Page 3 of Untraced Magic
I continued on, approaching a group of strangers standing off to one side of the footpath. All in matching uniforms, they were obviously from a nearby school.
I inwardly smirked at the uneven hem of the girl’s skirts, clearly rolled over at the waist to look shorter. Their white long-sleeve shirts matched the guy’s ones, complimented with a tie hanging so loose around their necks it was clear they didn’t give a shit.
The group stilled as I approached, and I felt their scrutiny on my skin as I passed.
“Hi.” I smiled at them casually.
They deadpanned me.
I heard a lone snicker before their chatter returned.
Charming.
That will teach me for being polite.
Rounding a corner, I noted the sign above me.Cutters Terrace. Scanning the houses down the street, I found number 17, a white cottage wrapped with a crooked picket fence.
Bent over a garden bed, a well-dressed lady in her 60s plucked out a stray weed, and having heard my footsteps, she whipped around to face me, dusting dirt off her slacks and blouse.
“Hello, dear, you must be Morgan. I’m Betty. Welcome to your new home!” She smiled one of those smiles that reached her eyes, her arms stretched wide in greeting.
“Hi, Betty, thanks for meeting me here,” I said, following her as she guided me inside.
She drew back the curtains, and daylight spilled onto the washed-out floorboards covering the kitchen and dining area.
It was cozy, just as I’d imagined, the cottage kitchen light and airy like the only ray of sunshine is this town’s uniform of gray. I surveyed the living room filled with furniture and boxes, before Betty insisted on giving me the tour room by room, the subtle scent of jasmine following her.
She finally turned her gaze to mine. “I hope you don’t mind, but the moving van beat you to it. I just got them to pop most of it in here.”
I offered her a smile. “It’s no problem. Thank you for everything.”
“You are most welcome,” she said on a sigh, staring longingly around the room. “I’m going to miss this place. Up until now, it’s the only home I’ve ever had in Cutters Cove.”
I remained silent, watching a sparkle return to her face.
“Mavis and I always had our cup of tea just over here.” She pointed to an empty space near the window. “It’s not like we get much sun here, but when we do, this is the spot.”
A sadness tugged at my chest, watching her recall some of her fondest memories in the house that was now officially mine.
There was something about Betty I easily warmed to; she just had awayabout her. I moved closer, resting my hand on her forearm briefly. “Thank you for the tip, I will make sure I do the same.”
Betty ran a hand over the side of her pant leg before straightening.
“Dear, I don’t mean to love and leave you, but I have a few errands I must attend to. If there’s anything you need or if you run into a spot of bother, I’ll leave my number right here.”
She scribbled on a notepad in the kitchen before placing it back on the countertop next to a set of keys.
“Thanks,” I replied, looking around at all the boxes. “Hopefully there shouldn’t be anything I can’t handle myself.”
I followed her onto the front porch where she gestured to the flowerbed she had been attending to earlier.
“I planted those last spring. They should bloom again as long as you keep up the water.”
The grey clouds above made her request seem ridiculous, like rain could fall at any moment, but I nodded, hiding my amusement. “I’ll be sure to takespecial care of them.”
“Thank you, dear.” Her blue-gray eyes suddenly filled with mischief. “Also…” she paused before wiggling a bony index finger in my direction. “You watch those lads next door. They can be a bit of a handful, but they really are harmless.”
I raised a brow, my gaze sliding over the fence to what looked like an ordinary split-level house. “I’m sure I’ll be fine,” I said, suppressing a smile.
