glanced at her watch. “Is it really that late? I’ve been in here for hours.” She struggled to her feet, shaking out the kinks in her legs and arms after hours of sitting in the same position.
“Did you find anything useful?”
“Maybe, but right now I’m not quite sure what to make of it. I might be back again.”
“Have you tried speaking to the owner, they might be able to help you with the history of the house?”
“The owner lives overseas as far as I know and I really don’t want to bother him. Thanks for your help.”
“No problem, I’ll see if I can dig up an ything else for you if you like.”
“That would be great,” said Ursula distractedly as she hurried out the door.
****
Her mind was racing as she drove back along the coastal road towards Bonnie’s house. Although she had no concrete proof, the newspaper articles had given her much to think about, and confirmed her deep suspicions that something very dark lurked at Colton Manor. They needed to get back there and make sure Damien was okay. After that she wasn’t sure what she was going to do, but she couldn’t continue to stay there, that had become very clear to her. She would never get any painting done when she was jumping at every shadow.
There were no other cars in the drive when she pulled up at Bonnie’s and as soon as she opened her door Bonnie appeared on the porch and quickly walked down the steps to meet her.
“I’m glad to see you. When I tried to call and got no answer I started to worry that you’d gone back to the house on your own .”
“ Sorry, I went to the library to do some research and left my phone in the car. I got a bit carried away.”
“Did you find out anything interesting?”
“Sort of. When will Tom be back?”
“He’ll be here soon. H e’s picking up our sitter on the way home from work so we’ll be able to leave as soon as he gets here. Now come inside and tell me what you found out.”
Ten minutes later Ursula found herself again sipping coffee in Bonnie’s kitchen. It was hard not to feel like she was being melodramatic in such cosy surroundings as she told Bonnie about the rumours of black magic being practiced at Colton Manor.
“I’ve heard this story before but it seemed a little far-fetched even for me.”
“ It is a bit out there, but anything is possible and it could explain why the house feels so creepy.”
“True, I just want to get over there and make sure Damien’s okay. I wish Tom would hurry up.” There words were hardly out of Bonnie’s mouth when the phone rang and she stood up to answer it. To Ursula’s frustration it was Tom calling to say he’d been held up at work and he didn’t know how long he’d be. As the hours ticked by she tried to distract herself by playing with Bonnie’s kids on the beach and doing some sketches, but her thoughts were constantly on Colton Manor. When Bonnie called the children in for dinner she paced the veranda, straining her ears for the sound of a car approaching. Her hopes were raised many times, but they all kept going right past the house.
Eventually, just as it was beginning to get dark, a Jeep pulled into the drive. Ursula watched as a fair-haired man emerged from the driver’s side, while a woman in her sixties opened the passenger’s door. There could be no doubt this time that it was Tom and the babysitter.
“Hi,” he said, extending his hand as he climbed the steps. “You must be Ursula. This is Carol, our sitter. I’m sorry it took me so long to get away, but I’ll just get changed and then we’ll head over there and see what’s going on.” From the casual way he spoke Ursula could tell he didn’t take her and Bonnie’s concerns seriously. Bonnie had already told her he was sceptical, but they agreed that it didn’t matter if he believed them or not, as long as he accompanied them there.
“Have you tried to ring him at all?” he asked as he pushed open the screen door and she followed him
“Did you find anything useful?”
“Maybe, but right now I’m not quite sure what to make of it. I might be back again.”
“Have you tried speaking to the owner, they might be able to help you with the history of the house?”
“The owner lives overseas as far as I know and I really don’t want to bother him. Thanks for your help.”
“No problem, I’ll see if I can dig up an ything else for you if you like.”
“That would be great,” said Ursula distractedly as she hurried out the door.
****
Her mind was racing as she drove back along the coastal road towards Bonnie’s house. Although she had no concrete proof, the newspaper articles had given her much to think about, and confirmed her deep suspicions that something very dark lurked at Colton Manor. They needed to get back there and make sure Damien was okay. After that she wasn’t sure what she was going to do, but she couldn’t continue to stay there, that had become very clear to her. She would never get any painting done when she was jumping at every shadow.
There were no other cars in the drive when she pulled up at Bonnie’s and as soon as she opened her door Bonnie appeared on the porch and quickly walked down the steps to meet her.
“I’m glad to see you. When I tried to call and got no answer I started to worry that you’d gone back to the house on your own .”
“ Sorry, I went to the library to do some research and left my phone in the car. I got a bit carried away.”
“Did you find out anything interesting?”
“Sort of. When will Tom be back?”
“He’ll be here soon. H e’s picking up our sitter on the way home from work so we’ll be able to leave as soon as he gets here. Now come inside and tell me what you found out.”
Ten minutes later Ursula found herself again sipping coffee in Bonnie’s kitchen. It was hard not to feel like she was being melodramatic in such cosy surroundings as she told Bonnie about the rumours of black magic being practiced at Colton Manor.
“I’ve heard this story before but it seemed a little far-fetched even for me.”
“ It is a bit out there, but anything is possible and it could explain why the house feels so creepy.”
“True, I just want to get over there and make sure Damien’s okay. I wish Tom would hurry up.” There words were hardly out of Bonnie’s mouth when the phone rang and she stood up to answer it. To Ursula’s frustration it was Tom calling to say he’d been held up at work and he didn’t know how long he’d be. As the hours ticked by she tried to distract herself by playing with Bonnie’s kids on the beach and doing some sketches, but her thoughts were constantly on Colton Manor. When Bonnie called the children in for dinner she paced the veranda, straining her ears for the sound of a car approaching. Her hopes were raised many times, but they all kept going right past the house.
Eventually, just as it was beginning to get dark, a Jeep pulled into the drive. Ursula watched as a fair-haired man emerged from the driver’s side, while a woman in her sixties opened the passenger’s door. There could be no doubt this time that it was Tom and the babysitter.
“Hi,” he said, extending his hand as he climbed the steps. “You must be Ursula. This is Carol, our sitter. I’m sorry it took me so long to get away, but I’ll just get changed and then we’ll head over there and see what’s going on.” From the casual way he spoke Ursula could tell he didn’t take her and Bonnie’s concerns seriously. Bonnie had already told her he was sceptical, but they agreed that it didn’t matter if he believed them or not, as long as he accompanied them there.
“Have you tried to ring him at all?” he asked as he pushed open the screen door and she followed him
Similar Books
