The Forgotten Cottage - Helen Phifer

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this morning then. I’m fine, thanks. Just a bit tired. I keep having the same nightmare—I’m running away from a group of men who are chasing me but, before I find out what happens, I always wake up at the same part.’

      ‘Well, I hope it wasn’t me you were running from!’ He reached out for her hand. ‘You’re not having second thoughts about the wedding, are you? I understand if you are. I know you had a crap time with Mike. Plus it’s all been blown up way out of proportion, hasn’t it? I know Lil means well, but honestly, dancing lessons so we get the first dance right is going a little bit over the top if you ask me. What’s wrong with a fumble in the dark and a bit of drunken swaying from side to side? I can ask my dad to tell her to take a step back if you want?’

      ‘Don’t be daft. I want to be Mrs Ashworth more than I want anything in this whole world. There is no comparison between you and Mike; you could never be like him if you tried, and yes, the dancing lessons are a bit too far but she’s only trying to help. She wants it to be perfect and so do I. The first time round, it was more a marriage of convenience really. A quick “I do” in the register office and then back to the pub for pie and peas, all to get away from my mother. There’s just so much going on at the moment that I don’t know what to think about first. Alex and Jake are coming to the cottage with me this afternoon to go over Alex’s plans with the builders again. It comes in handy having an architect as a friend; he’s saved us a fortune.’

      ‘I know and he’s so good; I didn’t recognise the downstairs when I called a couple of days ago—it’s really taking shape. Are you happy with it?’

      ‘I love it; it’s everything I’ve ever dreamt of and more. Thank you.’

      ‘Don’t thank me; you own just as much of it as I do. I just want you to be happy, Annie, for us to be happy and spend the rest of our lives together.’

      She stood up and walked around to where he was sitting and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him on the cheek. ‘I am happy, Will, in fact I’ve never been so happy.’

      She left to go and get ready, put a bit of make-up on so she didn’t look like the Bride of Frankenstein, as Jake so lovingly called her. Will shouted goodbye as he went out of the front door and she ran to the bedroom window to knock on it and wave to him, blowing him a kiss. She tried not to think about the dreams that were threatening to take over but it was hard and they scared her because they were so real. Every morning she woke up at the same point, just as she fell over the rock and down the embankment into the icy-cold river. In a way she wanted to know what happened next: did she hit her head and die or did the men with the dogs catch up with her? Whatever it was and whoever the woman was, it must have been terrifying for her, all alone and being chased like a criminal. It never entered Annie’s mind that the woman might have committed some heinous act and that was the reason she was being chased.

      She got herself ready and then spent the next couple of hours browsing the Internet for wallpaper and furnishings. She couldn’t wait until the house was ready for the finishing touches. She’d already started painting the bedrooms as they had needed the least work doing to them. She decided to let Jake and Alex follow her up to the house in their car so she could stop behind to finish painting the master bedroom. She had picked out a soft grey paint for the walls and had ordered lemon accessories so it wasn’t too girly for Will.

      ***

      Tom was sitting up in bed. He hadn’t slept well last night so Lily had insisted he had to stay in bed until he’d had a couple more hours’ sleep. She walked into the bedroom carrying a breakfast tray even though it was mid-morning. She placed it on the bed and bent and kissed his forehead.

      ‘Morning, sleepyhead—who said they’d never go back to sleep? You were snoring before I’d finished in the bathroom.’

      ‘You’re not always right, maybe just now and again.’

      ‘Do you mind if I go and do some bits of stuff for the wedding? I said I’d go and see the florist and a couple of other people.’

      Tom knew that Lily was having more fun planning this wedding than either Will or Annie but they’d both assured him they were fine with it.

      He nodded. ‘Yes, I think I can manage without my nursemaid for a couple of hours.’

      She kissed him again. ‘There’s a letter—well, it looks more like a card—for you on the tray. Probably a get well one. I hope it’s not from a secret admirer!’ She turned and left him to it.

      Tom looked down at the tray. She’d already poured his tea and buttered his toast so he wouldn’t struggle too much. He picked up the envelope and ran his butter knife along it. It was a pale pink card decorated with balloons and a baby’s pram, with ‘Congratulations on the birth of your baby girl’ written across the front. He frowned and picked up the envelope to check it had actually been sent to him. The name and address were written by hand in block capitals but it was definitely his name it was addressed to. He opened the card and a small black and white photo fluttered onto the floor.

      Dear Daddy,

      I don’t think Mummy ever told you about me. I’m a big girl now and ever so lonely. Mum died last year and I’m all on my own. In fact, I’ve always been on my own.

       It’s time I had a family. It would be nice to meet you and my brother one day soon. You don’t know me but I’ve been watching you all for some time now and I feel as if I know you all. I hope you’re feeling better?

       Love me

       Xxx

      Tom felt the tea he’d just drunk bubbling in his stomach as memories of an illicit affair that had only lasted one week thirty-five years ago filled his mind. He’d stopped it not long after it began because he couldn’t do it to Sarah, his wife, and he’d come to realise pretty quickly that although Emma had been a fun, wild, sexy girl she was also completely mentally unstable. Surely she hadn’t got pregnant and had a child and kept it from him?

      His hands began to shake and he felt as if he was going to be sick. He pushed the tray to one side and tried to get out of bed to go to the bathroom. In his hurry, he slipped and knocked the tray, which fell to the floor with a clatter, but he didn’t try to pick it up; instead, he bent down and picked up the grainy black and white Polaroid photo that he hadn’t seen before and he limped across to the bathroom, where he slammed the door shut and began retching over the toilet bowl. The housekeeper came running up the stairs to check that he hadn’t fallen out of bed or collapsed again. She took one look at the overturned tray and broken china which had spilt onto a small white envelope and grinned. Daddy hadn’t taken it too well, by the look of things.

      She knocked on the bathroom door. ‘Mr Ashworth, are you okay?’

      ‘Yes, sorry about the mess. I’ll clean it up in a minute.’

      She nodded to herself but set about cleaning it up anyway; it was her job to help with the mess and to look after him and she took it very seriously. Almost as seriously as her plans to kidnap her half-brother and hold him for ransom.

      Amelia drove slowly. She had missed the narrow road the first time and had to double back on herself after completing a rather scary six-point turn in the narrow lane, praying that nothing was speeding the other way. She found the road and turned off. It was so peaceful; there was hardly any traffic and she wondered what it would be like to be able to afford to live somewhere so quiet. Boring, probably. All the talk about this amazing cottage had piqued her interest and she was desperate to know what her big brother was spending all her money on. Lily had let her finish work early so she’d decided to come and check it out for herself.

      She drove along until she saw the house and felt her heart begin to beat faster. Well, well, it was pretty spectacular, or at least it would be when it was completely finished. She slammed her car door shut in anger. All this time she’d missed out on everything that could have

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