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Authors: Christina Jones
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of course you couldn’t. So, are you going to sponsor them or something? Make a donation to Shelter on their behalf or what? I still don’t understand where I come in.’
‘You will. Don’t you see? These people have lost everything. Through no fault of their own. Which is why I’ve invited them to live here.’
‘
What
?’ Ella nearly fell off her chair. ‘
Live
?
Here
? At Hideaway Farm?’
Poll nodded, smiling hugely. ‘Yes. It’s the one thing I can do. I can make a difference. I’ve got everything I’d ever dreamed of now, but most of my early life was pretty rubbishy and I never thought I’d find this sort of happiness. These people deserve a second chance too. I’ve got all this room here – so now I can give it to them.’
‘Unbelievable,’ Ash breathed.
Ella wasn’t so easily impressed. ‘By taking them in? To live at Hideaway Farm? Are you mad? They’re all weird, and dangerous…’
‘They’re not. I promise you. I’ve met them – so has George and my solicitor.’
Ash looked interested. ‘So am I in there too?’
‘You are.’ Poll nodded. ‘Yours was the first case I found. You were the first person I contacted.’
‘And thank goodness you did. I was at rock bottom. I’ll never stop being grateful to you.’
Ella shook her head. ‘OK, I understand about why Ash lost his home, but who are the others? And why… ?’
‘Just two more to start with, and they’re both lovely.’
‘Two more?’ Ella queried. ‘Ah, right, the mysterious Billy and Trixie?’
Poll beamed. ‘Ten out of ten. And of course I’ve had them properly checked out and vetted – police checks, criminal records and everything. They’re misunderstood and currently unhappy and a bit confused by the bad hand life has dealt them, but not dangerous or weird.’
‘Really? Everyone in this file sounds pretty scarily weird to me.’ Ella glanced quickly at Ash. ‘Present company excepted, of course.’
‘Of course,’ Ash chuckled, filling their glasses with more iced juice.
Ella smiled. ‘Thanks. OK. So, you’re going to turn Hideaway Farm into a refuge, and you want me to… ?’
‘Do exactly what I advertised for. To look after George so that I can make sure I give everyone the best start possible at Hideaway. I don’t want this to disrupt George in any way at all. So, you’re here as a mother’s help – it was only the
reason
I left out of the ad.’
‘Amazing,’ Ash said before Ella could answer. ‘Poll, that’s just wonderful.’
Ella frowned. ‘Well, yes, it is – or at least in theory – but how will it work?’
Poll took a long drink. ‘Easily, I hope. Ash knows this bit. I’m going to let them make Hideaway Farm their new home. I’ll be their landlady and they’ll pay me whatever rent they can afford according to their current circumstances, which will give me the regular income I need, and they can get on with working or whatever, and rebuilding their lives.’
Ella was still in a state of shock. ‘So, let me get this straight – are they moving in with all their stuff? Furniture and things? Lock, stock and barrel?’
‘I’ve fully furnished their rooms because none of them had many possessions, but of course they’ll be bringing whatever bits and pieces they have to make them feel at home. We’ve already discussed what they’d need, and worked all that out.’
‘And is Hideaway going to be their permanent home?’
‘It’ll be whatever they want it to be. My solicitor has dealt with all the tenancy agreements and health and safety and boring legalese stuff. We’ve settled on a six-month period to start with. They may want to stay longer, they may well have found their feet and a new home by that time. Anyone who moves out will be replaced by another poor soul needing my help.’
‘Wow. Like Ash said, you’re amazing… mad, but amazing. Most people would run a mile from doing something like this.’
‘I’m not most people, as you’ve probably
‘You will. Don’t you see? These people have lost everything. Through no fault of their own. Which is why I’ve invited them to live here.’
‘
What
?’ Ella nearly fell off her chair. ‘
Live
?
Here
? At Hideaway Farm?’
Poll nodded, smiling hugely. ‘Yes. It’s the one thing I can do. I can make a difference. I’ve got everything I’d ever dreamed of now, but most of my early life was pretty rubbishy and I never thought I’d find this sort of happiness. These people deserve a second chance too. I’ve got all this room here – so now I can give it to them.’
‘Unbelievable,’ Ash breathed.
Ella wasn’t so easily impressed. ‘By taking them in? To live at Hideaway Farm? Are you mad? They’re all weird, and dangerous…’
‘They’re not. I promise you. I’ve met them – so has George and my solicitor.’
Ash looked interested. ‘So am I in there too?’
‘You are.’ Poll nodded. ‘Yours was the first case I found. You were the first person I contacted.’
‘And thank goodness you did. I was at rock bottom. I’ll never stop being grateful to you.’
Ella shook her head. ‘OK, I understand about why Ash lost his home, but who are the others? And why… ?’
‘Just two more to start with, and they’re both lovely.’
‘Two more?’ Ella queried. ‘Ah, right, the mysterious Billy and Trixie?’
Poll beamed. ‘Ten out of ten. And of course I’ve had them properly checked out and vetted – police checks, criminal records and everything. They’re misunderstood and currently unhappy and a bit confused by the bad hand life has dealt them, but not dangerous or weird.’
‘Really? Everyone in this file sounds pretty scarily weird to me.’ Ella glanced quickly at Ash. ‘Present company excepted, of course.’
‘Of course,’ Ash chuckled, filling their glasses with more iced juice.
Ella smiled. ‘Thanks. OK. So, you’re going to turn Hideaway Farm into a refuge, and you want me to… ?’
‘Do exactly what I advertised for. To look after George so that I can make sure I give everyone the best start possible at Hideaway. I don’t want this to disrupt George in any way at all. So, you’re here as a mother’s help – it was only the
reason
I left out of the ad.’
‘Amazing,’ Ash said before Ella could answer. ‘Poll, that’s just wonderful.’
Ella frowned. ‘Well, yes, it is – or at least in theory – but how will it work?’
Poll took a long drink. ‘Easily, I hope. Ash knows this bit. I’m going to let them make Hideaway Farm their new home. I’ll be their landlady and they’ll pay me whatever rent they can afford according to their current circumstances, which will give me the regular income I need, and they can get on with working or whatever, and rebuilding their lives.’
Ella was still in a state of shock. ‘So, let me get this straight – are they moving in with all their stuff? Furniture and things? Lock, stock and barrel?’
‘I’ve fully furnished their rooms because none of them had many possessions, but of course they’ll be bringing whatever bits and pieces they have to make them feel at home. We’ve already discussed what they’d need, and worked all that out.’
‘And is Hideaway going to be their permanent home?’
‘It’ll be whatever they want it to be. My solicitor has dealt with all the tenancy agreements and health and safety and boring legalese stuff. We’ve settled on a six-month period to start with. They may want to stay longer, they may well have found their feet and a new home by that time. Anyone who moves out will be replaced by another poor soul needing my help.’
‘Wow. Like Ash said, you’re amazing… mad, but amazing. Most people would run a mile from doing something like this.’
‘I’m not most people, as you’ve probably
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