Permelia Cottage by Carole Lehr Johnson

Author:Carole Lehr Johnson [Johnson, Carole Lehr]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781952928000
Publisher: Ink Map Press
Published: 2020-05-28T22:00:00+00:00

April and Ryan walked leisurely along the tree-shaded driveway from Horden Castle. The day had developed into a fine spring-like afternoon. The sound of a motor sporadically drummed out the chirping birds and a distant barking dog. They continued in silence along the cobblestone.

April was unsure if Ryan had noticed Mr. Heard’s reaction to the news of his mother’s death. She’d only met him a few times, but he’d always remembered her name. He was a very thoughtful man and seemed to be a sincere person. His expression revealed how deeply the news of Mrs. Wilkinson’s death had affected him. Was it the loss of a friend or something more? Maybe that’s why Ryan was so quiet, perhaps digesting the encounter.

Ryan ended the silence. “Thanks for the tour, April. It was a great history lesson—especially since I had ancestors who lived here at one time.”

A calico cat streaked across their path with a dog close behind, bringing the conversation and their steps to a halt. They watched the pair run into a small meadow. The cat lowered himself into the grass, hidden from the dog’s sight as it came bounding into the field, head swinging side to side in search of its quarry. Suddenly, the cat jumped straight up and pounced on the dog’s back.

April drew in a breath and held it, fearing the cat would be bitten in half by the huge retriever. She swung toward Ryan in silent appeal for a rescuer.

Ryan watched her and read the look. “It wouldn’t be wise to intervene.” He shrugged. A sharp bark brought their attention back to the spectacle playing out in the grass.

The scene changed—the dog rolled over onto his back. The cat pounced and positioned himself onto the dog’s chest. The dog licked the cat in the face. The cat stood perfectly still to allow the attention and lay on his chest while the dog’s tail wagged rapidly.

Ryan’s laugh started as a chuckle, ballooning into hearty laughter. Relieved she wasn’t to witness any animal violence, April joined in. The animals heard the commotion and ran to meet the strangers, this time the cat followed the dog who rubbed against Ryan’s legs. April bent and petted the cat’s ears as it purred appreciatively. Ryan’s laughter receded as he stroked the dog’s head. “Aren’t you aware that cats are the enemy?”

She looked up at Ryan. “Hey, don’t tell him that. It may give him ideas.”

The incident had altered Ryan’s mood. He was cheerful, and April used the opportunity to pursue what had been going through her mind minutes before the dog-cat chase.

“Your mum never mentioned Mr. Heard?” She focused on the cat until he started to rise. If he’d heard, he didn’t comment. He stood and dusted dog hair from his hands. Why had she asked? It was none of her business.

“Do you want to grab a late lunch … or an early dinner?” he asked her unexpectedly.

April realized she was hungry. Her breakfast of tea and blueberry scones had long since deserted her.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.