the outside of the house
and came in through the front door. I thought I’d begin the tour of the main
floor with the kitchen and work my way toward the front, but as we passed
through the living room he stopped me.
“That’s quite a painting. I don’t mean to
be rude, but you look better in person.”
“It’s not me, but thanks for the
compliment.”
“If it’s not you, then who is it? Your
mother?”
“No. I guess I’ll have to get used to
questions about this. That’s Mrs. Holt, the last homeowner, and it’s only a
coincidence we look alike.”
“Some coincidence,” he said, with a raised
eyebrow.
“I was going to start in the kitchen, but
as long as we’ve stopped here, I might as well show you the rest of this floor
first.”
“I can see the kitchen when I meet with
Lucy,” he said.
I escorted him around the rest of the
first floor and before we went upstairs.
“I’m impressed,” he said after I showed
him through the rest of the house. “It’s the perfect place for what you’re
planning. Although, with three floors, have you considered putting in an
elevator?”
“No. If people want to stay here, they’ll
have to toughen up and use the stairs.”
He laughed and I noticed he had a
beautiful smile with straight white teeth. It figured, considering what the
rest of him looked like.
Mike glanced at his watch. “I guess I’d
better get going. I’ll stop to see Lucy before I leave for another
appointment.”
“Okay. It was a pleasure meeting you, and
I’m looking forward to getting the work started. I’ll see you on Monday.”
And I was looking forward to seeing
him again. My, my – David and Mike. Who would have expected to find men like
these two in such an isolated place? At least the scenery would be nice around
the grounds for a while.
I heard what sounded like someone stepping
on a creaky floor coming from upstairs, but since Mike and I had just been up
there, I knew it was the house settling. I hoped the old house noises wouldn’t
bother the boarders.
Chapter
Nine
A few minutes later I heard Mike’s truck
pull out, and within five minutes I heard another truck drive in. I looked out
the window and saw David.
“ Hi, David!” I yelled from the
doorway.
He waved and walked to the back of his
truck.
I walked out to meet him.
“Thought I’d bring some tools and yard
equipment out today. Hope you don’t mind me coming early,” he said.
“Not at all. I’ll show you where to put
everything. The coach house was converted into a garage with storage space. I
guess that’s the best place to put your things for now. I’m having a large shed
built, too.”
He pulled two large boxes out of the truck
and set them on the ground. Following me, he carried one of the boxes, and I
showed him where to put his tools. He said, “Thanks,” and again I thought what
a quiet man he was.
“Well, I’ll leave you to your work. See me
when you get here tomorrow and I’ll show you where your room is.”
“Okay.”
Walking around the grounds, I enjoyed the
peace and quiet. I looked around and tried to envision what it would look like
when the construction was done. I wanted to talk to David about putting in some
hedges across the front of the property for extra privacy, too. Privacy from
whom, I didn’t know, but it seemed like a good idea. I suddenly had that
ridiculous feeling of being watched again, and as I turned toward the house the
back door opened.
“Kelly,” Lucy called from the back porch.
“Telephone! I think it’s the man I talked to about taking a room.”
“Coming.” I shook off the funny feeling I
had, realizing it must have been caused by Lucy. I was sure I’d probably heard
the back door opening and the sound may have triggered the feeling of being
watched.
I hoped she was right about the caller
because I was anxious to get things rolling. I knew I’d get boarders before I
got any vacationers, and I was sure they wouldn’t mind the construction
and came in through the front door. I thought I’d begin the tour of the main
floor with the kitchen and work my way toward the front, but as we passed
through the living room he stopped me.
“That’s quite a painting. I don’t mean to
be rude, but you look better in person.”
“It’s not me, but thanks for the
compliment.”
“If it’s not you, then who is it? Your
mother?”
“No. I guess I’ll have to get used to
questions about this. That’s Mrs. Holt, the last homeowner, and it’s only a
coincidence we look alike.”
“Some coincidence,” he said, with a raised
eyebrow.
“I was going to start in the kitchen, but
as long as we’ve stopped here, I might as well show you the rest of this floor
first.”
“I can see the kitchen when I meet with
Lucy,” he said.
I escorted him around the rest of the
first floor and before we went upstairs.
“I’m impressed,” he said after I showed
him through the rest of the house. “It’s the perfect place for what you’re
planning. Although, with three floors, have you considered putting in an
elevator?”
“No. If people want to stay here, they’ll
have to toughen up and use the stairs.”
He laughed and I noticed he had a
beautiful smile with straight white teeth. It figured, considering what the
rest of him looked like.
Mike glanced at his watch. “I guess I’d
better get going. I’ll stop to see Lucy before I leave for another
appointment.”
“Okay. It was a pleasure meeting you, and
I’m looking forward to getting the work started. I’ll see you on Monday.”
And I was looking forward to seeing
him again. My, my – David and Mike. Who would have expected to find men like
these two in such an isolated place? At least the scenery would be nice around
the grounds for a while.
I heard what sounded like someone stepping
on a creaky floor coming from upstairs, but since Mike and I had just been up
there, I knew it was the house settling. I hoped the old house noises wouldn’t
bother the boarders.
Chapter
Nine
A few minutes later I heard Mike’s truck
pull out, and within five minutes I heard another truck drive in. I looked out
the window and saw David.
“ Hi, David!” I yelled from the
doorway.
He waved and walked to the back of his
truck.
I walked out to meet him.
“Thought I’d bring some tools and yard
equipment out today. Hope you don’t mind me coming early,” he said.
“Not at all. I’ll show you where to put
everything. The coach house was converted into a garage with storage space. I
guess that’s the best place to put your things for now. I’m having a large shed
built, too.”
He pulled two large boxes out of the truck
and set them on the ground. Following me, he carried one of the boxes, and I
showed him where to put his tools. He said, “Thanks,” and again I thought what
a quiet man he was.
“Well, I’ll leave you to your work. See me
when you get here tomorrow and I’ll show you where your room is.”
“Okay.”
Walking around the grounds, I enjoyed the
peace and quiet. I looked around and tried to envision what it would look like
when the construction was done. I wanted to talk to David about putting in some
hedges across the front of the property for extra privacy, too. Privacy from
whom, I didn’t know, but it seemed like a good idea. I suddenly had that
ridiculous feeling of being watched again, and as I turned toward the house the
back door opened.
“Kelly,” Lucy called from the back porch.
“Telephone! I think it’s the man I talked to about taking a room.”
“Coming.” I shook off the funny feeling I
had, realizing it must have been caused by Lucy. I was sure I’d probably heard
the back door opening and the sound may have triggered the feeling of being
watched.
I hoped she was right about the caller
because I was anxious to get things rolling. I knew I’d get boarders before I
got any vacationers, and I was sure they wouldn’t mind the construction
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