‘Well, not very much. It’s so well planted and I really love it as it is. But I would like to make the paths wider, and take out the steps where I can. I want to be able to wheel an old lady I know round it.’
‘Darling! I’d love that! Latterly, for a few years really, I hadn’t been able to get to the level at the top of the hill, where my bench is. I’d love to see that bit again.’
‘And so you shall.’ Hattie smiled.
‘And while I’ve got you softened up, I’m giving you this cheque. I gather people do still use them. It’s for the storage unit. I’ve been chatting to an old chap who’s in here – probably ten years younger than I am – and he was telling me how expensive they are.’
‘I didn’t think I’d told you that I’d rented one.’ Hattie thought hard but couldn’t remember doing it.
‘You didn’t tell me. I worked it out. Now,’ she went on briskly, obviously changing the subject, ‘let’s look at the puddings. It’ll make me uncomfortably full, but then I won’t need supper.’
‘That’s a very good point,’ said Hattie. ‘A raspberry tart with clotted cream seems positively sensible!’
After a delightfully long lunch and a shopping trip, Hattie delivered Mary back. Having put all the little treats they had bought at the supermarket to hand, and had a cup of tea, she took her leave of her. Before she set off for home, she checked her bank account. Leonie’s money was there! She had her deposit. The repairs Luke had made meant she was not worried about thelender’s valuation survey, especially as Clive was asking less than he could for the property. Before the year was out she’d be living in the house of her dreams and she’d never have to speak to the odious Clive again.
Chapter Thirty-Four
The moment she opened the back door Hattie was aware that something was wrong. Maybe she’d been burgled. She found her phone and put on the torch, there was no point in trying the lights. In the kitchen, she found that the cooker had been removed.
She moved quickly through the house. In the bathroom there was even more mess, there was no bath and no wash basin and, most importantly, no lavatory. She knew immediately what Clive had done. He had had the kitchen and bathroom removed so the house would be unmortgageable. And he had somehow managed to do it in a single afternoon. The valuation survey would be a disaster.
Back in the kitchen, Hattie found a note. ‘So Aunt Mary wants you to have the house without buying it! Well, good luck with that now!’
Hattie pursed her lips. It was hard to imagine the conversation Mary and Clive must have had to prompt this reaction but he must have lost his temper and then jealousy made him do all this.
It was an utterly crazy thing to do. Was he unstable as well as horrid? It would be far harder to find a cash buyer – why didn’t he just sell it to her? Because hedidn’t want her to have it – simply because Mary did. It was a nasty little trick from a nasty little man. Why did he need to ruin the house as well as dashing her dreams? He could have simply refused to sell to her. Now only a cash buyer could buy the house and it would stand empty, deteriorating, until one could be found. And what was worse, somehow, was she wouldn’t be able to bring Mary here again, to show her the garden, let her know her beloved old home was in good hands.
Hattie didn’t want to cry. She put her lips together and bit down on them, gulping back tears. She couldn’t give in now. She’d fought too hard.
Instinctively she found her keys and looked for Luke’s. It wasn’t there. Had she given it to Leonie? Whatever: she couldn’t escape to his house. She clutched her phone and perched on her bed, pulling her duvet around her. When her phone rang she dropped it, she was so shocked. She saw Luke’s name on it and connected. But she couldn’t say hello.
‘Hattie?’ he said. ‘Are you OK?’
Hattie opened her mouth to speak. Out came the most enormous sob.
‘Right,’ said Luke. ‘I’m coming up. I’ll be with you in about four hours – maybe less. Will you be OK until then?’
Hattie nodded, and then managed to clear her throat enough to say yes.
Just knowing Luke was on his way made her feel a hundred times better. She lit candles and considered lighting a fire but it seemed too much like work. She just sat, watching the evening light drain from the room. She was very tired. She’d worked so hard but it had all been for nothing.
Soon, she needed the loo. She got up and went out into the garden and up the path to the little outhouse. It might be horribly spidery but here was a lavatory Clive knew nothing about. Using it gave Hattie a little moment of satisfaction.
She walked back through the scented garden. It had so nearly been hers but now, who knew what would happen to all Mary’s beloved plants? Would a new owner destroy the little wilderness areas Mary had left there for the birds?
The house seemed darker than ever and she must have dozed off because all of a sudden she was being made a fuss of by Frank and Fearless, waking her fully and climbing on the bed. Luke followed moments later. He appeared less pleased to see her.
‘Why didn’t you call me?’ he said.
Hattie pushed the dogs off and got up. This was not the Luke she’d been hoping for – expecting even. ‘You were miles away.’
‘That’s no reason not to tell me what’s going on.’ He produced a large flashlight and put it on. ‘What’s wrong with the lights? And why has half the kitchen been ripped out?’
‘Clive took them out, and switched off the facilities.’
‘For fuck’s sake! Why?’
Luke hardly ever swore so this was a shock. ‘I don’t really know,’ said Hattie, wanting to cry again.
