‘And I’d put bi-fold doors where the windows are. Scrap the units at the back and replace them with a single run, and then put in an island area with seating in the middle. And I’d do something with that old dresser. You could upcycle it to tie in with whatever colour scheme and units you decide on.’
‘I was going to get rid of it, although it is very useful. We keep all the china in there. But you’re right, I can do something with it. I’m going to keep it. Now come see the bedrooms.’
Michaela pushed open the first door on the right in the corridor to reveal a big empty room with dusty floorboards which creaked as she stepped on them. ‘It’s very cosy when we light the fires.’ She pointed to a large stone chimney breast on the far wall and the open fireplace with a pot-bellied wood burner. ‘Or it will be when we have a bed in here. There used to be bunk beds in here for all the children – it would sleep six – but we took them out.’ She shot Anna an impish grin. ‘For now. One day we will buy a big bed for me and Jan but until then we have air beds.’
She guided Anna to the next room. ‘This will be your room. I hope you don’t mind sharing. But there is an air bed each and it is a big room.’
Although a substantial size it was still smaller than the room next door and, like the other room, had a fireplace, though smaller, with another wood burner, and wooden clad walls Two small windows looked out onto the woods at the back of the house.
‘And here is the bathroom with Jan’s famous shower.’
The bathroom was basic and consisted of an old tin bath with a shower head mounted above it and around it a plastic curtain covered in pink fish.
‘And the toilet?’ asked Anna.
Michaela wrinkled her nose. ‘Not so good. There is a shed outside. There is no proper plumbing here. The water comes to the house in a pipe from down the road but there is no waste. But I promise you, having hot water in the shower is a luxury. It used to be cold only.’
Anna laughed. ‘This is luxury. I’m used to camping, and my cousins like wild camping, so this is fine.’
‘And now the best bit.’ Michaela moved to the end of the corridor to climb the rickety ladder. ‘Watch your step.’
Anna followed her up, taking each tread gingerly. At the top she stepped gratefully from the ladder into a living room under the sloping eaves. Light poured in from the big triangular windows at the front of the house. How on earth had they got them up here? The walls were clad in honeyed wood from the floor to the very apex of the roof. On the wall at the back of the room was a huge stone hearth, around which large floor cushions were arranged so that guests could take in the view from around the fire.
Michaela crossed to the balcony doors, opened them and stepped out into the early evening sunshine. She rested both hands on the wooden balustrade, her face tilted up to the sun.
‘This,’ she said simply, waving one hand towards the still, shimmering water.
‘Yes,’ said Anna, understanding immediately. It was all about the view and the sense of being at the heart of nature. Trees in an arc of vivid green tumbled down to the water’s edge, some clinging to the sandy banks, their trunks twisted to maintain stability. Directly in front of thechataa grassy field sloped down to the reservoir. An old tree trunk lying on the ground had had one side removed to turn it into a seat with a perfect vantage point. Birds wheeled in the sky, and away in the distance on the far side of the water rose purple-shadowed hills .
‘There are actually three reservoirs here,’ explained Michaela. ‘When they were created they flooded the forests and a village, Mušov. You can still see the church, which is on a tiny island all by itself.
‘That’s sad but it is very beautiful.’ Anna thought of the people who’d once lived in the village and wondered out loud what had happened to them.
‘Jan’s grandparents were from Mušov. They moved to Brno, and Jan’s uncle came back to build hischata. He never had children and his health is not so good. Jan’s father has his own house further down the reservoir which we have used before. Jan’s uncle doesn’t want to manage thechataanymore, which is why he’s given it to us.’ Michaela clasped her hands over her heart and did a little skip of excitement.
In the meantime, they could hear the sound of the men below who had obviously begun to unload the car.
‘I guess we ought to help,’ said Michaela, with a mischievous smile. As soon as she descended the ladder she began directing Jan.
‘You can show Leo your room,’ said Michaela, with an airy wave of her hand as she took the box of food supplies from Jan and went into the kitchen.
‘This is us,’ said Anna, as Leo dropped the two air mattresses on the floor.
‘Cool,’ he said giving the room a cursory look and immediately crossing to the log burner, kneeling on the floor and opening the iron door.
‘Men and fire,’ said Anna. The wood burner in the apartment was definitely Leo’s domain.
‘Always.’ Leo grinned up at her from where he crouched. Her mouth went dry as she took in his delightfully dishevelled appearance – rolled-up shirt sleeves and untucked shirt.
‘Mmm,’ she said, her vocal cords feeling a little tight. Tonight she’d be sharing this room with him, and all she could think was: where was she going to change?
‘Who’s ready for a drink?’ called Jan from the kitchen.
‘I reckon we deserve one,’ said Leo.
‘Yes,’ said Anna, her voice squeaky.
‘You all right?’ asked Leo.
