Page 41 of The Key to the Last House Before the Sea

‘I’m sure she did. She always enjoys staying here and, actually, that’s what my favour is all about.’

‘Is this something to do with the mysterious additional stay you mentioned yesterday?’ asked Valerie, concentrating as she poured hot water into the pot. It wouldn’t do to scald herself in front of Nessa.

‘Yes. Sorry if I was a bit mysterious but I wasn’t sure that my plan would come off. But now it’s all arranged and it’s something that I feel I have to do, even if it doesn’t come to anything in the end.’

Valerie looked up from the steaming teapot. What on earth was the girl talking about?

Nessa took a deep breath, her cheeks burning.

‘What I want to ask is, would it be possible for Lily to stay here for longer than one night and—’

‘Of course,’ interrupted Valerie. ‘You didn’t need to come over to ask me that. You know I love having Lily here.’

‘I know, but this isn’t just for a couple of nights. This would be…’ She hesitated. ‘This would be for a month.’

‘A month? Why? Are you going somewhere?’

‘Kind of.’ Nessa bit her lip before a torrent of words spilled out of her. ‘I’m going to stay in the Ghost Village. Sorrel Cove. My grandmother left me a lease on the cottage there, where my family used to live. I’m trying to save it from demolition and maybe even do the place up. But, according to the terms of the lease, I need to stay there for thirty consecutive days and nights to lay claim to the house.’

‘You’re going to live in one of the Ghost Village cottages?’ Valerie stood still, an empty teacup in her hands. ‘I haven’t been there for years. But I believe they’re falling down.’

‘This one isn’t. Not really. It’s been more protected from the elements than the others and, well, I think it could end up being a new home for me and Lily.’

Valerie felt her jaw drop. The girl had gone mad.

‘I heard a rumour that the ruins are going to be knocked down,’ she said, still trying to digest this information. Was Nessa truly contemplating taking her precious granddaughter to live in a derelict house that was under threat of demolition?

‘Me taking on the cottage is one way of stopping the whole village from being demolished. And I think the cottage could be just what Lily and I need to get back on our feet, if I work really hard on it. It’s peaceful and in such a beautiful spot. Lily will love it.’

Would she? It sounded as if Nessa was trying to convince herself. When Valerie said nothing, Nessa continued.

‘I obviously can’t stay in the cottage for thirty nights with Lily, not until I’ve had time to make the place more habitable.’

‘What would Jacob think of you taking his daughter to live in a place like that?’

‘If he sent his maintenance money on time, I’d be in a much better position to secure different accommodation that might meet with his approval,’ said Nessa sharply.

Valerie scowled. Of course Jacob paid regularly for his daughter’s upkeep. He was working his socks off hundreds of miles away while Nessa was swanning around with grand ideas about doing up totally unsuitable property.

Nessa folded her hands in her lap. ‘I’m sorry, Valerie. Let’s not talk about Jake right now. I realise you having Lily here for a whole month is asking a lot. I’d still be around to take her to and from school and the like. I just wouldn’t be around overnight. But if you don’t want to have Lily staying here for that long, I understand.’

Valerie spoke up quickly. ‘Of course I want her to stay. That’s no problem.’

The truth was, she desperately wanted Lily to stay for a month. If she had her way, Lily would stay forever, her energy and laughter bringing life back into this silent house.

And while enabling Nessa’s crackpot plan wasn’t ideal, the daft woman would soon come to her senses and realise that she couldn’t provide what Lily needed – Valerie looked around her cosy kitchen – whereas she could.

Nessa would have time to think, sitting alone in her damp, derelict cottage, about how Lily would be far better off in her grandmother’s care.

‘I heard the kettle,’ said Alan, ambling into the kitchen from the garden with a newspaper under his arm and his sunglasses pushed on top of his bald head. His nose was bright red. He should have been wearing a hat.

‘Hello, Nessa,’ he said, giving Valerie an enquiring glance. ‘Is everything all right?’

‘Everything’s fine,’ said Valerie. ‘Nessa came to ask a favour and I said yes. So we’re having Lily to stay for a month.’

‘A month?’ blustered Alan, panic in his eyes.

‘I hope you don’t mind,’ said Nessa.

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