‘Well, it’s currently quite damp and it being lived in would help.’
Hattie laughed. ‘So I’m a just a dehumidifier to you?’ she said.
‘You’re far more than that, my dear,’ he said. ‘Why don’t you go and have a look and see if you fancy it? I’ll ping you the location. The key is under the mat. There’s nothing in it to steal.’
‘It is so kind of you, Aiden,’ she said, knowing she’d accept it no matter how damp it was.
‘Not at all: you’d be doing me a favour. And could your builder bloke – Luke? – have a look at it and make some running repairs? I won’t charge you rent until it’s properly habitable.’
Luke was back too late to inspect the lodge that night, so he and Hattie drove over the following morning.
‘It’s quite near, which is good,’ said Luke, pulling up his pick-up in the grassy area next to the house.
‘And near Mary,’ said Hattie, ‘which is better.’ She paused, aware of Luke looking at her in a way she couldn’t interpret. He seemed to be studying her, but also a bit distracted. ‘She needs me to pop in, Luke. You don’t.’
‘I don’t know about that,’ he said. ‘I might need the occasional casserole or fruit cake.’
Hattie laughed. ‘I’ll see what the kitchen’s like before I start promising you cake.’
They found the key, which was large and old-fashioned, and unlocked the back door that creaked as if it hadn’t been opened for centuries. As most of the windows were boarded up, Luke fetched his tools from the truck to remove a couple of panels so they could see.
They went into the kitchen and, now there was some light, she could see a metal sink, a cracked lino floor and a tiled roof, and a four-burner electric cooker of unknown age. There was a good wide windowsill which Hattie always appreciated and a Formica dresser against one wall. Attached to the kitchen was a slightly mouldy bathroom.
Hattie went into the sitting room. It had a good fireplace, working shutters and a quaint built-in cupboard among its original features. While it wasn’t large, it wasbig enough for a sofa, and there was just about room for a folding table and chairs: which was good, as there wasn’t space to eat in the kitchen except standing up.
She went upstairs and found two bedrooms, both just large enough for a double bed if you didn’t need to walk around it much.
Hattie was aware of Luke’s big builder’s boots striding around making it seem damper and smaller with every step. She went to look at the outside space. There wasn’t currently a garden but there was a small paddock where Hattie could put her myriad pots of herbs and favourite plants.
‘It’s tiny,’ said Luke when they were both back in the sitting room. ‘You and Xander would be on top of each other and it has no garden.’
‘It has a field,’ said Hattie, ‘which could become a garden. Perfect for Frank and Fearless to run in.’ She was determined to like this little cottage, although it was damp and short on windows.
‘Not exactly ideal though,’ said Luke. He looked searchingly at her. ‘Do you like it?’
Hattie exhaled. ‘Well, it doesn’t give me the heebie-jeebies, which is good. Properties do that to me relatively often.’ She smiled.
Luke returned her smile. ‘But if you’re looking at properties for other people and are not going to have to live there, it probably doesn’t matter?’
Hattie nodded. ‘I might steer a client away if I had a very strong feeling.’
‘But you’d feel OK about living here?’
‘I would, surprisingly.’
‘Well, I’ll fit a better lock and make sure the windows aren’t about to fall out, then.’
‘I’ll tell Aiden I like it and ask him to get the cooker and boiler properly serviced.’
Luke didn’t move. ‘It’s very small for two, Hattie,’ he repeated. ‘And where would Xander put all his stuff?’
‘We’ll squash up. It’ll be cosy!’
‘Or…’ He paused. ‘He could stay with me,’ he said. ‘I’d be happy to have him.’
Hattie took a couple of breaths. This was an amazing offer in many ways. But there was lots to think about, not least the effect it would have on Luke’s life. ‘That came a bit out of left field,’ she said. ‘Whatever that means. Are you sure it wouldn’t cramp your style, having Xander with you?’
‘I don’t have a style, you know that, Hattie.’ He smiled lazily. ‘You know I’m working away a lot at the moment. When I’m not here, you could move back in and enjoy the superior facilities at my house. In fact – you could just stay there full time, until you find a more suitable place for the two of you.’
