Read Online The Lake House by Kate Morton - Free Book Online

were doing down at the jetty and gazed up towards the sky. Spontaneous applause broke out as the glider completed its stunt and continued its cruise, clearing the water and landing with a gentle slide on the flat grassed area by the fountain on the other side of the lake.
    The whole world seemed to have stalled as the little plane described its circle, so it was with some surprise that Alice realised the baby was crying. Poor little mite! With all the excitement, he was being quite ignored in his basket. Alice, accustomed to thinking herself an observer, glanced around, waiting for someone to step in, before realising she was the only person free to help. She was on the verge of starting for Theo’s basket when she saw Daddy was going to beat her to it.
    There were some fathers, or so Alice was led to believe, who would’ve thought it outside their remit to comfort a little baby, but Daddy wasn’t like that. He was the best father in the world, kind and gentle and really, really clever. He loved nature and science, and was even writing a book about the earth. He’d been working on his tome for over a decade and (although she wouldn’t have admitted the fact out loud) it was the only thing Alice would’ve changed about him if she could. She was glad he was clever, and proud of him of course, but he spent far too much time in the company of that book. She’d much rather they had him all for themselves.
    â€œAlice!”
    Deborah was calling, and whatever she wanted to say must’ve been important because she’d forgotten to sound disdainful. “Alice, hurry up! Mr Llewellyn is going to take us in the boat!”
    The boat! Ripping! Such a rare treat—it had been Mother’s as a girl and was thus considered an antique and Not For Use. Alice beamed and her heart danced and the afternoon sunlight was suddenly brighter than it had been before. This really was turning into the best day ever!
    Without another thought she pocketed her journal and started running for the lake, almost barrelling into Mother, who, in typical stuffy fashion, was striding purposefully towards the house, only too eager to forsake an adventure in the boat in favour of a cup of lukewarm tea.

F ive
    Cornwall, 2003
    â€œWe’re back!” Sadie kicked off her muddy running shoes in the small entrance hall of her grandfather’s place, herding them into line against the skirting board with her toes. The cliff-top cottage was thick with the smell of something warm and savoury and her stomach, starved of breakfast, pleaded loudly.
    â€œHey, Bertie, you’re not going to believe what we found.” She rattled out a serving of dog biscuits from the tub beneath the coat rack. “Granddad?”
    â€œIn the kitchen,” came his reply.
    Sadie gave the ravenous dogs a final pat and went inside.
    Her grandfather was at the round wooden dining table, but he wasn’t alone. A small energetic-looking woman with short grey hair and spectacles sat across from him, a mug in her hands and a joyous smile of greeting on her face.
    â€œOh,” Sadie said. “Sorry. I didn’t realise—”
    Her grandfather waved the apology aside. “Kettle’s still hot, Sadie, love. Pour yourself a cup and join us? This is Louise Clarke from the hospital, here to collect toys for the Solstice Festival.” As Sadie smiled hello, he added, “She’s kindly brought a stew for our supper.”
    â€œIt was the least I could do,” said Louise, half standing to shake Sadie’s hand. She was wearing faded jeans and her T-shirt, which was the same vibrant green as the frame of her spectacles, read: Magic Happens! She had one of those faces that seemed lit from within, as if she were getting better sleep than the rest of the population; Sadie felt dusty, creased and scowling by comparison. “Beautiful work your grandfather does, such fine carving. The hospital stall’s going to be