilia. Even the crockery and cutlery remain in case you wanted that."
Grateful, I smiled. I'd spent the vast majority of my savings on the purchase of the land, and I didn't want to have to buy anything to move in.
"Excellent, well, I can take it from here, Mr. Ready. Thank you." Turning my back on him, I moved to collect my bag from my second hand, but immaculate coupe.
"Would you like me to help you with your things?"
When Mr. Ready followed me to my car, I huffed. Forcing my well-rehearsed smile, I turned back. "No, I only have my overnight bag. The rest of my belongings will follow." Lie.
"Oh. Well, very well then." Danny handed me his business card. "If you need anything, or have any questions, don't hesitate to call."
With a nod, I accepted his card then turned my back on him again. Frowning in the reflection of my car window, Danny turned away. Collecting my handbag from the passenger seat of my car, I closed and locked the door as I moved to the boot.
Revving his sports car, Danny Ready drove back up the long drive. The cottage was on the grounds of a historic manor house and used to belong to the owner's loyal butler. The bungalow and land gifted to him by the owner for his service.
Danny had told me the butler served two generations of the family before he died at age eighty-three. His son left for college as a teen and never returned, and the wife passed thirty years ago. The son listed it for sale without even offering the estate owner the chance to repurchase it.
The listing went live at the same moment I was looking for a perfect out of the way place, and I'd bought it within the hour. The owner of the manor house hadn't been happy the cottage sold. His lawyer emailed me a few weeks ago and tried to reverse the sale.
This caused a two-week delay in taking possession. Our lawyers examined the deeds and determined that, yes, I now owned the cottage. There was nothing Mr. Hern could do about the sale. The extra expense it cost me in legal fees obliterated the rest of my savings, but at least the cottage was mine.
Grabbing the overnight case and the two bags of food I'd bought on the way here, I looked out over the cottage. The deeds gave me the bungalow, the acre of cleared land around it, and the driveway. The forest surrounding my allotment belonged to the manor house. The real estate agent told me the woods were full of deer and rabbit, and the previous owner had been free to use it.
Of course, that was before the owner tried to steal the cottage back from me. He would likely have me charged with trespass if he caught me wandering the woods around his home now. Then again, Mr. Hearn lived and worked in the city, three hours away from here and only came home on the weekends. So, there might be some room for movement.
Unlocking the front door of the cottage, I stepped inside. My smile bloomed. The place was perfect. A simplistic single story with a well-orchestrated floor plan. The long, wide hall displayed art and landscape photographs.
There were two large bedrooms to either side of the entrance hall, each with a walk-in closet and bathroom. Walking into the master bedroom, I deposited the suitcase containing my only belongings. Then headed off to find the kitchen to put my groceries away.
The open living area in the rear of the cottage contained the kitchen and lounge. The floor to ceiling glass windows overlooked the yard, the forest, and the veranda off of the living area. The cottage was beautiful, and everything I needed.
After a few minutes of unpacking, I spent the rest of the afternoon getting acquainted with my new home.
Opening my laptop, I connected it out to the internet. The technicians came out earlier this week to set the cottage up with high-speed internet. It was another costly venture, but since it provided my income, it's what I needed more than clothes.
Making myself a small salad for dinner, I toasted my new home and life with a small glass of wine. After supper, I showered and changed into the only pair of pajamas I owned; a little black singlet and short set. Wrapping my long black dressing gown around me, I walked out onto the back deck to overlook the yard.
The lights around the perimeter of the yard were aglow, though I hadn't switched them on. There was a path of lights leading into the forest from the yard. Assessing their direction, I decided it led to the main house. More than likely created to enable the butler to get home in the dark.
