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day, but decided not to.  He was probably long gone, having found nothing to interest him. If he were a history enthusiast, he could find far more interesting things elsewhere.  I turned away from the ruin and gazed over the garden, imagining the possibilities.
    Actually, Aidan was right.  The slanting rays of the afternoon sun bathed the garden in a mellow, golden light, the arrow-like shafts of light piercing the canopy of ivy and striping the walk in bands of sun and shade.  The mullioned windows of the upper floors were alight with the sun’s reflection, making the gloomy façade appear gloriously vivid and welcoming.  A lazy butterfly flitted from one rose bush to another, the exquisite fragrance filling the air with a delicate perfume.  I suddenly wanted nothing more than to sit among all that overgrown profusion and have a cup of tea myself, but there was nothing to sit on, so tea would have to be in the antiquated kitchen tonight, all by my lonesome. 
    I followed Aidan to his truck, noticing how he scrutinized the stone path and cracked flower urns sitting atop pillars at the end of the drive.  He didn’t miss a thing, which was good since I hadn’t given either the path or the urns another thought until that moment.
    “May I call you in a few days with an estimate?” he asked as he opened the door to get in. 
    “Yes, definitely.  I will, of course, need to get a few other estimates as well,” I replied, trying to hide the eagerness in my voice.  I liked this guy, and I could already see him taking on the project.
    “Do you work alone?” I asked, suddenly realizing how much work would need to be done.
    “I have a couple of lads who come in to do the heavy work, but I like to do the more decorative bits myself.  I enjoy it,” he replied, suddenly looking shy.
    “I enjoy the decorative bits as well,” I replied.  “They are the fun part.”
    With that we shook hands and I watched as Aidan Mackay drove away, leaving me in much better spirits than I was before he came.  I was buzzing with ideas, and I couldn’t wait to inform him that he got the job.

Chapter 10
     
    “How’re you fixed for dinner tonight?” Aidan asked once we were done with the formalities.  He’d called after lunch to ask for my email address so that he could send me a detailed estimate which itemized everything that would need to be done, complete with the cost of labor and supplies.  Of course, there would be many unpredictable expenses, ones he couldn’t figure into the total until the men actually went to work and began to discover dry rot, termites, leaky pipes, and all the other surprises that could lead to a minefield of expenditure.  I was prepared for that.  “Let me take you out tonight and we can talk further about your plans.  I actually have some photos I’d like to show you.  I’ve been doing research to get some ideas.  What do you say?”
    What I had to say was that I was delighted.  After spending a few days alone in the rambling old house I felt more than ready to spend a few hours in someone’s company.  The deafening silence was weighing on me and I felt lonelier than I’d ever been in my life.  I’d lived alone in New York, but I was surrounded by family and friends whom I could always call if I felt like a bit of company.  Here, I was completely alone; new to the village and this way of life.  Of course, it would take time to meet people and make new friends, but I hadn’t realized how quickly I would start to feel isolated and paranoid.  I wasn’t familiar with the sounds of the house, and there were several times when I’d actually crept downstairs armed with a stout stick, my heart pounding with the certain knowledge that someone was in the house.  Thankfully, it was just the house sighing and creaking around me, but my sleep had become disrupted, and I kept wandering over to the window and staring at the ruins, half expecting someone to materialize out of the