Page 2 of All Wrapped Up
‘Thank you.’ I blushed.
‘I don’t think I’ve ever met a Clementine or a Clemmie before.’
‘Me neither.’ I smiled shyly. ‘In my experience, there don’t seem to be many of us about.’
Now names had been exchanged, I faltered.
‘Well,’ said Lizzie, looking over at Rowan Cottage, ‘like I said, I hope you don’t mind me stopping and announcing myself. I used to know the lady who lived here before youand I’ve been dying to find out what’s happened to the place since she sold it. I know you’ve been renovating…’
‘Yes, I have.’ I nodded, eagerly latching on to the topic because I could wax lyrical about the cottage until the cows came home. ‘It’s undergone quite a transformation inside. Especially downstairs. The previous layout wasn’t very practical.’
‘And that bathroom was always glacial.’ Lizzie shuddered, in spite of the warmth of the day.
Her description was entirely accurate, so I knew she really had known the place well. I had shivered myself every time I went into that room, especially during the winter, which was unfortunate given its purpose.
‘The bathroom is upstairs now,’ I told her. ‘And wonderfully warm.’
Moving it had meant sacrificing one of the three bedrooms, but as it was just me living in the cottage, I hadn’t minded that and I hadn’t been concerned about the potential impact on the resale value either, because I’d never given the idea of moving on a thought. That was, until now when I’d realised how lonely I’d become. But that was still all it had been, I reminded myself. The possibility of moving again was just a fleeting thought.
‘And have you kept the fireplace?’ Lizzie asked eagerly.
‘Yes,’ I nodded, with a smile. ‘That impressive oak mantel had to stay, but I’ve had a wood burner installed and exposed the brickwork around it.’
It was one of my favourite things in the entire cottage. Situated in the sitting room, right in the heart of the home, it was a comforting and welcoming feature, even when it wasn’t lit in the height of summer. It was only the last week of Augustbut already I couldn’t wait to put a match to it again when the weather turned and autumn arrived.
‘That sounds beautiful,’ Lizzie said wistfully and I could tell she was dying to take a look. ‘Anyway, I’d better let you get on. I just wanted to say hello really and I daresay you want to make the most of the day before the rain comes.’
Thunder was forecast and I had lived in the Fens long enough now to know that the summer storms could be spectacular. With an uninterrupted view from the upstairs windows, I could sometimes track the lightning moving across the landscape for hours.
‘I’ve actually just finished what I needed to do out here,’ I surprisingly plucked up the courage to say, ‘so, you’re more than welcome to come in and take a look around. Unless you’re on your way somewhere.’
‘I’m not,’ Lizzie said happily, ‘I’m a completely free agent today. We don’t open the café on a Sunday. Or a Monday, come to that.’
‘Café?’
‘Yes, my friend Jemma and I run The Cherry Tree Café in Wynbridge and the gallery next door. Perhaps you’ve been in?’
‘I can’t say I have,’ I confessed. ‘But it sounds lovely.’
‘It is,’ she said proudly and looked at the cottage again. ‘Are you sure you don’t mind me coming in?’
‘Of course not,’ I said, taking a deep breath as I felt the parameters of my comfort zone stretch and change shape. ‘You’re very welcome.’
I left Lizzie looking around the sitting room and admiring the revamped fireplace while I washed my hands in the kitchen and made a jug of elderflower cordial. It had taken more thana few seconds for my heart rate to settle when we came in, but I wasn’t surprised about that because I had never entertained a guest in Rowan Cottage before.
‘I love how you’ve got your bookcase set up!’ Lizzie called to me. ‘All of the books on my shelves are just laid out in regimented rows.’
I had some books lined up but others were stacked in small piles and the interesting arrangement left spaces in between to showcase a few little treasures and tiny bud vases.
‘Thanks!’ I called back. ‘I like it too, though it takes ages to dust.’
‘And I have to say,’ Lizzie further commented as I rejoined her in the sitting room, ‘I absolutely adore the colour scheme you’ve gone for in here.’
‘Thank you,’ I said, carefully putting the tray on the coffee table.
‘Does it feature in any of the other rooms?’
‘It does,’ I confirmed. ‘It actually runs right through the entire cottage.’
