‘What?’ Paula stops dead, a metre from the front door, gravel kicking up at her feet.
Teddy turns to her, poker-faced. ‘Like I told you the other day, it’s time you started enjoying your win and having a little fun with it,’ she says firmly, removing the sunglassescompletely now and waving them at Paula. ‘We thought taking a look around a little country manor might be a good place to start.’
Paula stares at her, wondering where to begin. Perhaps with thelittlepart. ‘So wait,’ she stutters, ‘this doesn’t belong to one of you?’ She glances between Audrey and Teddy.
‘Oh lordy, no!’ Teddy sounds more American when she’s amused. ‘I’m more of a city girl. I have a penthouse apartment in West London and a house in New York.’
Audrey puffs out her chest. ‘I have a castle in Scotland, but it wasn’t lottery money. It’s been in my family for generations. The money I won just let me finally install central heating.’ She pauses, hugging herself. ‘It’s been a godsend, I can tell you.’
Paula’s head is spinning and she’s fighting another impulse to make a run for it.
A house? For her?Thishouse? This gigantic, listed Victorian estate with amaze andservant cottages? It’s absurd. Whoarethese women?
And who would mow the grass?
Audrey loops an overly affectionate arm through hers. ‘Don’t be alarmed, my darling. Come on, I know you’re going to love it.’ The older woman leads her through the door, oblivious to Paula’s distress. Or maybe just ignoring it.
‘Pretty nice, huh?’ Teddy’s distinctive voice follows them into the entrance, but Paula’s transition lenses have made everything dark. It takes a few more seconds to adjust and suddenly she’s greeted by the hugest entrance hall she’s ever seen. And Paula recently visited Guildford Cathedral.
‘Oh,mygoodness me!’ She is horrified. For her? This is ridiculous!
The dog ruffs at their feet, bouncing around the cavernous room with delight. She pauses to scratch herself, sending hair flying over expensive-looking furniture. Wood panelling lines the walls, high ceilings drip with crystal chandeliers. Ornate mirrors line one wall, with floor-to-ceiling windows covering the other.
It takes Paula’s breath away.
‘This is so big!’ she gasps, studying the brochure in her hand. ‘There areturrets,for the love of God.’
Teddy tuts playfully, flicking perfect hair off her shoulders. ‘It’s only got six bedrooms.’
‘Sixbedrooms!’ Paula shakes her head. ‘Why on earth would I need six bedrooms?’
Audrey reaches for her hand, giving her a squeeze. ‘To accommodate us when we’re here! We can take it in turns to visit each other!’
Paula doesn’t know how to respond. They’ve only just met, why would they visit one another? This is all so bizarre, she can’t think or speak.
They wander through to a grand living room. Huge white sofas fill the room, facing an enormous fireplace. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases cover one side of the room, full of novels with suspiciously perfect spines.
‘This is actually just the snug,’ Teddy comments disinterestedly. She gestures with her sunglasses. ‘The main living room is through there.’ Paula follows her dumbly, focusing on the American’s latest tiny skirt and wondering how much it cost.
A thought occurs to her. If a tiny bit of skirt can cost six thousand pounds, then . . . ‘How much is it?’ she asks, stopping dead before a painting and looking up at the mammoth landscape. It’s twice the size of her.
‘The picture?’ Audrey asks, and Paula wants to laugh.
‘This . . . place.’ House seems like the wrong word for such an enormous property. ‘How much does it cost?’
Teddy takes the brochure from her hand though the price isn’t listed. ‘They want eighteen million—’
Paula feels faint. ‘Eighteen million? But that’s . . . That’s most of the money I won.’
Teddy laughs dryly. ‘Oh hardly. You could definitely get it for fifteen.’ She cocks her head. ‘This is a steal. There’s an apartment near mine in Knightsbridge that’s currently on the market for eighty million pounds sterling.’
Paula feels faint. ‘Eighty? As in . . . eight . . . zero?’
Audrey touches her arm gently. She smells like something floral. It is reviving. ‘If you bought this place, you’d still have a few million left over as walking around money! That’s still enough to get a few nice extras for yourself.’ She brightens, her cheeks pink. ‘Maybe a yacht!’
‘Look, babe,’ Teddy starts walking, and Paula follows as they move from room to room, ‘this is what they call the honeymoon stage of sudden wealth, and you should goddamn enjoy it! We already talked about this. Youearnedit.’
There’s that look again.
