open. A wave of cool air swept over them as a woman stepped out of the darkened hall. It was instantly apparent this was Leah’s sister. Their similarities were striking, except Rachel was smaller than her older sister.
‘Leah, you’re not supposed to be interviewing people out here,’ Rachel hissed.
Isabelle reddened, stepping aside and averting her eyes.
It appeared the sisters patronised the same shop. Perhaps there was only one place to buy clothes in Stony Creek. Rachel’s shirt matched Leah’s, but in pale blue. Her dark denim jeans had a never-been-washed look about them. Instead of pearls around her neck like Leah wore, Rachel sported an expensive-looking antique rose gold necklace and matching bracelet. Isabelle’s mother would have described the sisters as ‘old money’.
‘You’re not meant to be standing out here gas-bagging with the contestants. Your job is to tick people off when they arrive before bringing them straight through to me,’ Rachel continued, lowering her voice only slightly.
‘It’s usually your job to tick people off,’ Leah muttered under her breath, but loudly enough for Isabelle to hear.
Isabelle stifled a giggle. Either there was bad blood between them, or Leah did not like her bossy younger sister upstaging her. Fletcher and Mietta stared from one woman to the other. Isabelle wanted to tell them to stop gawking, but she was enjoying the exchange herself.
Rachel turned to face Isabelle, a saccharine smile on her face. ‘Hello. Welcome to Stony Creek. I’m Rachel King. And I see you’ve met my sister, Leah.’
Isabelle opened her mouth to speak when Leah piped up. ‘And these are Isabelle’s kids.’
‘Ah yes, Flynn and Mia,’ Rachel said.
‘It’s Fletcher,’ Isabelle corrected. ‘And Mietta.’
‘Sorry about that,’ Rachel said, tossing her hair back over her shoulders. ‘I’ve taught so many children over the years I tend to get names mixed up.’ She smiled at Fletcher, the type of smile teenage boys hated. ‘You’re about the same age as my Harry. You two could become good mates if you move here.’
Fletcher scowled. Behind Rachel’s back, Leah rolled her eyes before leaning towards Fletcher. ‘Harry’s ten and you don’t have to be his best mate. He’s a pain in the butt!’
Fletcher grinned at Leah and a knowing look passed between them.
Right then, Isabelle decided if they were successful in getting one of the Peppercorn leases, she would make sure she spent a lot of time with Leah Williams.
And keep her distance from Rachel King.
Chapter 6
Once inside Rachel introduced the other members of the panel. Alison Monahan was the local nurse and Isabelle warmed to her immediately. Jack O’Rourke was a tall and gnarled older man, straight off the farm. Obviously chosen for his quiet wisdom, the smile he gave Isabelle when she walked in set her at ease.
‘Tell me, Isabelle, what made you apply for one of our houses?’ Rachel crossed one leg over the other and leaned back in her chair, placing her lime green clipboard down in her lap.
Isabelle had glimpsed a list of questions on the clipboard as she’d followed Rachel into the hall. Jack and Alison had matching clipboards in front of them.
She drew in a deep breath before exhaling in a rush. ‘The bank has repossessed my house. We have to be out next month and have nowhere else to live. And I’ve only got enough money to get me through until Christmas.’
The only sound in the hall was the rattle of an old air conditioner in the window.
Jack silently twisted a thick gold wedding band around his left ring finger and avoided Isabelle’s eyes. Alison looked at Fletcher. She had shocked them. She’d seen that look on the faces of strangers more times than she could count.
‘Why don’t you tell us your story, Isabelle,’ Alison suggested.
Isabelle smiled gratefully at her.
‘You said in your application you lost your husband recently?’
Pain speared Isabelle’s chest and she
‘Leah, you’re not supposed to be interviewing people out here,’ Rachel hissed.
Isabelle reddened, stepping aside and averting her eyes.
It appeared the sisters patronised the same shop. Perhaps there was only one place to buy clothes in Stony Creek. Rachel’s shirt matched Leah’s, but in pale blue. Her dark denim jeans had a never-been-washed look about them. Instead of pearls around her neck like Leah wore, Rachel sported an expensive-looking antique rose gold necklace and matching bracelet. Isabelle’s mother would have described the sisters as ‘old money’.
‘You’re not meant to be standing out here gas-bagging with the contestants. Your job is to tick people off when they arrive before bringing them straight through to me,’ Rachel continued, lowering her voice only slightly.
‘It’s usually your job to tick people off,’ Leah muttered under her breath, but loudly enough for Isabelle to hear.
Isabelle stifled a giggle. Either there was bad blood between them, or Leah did not like her bossy younger sister upstaging her. Fletcher and Mietta stared from one woman to the other. Isabelle wanted to tell them to stop gawking, but she was enjoying the exchange herself.
Rachel turned to face Isabelle, a saccharine smile on her face. ‘Hello. Welcome to Stony Creek. I’m Rachel King. And I see you’ve met my sister, Leah.’
Isabelle opened her mouth to speak when Leah piped up. ‘And these are Isabelle’s kids.’
‘Ah yes, Flynn and Mia,’ Rachel said.
‘It’s Fletcher,’ Isabelle corrected. ‘And Mietta.’
‘Sorry about that,’ Rachel said, tossing her hair back over her shoulders. ‘I’ve taught so many children over the years I tend to get names mixed up.’ She smiled at Fletcher, the type of smile teenage boys hated. ‘You’re about the same age as my Harry. You two could become good mates if you move here.’
Fletcher scowled. Behind Rachel’s back, Leah rolled her eyes before leaning towards Fletcher. ‘Harry’s ten and you don’t have to be his best mate. He’s a pain in the butt!’
Fletcher grinned at Leah and a knowing look passed between them.
Right then, Isabelle decided if they were successful in getting one of the Peppercorn leases, she would make sure she spent a lot of time with Leah Williams.
And keep her distance from Rachel King.
Chapter 6
Once inside Rachel introduced the other members of the panel. Alison Monahan was the local nurse and Isabelle warmed to her immediately. Jack O’Rourke was a tall and gnarled older man, straight off the farm. Obviously chosen for his quiet wisdom, the smile he gave Isabelle when she walked in set her at ease.
‘Tell me, Isabelle, what made you apply for one of our houses?’ Rachel crossed one leg over the other and leaned back in her chair, placing her lime green clipboard down in her lap.
Isabelle had glimpsed a list of questions on the clipboard as she’d followed Rachel into the hall. Jack and Alison had matching clipboards in front of them.
She drew in a deep breath before exhaling in a rush. ‘The bank has repossessed my house. We have to be out next month and have nowhere else to live. And I’ve only got enough money to get me through until Christmas.’
The only sound in the hall was the rattle of an old air conditioner in the window.
Jack silently twisted a thick gold wedding band around his left ring finger and avoided Isabelle’s eyes. Alison looked at Fletcher. She had shocked them. She’d seen that look on the faces of strangers more times than she could count.
‘Why don’t you tell us your story, Isabelle,’ Alison suggested.
Isabelle smiled gratefully at her.
‘You said in your application you lost your husband recently?’
Pain speared Isabelle’s chest and she
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