A Cottage in the Country

by Linn B. Halton

  MADDIE

  CHAPTER 4

  Popping back to the cottage the following Saturday to finally measure up and have a really good look around, Ryan offers to drive me. He knows how much I hate being behind the wheel and it's a thoughtful gesture. This time Sarah is the one to greet us and, after unlocking the cottage, she very kindly allows us to walk around unaccompanied. Ryan seems mesmerised by her. She's an attractive woman; blonde, quite curvy and a smart dresser.

  "Take your time," she smiles, encouragingly. "I booked out a forty-minute slot. I have a few phone calls to make if that's okay with you, but if you need anything, just let me know. Here are the keys for the shed, garden room and store rooms. Enjoy!"

  "Lovely woman," Ryan comments as he watches Sarah walking back up to her car.

  "Yes. And extremely polite. You should have met her colleague, Connor. Well, what do you think – first impressions?" I'm buzzing and holding my breath to find out what his reaction is to Ash Cottage.

  "Well, there's only one word to describe it, really, and that's wow!" Our eyes are, of course, focused only on the view. The valley is now sporting a full coat of autumnal colours; deep reds, oranges and browns, reflecting the drop in temperature early in the morning and late at night. The chill has begun and autumn is making its mark.

  "You'll never get any work done. How will you be able to drag yourself away from this?"

  That now-familiar little thrill courses through my body. It's a sense of excitement at the prospect of actually living here and waking up each morning to this beautiful picture of tranquility.

  "I haven't heard a single car since I've been here. It's so peaceful and so very you." Ryan turns to face me, placing his hand on my arm. He gives it a friendly squeeze, his grey eyes warming as he takes in my expression. "I can see that you love it. I'm excited for you, Maddie – your new start."

  In fairness, the conservatory is probably the only part of this property that doesn't need extensive work, but I can see he is caught up in the ambience. As we walk around I talk him through some of my ideas for the renovation and he throws in a few suggestions of his own.

  "Who is going to do the work?"

  "Well, that's the big question. Christmas is looming and, obviously, I'm unlikely to find anyone prepared to work over the period between Christmas and New Year. But the kitchen is small and even if it isn't finished in time, I hope to have the essentials installed ready for the holidays."

  Ryan nods, then his jaw drops when I throw open the door to the bathroom.

  "Another wow. That's what I like about old cottages, you never know what to expect. Rather bizarre having the bathroom off the kitchen, but this is going to be amazing."

  I'm delighted Ryan can see beyond the current sorry state as I glance around at the very tired, and slightly musty-smelling, room.

  "Think slipper bath, white accessories and shaker-style panelling on the walls."

  Ryan peers up at the Velux window, watching the clouds floating by as if it's the first time he's ever seen the sky.

  "Imagine this at night," he exclaims.

  "Soft candles, aromatherapy bubble bath and a glass of wine in one hand – I'm already stretched out in the tub and enjoying the view!" I laugh.

  "Well, it's going to be a lengthy project, but this is a diamond in the rough. What did the home survey report say? Any nasty surprises?"

  "Um…not exactly. I didn't want to hold things up in case the bank changed its mind and kept it on the market until contracts were exchanged. Ironically, with all the silly questions my solicitor has raised, there would have been plenty of time to…"

  "You've buying a house without having a survey? I know that technically you don't need one because you are a cash buyer, but please tell me you're joking, Maddie. Financially, you're putting everything you have into this property and that represents a big risk."

  One look at my face confirms I'm telling the truth and he shakes his head in dismay. A little quiver of fleeting doubt enters my head and I shake it off.

  "The cottage has been here for more than a hundred and fifty years, I doubt it will suddenly decide to slide down the hill."

  Ryan shrugs his shoulders. His expression is enough to make me feel more than a little uncomfortable.

  "Let's continue the tour," I say jauntily, pushing back my shoulders in an attempt to reassure myself I know what I'm doing.

  We retrace our steps back through the cottage. Climbing the stairs, we walk around the two small bedrooms and poke our heads into the rather dank shower room. Descending back into the sitting room, Ryan remarks on the beautiful old cast-iron fireplace, which is in remarkably good condition for its age.

  "An open fire – imagine those winter evenings…"

  "There's a dining room through here, too, but I'm thinking I should turn that into a media room. I'm not sure a TV would look right in the sitting room, what do you think?"

  The dining room is perfectly square and lends itself to a variety of uses, including a home office. When space is at a premium you have to make the most of every square foot. My eyes sweep the room, imagining the computer in the corner, two comfy chairs facing the TV and an elegant sideboard to house all my paperwork.

  "Great idea. Why would you want to eat in here when you only have the one window looking out onto the valley? If this was mine I'd live, eat and probably spend all of my time in the conservatory."

  I let out a huge sigh of relief.

  "What?" Ryan looks at me with concern reflected in those telling eyes of his.

  "I wondered if you'd think I was completely mad taking this on…you know – at my time of life."

  He looks at me rather sharply. "Your marriage might be over, but Maddie Brooks' life part two is about to begin. I know you are still devastated and it's dented what little confidence you had, but I think you need this project. Yes, if I'm honest, it is a lot to take on for anyone and it's a pity you don't have the summer stretching out ahead of you. But life, as we know, is never perfect. There are worse things than being on your own." He shoots me a reassuring smile.

  "Yes, like living with a love rat."

  He cringes, wincing at my words.

  "Come here! You need a hug."

  I step forward and he throws his arms around me quite casually, as only long-standing friends can. We've known each other for longer than I knew my ex-husband, initially working alongside one another for nearly five years as project managers. Mostly designing re-fits for shops and stores, but occasionally working on the high-end domestic market. I gave up work about a year after I married Jeff to have our eldest son, Matt. Ryan and I lost touch for a while, but following a big promotion he contacted me to see if I was interested in working part time from home as a consultant. By then Matt was three and youngest son, Nick, was four months old. His timing was perfect, as work on our house was eating up every spare penny we had. From there on our friendship continued to grow. When he started his own business, it seemed only natural to take the job I was offered, particularly as it meant I could continue to work from home. Our friendship was something Jeff could never really accept, but I guess the money was an adequate pacifier.

  "Do you know what I miss?" I ask, turning to look up at him as he shakes his head. "That struggle to keep everyone happy. I'm not used to making all the decisions without having to accommodate other people's needs and wishes. It feels lonely at times, and scary." A sudden hitch catches in my throat and seems to coincide with a distinctly watery view of Ryan's face.

  "It's called freedom, Maddie. You'll get used to it. Heck, it's kind of like a drug once you grow accustomed to it and it's the reason why I'm still single. Being with someone permanently means life is a constant compromise. Sometimes it works out okay, but often it's one-sided and…" He hesitates, obviously in two minds about how honest he can be with me when it's clear I'm still very emotional.

  "You can't stop there. You might as well finish off your sentence and get it over and done with."

  His fr
own deepens. "Sometimes one person becomes a doormat."

  My chest constricts, forcing me to draw in one long, deep breath. The ache in my heart is becoming less about losing Jeff's love as the days roll on, and more about a bigger loss. I feel betrayed and unloved. I gave everything because I cared, and my reward? People looking in on my relationship could see with a clarity I didn't have. I'd been fooling myself I was loved in return, but the truth was that I was being walked over and used.

  "Hey," Ryan moves closer and places a hand on each of my shoulders. "Look at me! Come on, raise that chin! You're a good person, Maddie and you've brought up your sons well. Don't let anything rob you of that fact, because there aren't too many selfless people around these days. You're a nurturer; you simply forgot that there was a person inside there who deserved to have her voice heard. That's what threatens to hold you back now, if you let it.

  "Now me, I'm selfish through and through. I'm in total control of my life; it runs smoothly because I don't let other people mess it up emotionally, or otherwise. Am I missing out? In some respects, yes: I'll never have a son, or daughter, of my own. But I'd make a terrible husband and an even worse father. To me it's simple. Understanding who and what you are is fundamental to attaining a life that has the right balance for you. Think of the future as a blank sheet. You get to start all over again, but this time it's all about you."

  He draws back, letting his hands slip down to catch mine and give them a reassuring squeeze.

  "I know you mean well, Ryan, but you've missed the point." I raise my tear-filled eyes to meet his enquiring gaze. His expression is pained and I know it's hard for him to offer the advice he's so convinced will make me see sense. "What if I don't want my life to be all about me?"

  "Then you run the risk of putting yourself through this all over again. If nothing changes, then you'll be like so many others going around and around in the same flawed circle. I don't want that for you, my friend. You deserve more than to let people simply use you."

  He walks away from me and out of the cottage, leaving me standing there with my mouth hanging open. In all the years I've known him he has never opened up his deepest feelings to me; never offered advice or judged me. To find out now that that wasn't the case and he held back because he didn't want to risk destroying our friendship is a surprise. But his words were so raw. That little speech wasn't just about me – it was also about something buried deep within Ryan. What exactly the root cause is I have absolutely no idea and clearly it's something he isn't about to share.

  CHAPTER 5

  Project managing is what I do, so now contracts have been exchanged and I have a completion date of the nineteen of December, there's a lot to do in a short time. My solicitor is still concerned about a potential boundary issue, ironically to do with the path that runs along behind Ash Cottage; the one leading to Bay Tree Barn. It began when I asked her to check it out after meeting Terence that day, and I now wish I hadn't raised it at all. She's like a dog with a bone and she won't give up. It's hard to believe that the bank don't have something in Miss Agatha Brown's paperwork that will show who owns and maintains the track. Prior to the existence of Land Registry, most of the paperwork was by way of notarised letters people kept with their deeds.

  "What's the worst-case scenario?" I ask, trying not to let my voice reflect the frustration I'm feeling.

  "Well, Miss Brooks, without clear ownership there is the issue of maintenance – which could raise its head if the owners of Bay Tree Barn feel the track is becoming neglected. If a third party owns that strip of land, then that is another unknown…"

  She continues in the same vein, listing a whole host of problems that might crawl out of the woodwork – might being the operative word. I ask her to leave it with me to make a decision about what I want to do next. Her preferred option is to insist the bank get to the bottom of it or, failing that, take out an indemnity insurance policy. The problem is that this is something I should have alerted her to much earlier. Now we've exchanged, we're locked into the deal and she has no real leverage. I was hoping to mention the vandalised oil tank, which is something I feel is much more important to me, but I don't feel I can raise that now. I hadn't realised that 'sold as seen' had such an impact. It's a simple statement and, it seems, a licence to wriggle out of answering virtually any question raised. There's one thing I need to do before I instruct my solicitor to drop her enquiries and hopefully it will give me some peace of mind.

  "Sarah, it's Maddie Brooks – Ash Cottage?"

  "Hi, Maddie, how can I help?"

  "I want to ask your opinion about something. Have you ever met the owner of Bay Tree Barn?"

  "Terence? Yes, lovely man. I had a long chat with him the day I was there taking photos, before we put Ash Cottage on the market. He's lived there for nearly thirty years. Why? Is there another problem?" Her voice reflects a weariness we both feel. This has turned out to be the purchase from hell, considering it's the shortest chain possible.

  "To be frank, my solicitor isn't giving up on the issue over the track at the rear of the cottage. I've been online and found a telephone number for Bay Tree Barn. I wondered whether you thought it was a good idea, or not, to contact Terence to have a chat about it? Is it too cheeky? I wouldn't like my new neighbour to think I was being pushy or anything."

  "To be honest, if I was in your position it's what I would do. He's a genuinely helpful man and if he has any issues with the track then you are better off knowing about that now."

  "Thanks, glad you agree. My solicitor is annoyed I left it so late to query it, but the lease on my rental property runs out at the end of December, so it was crucial to ensure everything was tied up before then. At one point I thought I'd actually find myself homeless. So I am relieved, to be honest, but this issue is a little worrying." I can't even contemplate what Ryan would say if he knew.

  "Make that call and if there's anything I can do from this end, just let me know."

  "Mr Darby? I'm sorry to bother you, but it's Madeleine Brooks, the purchaser of Ash Cottage."

  "Hello, Madeleine, lovely to hear from you! Please, call me Terence. Do you have a moving-in date yet?" His voice booms out, causing me to yank the mobile away from my ear. I press speaker phone and set it down on the desk in front of me.

  "Yes, I'll be in on the nineteenth. There's one outstanding issue about the track that runs along behind Ash Cottage. I wondered if you knew who the owner was."

  "Ah, that's just the sort of issue that solicitors love. We went through this when we were buying Bay Tree Barn and in the end we talked to Aggie. It seems there is no documentation to confirm ownership and the assumption made was that it was a strip of land that was never claimed by anyone. Aggie was perfectly happy for us to use it as a back entrance to the barn, to save us walking all the way around to our front access. That's the other side of the hill. It's not wide enough for vehicular access, which was Aggie's only concern, as obviously the track is level with the first floor of Ash Cottage."

  "So it's definitely not mentioned in your deeds, either? What about maintenance?"

  "Well, I usually hack back the brambles every summer. It doesn't lead anywhere other than to the barn, so ramblers don't use it. Aside from Joanna and me, Aggie's handyman, Lewis Hart, uses it once a year to clear the leaves out of the gutters to the rear of the cottage."

  That is just what I was hoping to hear.

  "From your point of view it's not an issue, then? No one is likely to suddenly step in and put a road through there?" I can't hide a chuckle, voicing one of the worst-case scenarios my solicitor had thrown up, and which had sent me into a panic.

  "Goodness gracious – no! It would run straight through the barn. You know, it's turning into a world where common sense seems to have become a dirty word. It's a pathway leading to the barn and an access point to the rear of Ash Cottage. It's probably a throwback to the days when it wasn't necessary to tie up every little thing tighter than a drum; jobsworth, I call it."


  We both laugh and I'm delighted my new neighbour is as laid-back about this as I am.

  "Thank you, Terence, your reassurance means a lot. I'm just relieved to know I'm going to be in before Christmas. As we're chatting, could I trouble you for the details of any local tradesmen you could recommend? I'm going to need to get the work started as quickly as possible."

  "Give me your email address and I'll send you a list. It's a busy time for the plumbers of course. Plus most of them take off an extended holiday period, as the icy mornings make parts of the Forest treacherous to drive through at times. If we get snow then everything grinds to a halt, so you'll have to make sure you stock up on provisions. If there's anything Joanna and I can do, just call."

  His words aren't exactly what I want to hear right now, but I guess forewarned is forearmed.

  "Thank you, that's very kind. If you can also give me the details of your local oil delivery company, that would be great. My email is mbrookspropman@sl1dotcom. Hope to see you very soon!"

  With my last real worry put to bed, I am a woman on a mission. First I ring my solicitor and tell her to drop her enquiries, then I do the bit that I'm trained to do: manage this project to within an inch of its life.

  CHAPTER 6

  Terence's email has a long list of contact names and addresses, which immediately perks me up. I know it isn't going to be easy to get everything sorted, but I'm pretty confident I can at least make a solid start.

  I walked away from my marriage with barely enough to fill my car and most of it consisted of the contents of my wardrobe. I felt that everything in that house had been tainted when I learnt that my unbelievably callous husband had entertained Eve there. I was away on a two-day course that Ryan had talked me into, oblivious to what was happening at home. Jeff paid in other ways, of course, and I know he wasn't happy with the size of the cash settlement. But now there's only my income and no safety net I'm going to have to stretch my budget as far as I can.