Time for a Cuppa!

The Magazine

For all the Family

The House
By
Mike Coatesworth

Peter opened the front door of his idyllic country cottage, and his knees almost buckled at the sight in front of him, it was Sarah! This was a complete surprise to him seeing her standing there surrounded by luggage.

'Are you going to let me in?' she asked as she picked up one of the lighter cases. 'I sure could do with one of your Cuppa's!'

When Sarah was settled in, she explained that the reason she had to return to the USA after their holiday in Canada, was to settle her affairs over there and sell up her business and her house. She had decided to move to England permanently and move in with him if he would have her?

Peter was over the moon, there was nothing he wanted more, as this was what he had been hoping for all along.

Sarah stated that the rest of her belongings would be over in a few days, there wasn't a lot, but things that she wanted to keep. It hadn't even occurred to her that Peter might not want her with him, she had just taken it for granted that this was what they both wanted.

Fortunately for her it was exactly what Peter wanted.

Over the next couple of weeks, Sarah had received her belongings, and after asking Peter first for his consent, she set about rearranging the home, all except his office as she knew that he already had the room sorted as he liked it, and knew where everything was. But she made a mental note to have it tidied up in the near future, but would ask where he wanted certain things placing.

After all the tension of moving to another home, Peter thought that Sarah and he could do with a break, so after asking her where she would like to go, he booked them a holiday at a supposedly exclusive hotel in the countryside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun was shining; the sky was blue the birds were singing as they walked slowly and warily down the long dark overgrown driveway. The sun obscured by the over hanging branches that attempted to block out any light that tried to pierce the thick green foliage. The farther they walked along this uninviting path, the darker it got.

Linking her arm in his, Sarah almost caused him to stumble on the uneven road and the two suitcases that he was carrying.

The driver of the taxi had refused point blank to come any further than the main gate. 'This is far as I'm taking you,' he'd stated. 'Think yourself lucky I brought you to the main gate,' he'd went on. 'You'd not have found anyone else to come out here.'

'Why?' Peter had asked after he had paid him. The concern, sounding plainly in his voice, 'What's wrong with this place?'

The driver had smiled and driven off. A second or so later he'd stopped and got out of his vehicle. 'Just remember to sleep with one eye open!' he had shouted to them. 'A lot of strange things have happened in the house.' With this he'd climbed back into the taxi and had driven away at high speed.

They'd watched as the taxi disappeared out of sight. For a few moments they stood outside the high spiked wrought iron gates that had a lion's head in the middle. At first they hadn't known what to do, they'd looked at each other, with the sound of the taxi driver's warning still ringing in their ears.

'What do you make of that?' Sarah had asked. 'Why will no one come here?'

Peter had placed his arm around her shoulders to comfort her. 'Don't worry!' he had replied trying to allay her fears. 'He's probably got a grudge against the owners.' He hadn't wanted her to know that he too was slightly shaken by cabbies remark. After picking up the cases, they had walked over to the huge gates that towered above them. It had appeared to Peter, that whoever owned this place certainly didn't want visitors. At first he had put his shoulder against the gates to open them, but he was unable to move them. Placing the two suitcases on the ground, he had searched for a handle, there wasn't one! 'Hello!' he had shouted, 'Is anyone there?'

At first there had been nothing but the birds singing happily on the other side of the road, then suddenly a voice had boomed out from somewhere at the side of the gate. 'Can I help you?' the voice had asked calmly, 'who are you?'

Peter had walked to the side of the gate and noticed a tiny intercom attached to the wall, which was completely covered in luscious green ivy. 'My friend and I have booked a holiday here,' he had replied. 'This is the "Green Meadows" hotel?'

For a moment there had been silence, then a whirring sound and the gates had begun to open. The lion's head parted in the middle as the heavy gates opened to either side of the driveway.

'You may enter,' the voice had boomed again. 'Stay on the road, do not attempt to stray into the trees!'

'Stay on the road,' Peter had mimicked. 'Do not stray into the trees.' He'd picked up the cases and they'd began their walk down the dark inhospitable corridor of evergreen foliage that enveloped the whole area.

One moment they'd been in the open countryside with the sun beating down on their backs and now they were in the dark cold tunnel heading to what they hoped would be two weeks of relaxation and pleasure. 'They could have at least sent a car to pick us up,' Peter remarked. 'It looks like a long walk down here.'

The light up ahead is quite inviting and they quicken their pace towards it. They emerge from the dark and foreboding place into brilliant sunshine, the light is so hard on their eyes they have to stop a while to get used to it. Soon they are standing in front of a huge white gabled palatial home that is to be their residence for the immediate future. They stand and stare in awe at the beautiful splendour of it all, the abundance of garden filled with a large assortment of blooms of all kinds. The scent from these bloom's wafts passed their welcoming their nostrils. This is totally unexpected. They walk slowly towards the house until they reach the long white marble columns.

Peter laughing, raced Sarah up the flight of steps. Just as they reached the top step, the huge front door creaked slowly open. They stood there for a moment watching the door open. They could not believe what they were seeing! Never before had they ever come across anything like this!

Mike Coatesworth

If you think my stories are true, then they probably are

If you think my stories are fiction, then just relax and enjoy the tales

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My novels can be seen at

http://www.btinternet.com/~mikeco158/onetear1.htm

http://www.btinternet.com/~mikeco158/cuppa1.htm

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