Page 15 of The Key to the Last House Before the Sea

NESSA

Nessa stomped across the clifftop, straight past Driftwood House, and kept on going.

She hardly noticed the wildflowers carpeting the grass, the gulls wheeling above her, or the fresh smell of the sea. Although she had somewhere important to be, her mind was firmly fixed on Gabriel’s bombshell.

What an arrogant, uncaring man! He acted as if he could do whatever he wanted. He’s got money so he probably can, said a little voice in Nessa’s brain, but she ignored it and carried on stomping.

How could he contemplate destroying a place that was so steeped in local history? The man was a complete philistine.

By the time her destination, Heaven’s Brook, came into sight, Nessa was all stomped out and feeling drained. The adrenaline spike prompted by Gabriel’s news had worn off. And she started wondering why she’d been summoned by her grandmother’s ex-landlord to this tiny hamlet, nestled between the coast and woodland.

She glanced at the text she’d received from Mr Aston earlier that week: I’d be grateful if you could meet me at the cottage sometime. Shall we say Friday at 1 pm? I have something of your grandmother’s to return.

Nessa had no idea what that ‘something’ was, and she was early for her appointment with him. But it would be good to get this over with. She didn’t want to spend any longer here than was necessary.

It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with Heaven’s Brook. Far from it. Thatched cottages lined the lanes, and an ancient Celtic cross sat on the miniscule patch of grass that was grandly known as the village green. Everything was peaceful and pretty, and her grandmother had been very happy here.

But the hamlet held too many memories. Nessa could picture her gran sitting in her whitewashed cottage, or waiting at the bus stop for the one bus a day, or walking to and from the stone cross ‘to stretch my legs so they don’t stop working’.

Maybe, in the future, Nessa would find comfort in reminders of her grandmother, but for now they simply made her feel sad.

She could understand why many of the displaced people of Sorrel Cove had moved out of the area after the storm, needing a fresh start away from the tragedy. But the grieving Paulson family – Nessa’s family – hadn’t moved away. They’d stayed living locally, and motherless Ruth had grown up and made her life in Heaven’s Cove. She’d only moved out here to Heaven’s Brook five years ago, after her husband had died.

The thatched cottage she’d rented from Mr Aston was perfectly proportioned for one person. But it had become Nessa and Lily’s home too, after she’d stepped in to help them out.

Ruth couldn’t afford to make up the rent on Nessa’s Heaven’s Cove flat – the rent that sometimes fell short thanks to Jake’s irregular maintenance payments. But she could offer a roof above their heads, and they’d got on well, all squeezed in together for the last year. But now she was gone.

Nessa’s throat tightened as she walked past a ‘For Sale’ sign and up the garden path towards the cottage. Her grandmother would often be waiting at the front door for her, white hair pinned into a bun. She would smile, looking so much like Nessa’s mum, and ask how her day had been and hug Lily tight.

The thought of never seeing her again was almost too much to bear.

Nessa swallowed and raised her hand but the door was pulled open by Mr Aston before she could knock.

He’d turned a blind eye to Nessa and Lily moving in. But now his official tenant was gone, he couldn’t wait to sell the cottage and make a tidy profit. And even though that was bad news for her and Lily, Nessa couldn’t really blame him. Cottages around here were being snapped up by buyers.

‘I saw you coming down the path. How are you?’ he boomed, looking ill at ease. ‘You’re early. I thought we said one o’clock?’

‘Yes. Sorry. I came over without stopping for lunch. Is now convenient or would you like me to come back?’

‘No, now is fine. Would you like to come in?’ When he tilted his head to gesture her inside, a blizzard of dandruff dropped onto his collar.

Nessa looked over his shoulder into the sitting room. It was empty. Her grandmother’s ancient sofa and two wingback chairs were currently being stored in a local barn that belonged to Liam – Rosie’s farmer fiancé – and the rug had gone to a charity shop. The floorboards that her gran had polished were dusty and the hearth was cold.

She shook her head. ‘Thank you, but I’ve got a few things to do in Heaven’s Cove before I pick up Lily.’

‘Ah, yes, your daughter.’ Mr Aston tilted his head, concern in his eyes. ‘Where are you both living now?’

‘We’re staying with a friend at Driftwood House.’

‘That magnificent house up on the cliffs?’ He smiled, his conscience eased. ‘Marvellous! You’ll have a much better view from up there.’

He was right. The sweeping vista of sea and sky was more picturesque than the lane that ran past this cottage. But Nessa would gladly trade any view to be back here with her grandmother.

She dug her nails into her palm, determined not to cry. ‘When you rang and said to come over, you mentioned that you’d found something that belonged to my gran?’

‘Oh, yes. I found it at the back of the cupboard in the front bedroom. It was shoved behind an offcut of old carpet, so I’m not surprised you missed it.’ He reached to the side of the door and picked up a battered leather case, hardly bigger than a shoebox. Two buckled straps held it closed. ‘Here you go. It looks very old.’

He handed the box over. The tan leather was cracked as though someone had taken to it with a hammer. She’d never seen it before.

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