When’s It Due, Sophie Drew? by Katey Lovell

Author:Katey Lovell [Lovell, Katey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloodhound Books

Chapter 20

The minute I saw the house, I knew. The way the March sun reflected from the panes of glass in the pale green front door it was as though it was beckoning us in. My body seized up with the realisation my resolve was floundering.

“You can see why I fell in love with it, can’t you?” Max whispered as we were ushered into the house by the estate agent. Sweeping high ceilings greeted us in the hallway along with the varnished parquet floor I’d always secretly dreamed of.

“It’s lovely,” I admitted, poking my head around the door of the living room, which revelled in a glut of original features. The wood-burning stove was the focal point of the room, but looking up I was entranced by the cornicing and an exquisite ornate ceiling rose.

Each room was better than the next, the enormous kitchen-diner a room I could imagine nursing the baby in as Max put his own twist on recipes he’d downloaded from the BBC Food website. The south-facing conservatory was light and bright and would make a perfect playroom, leading straight out onto the long garden which seemed to go on forever, only broken by an apple tree with an old-fashioned string-and-plank swing. In the distance the faded purple sprigs of lavender Max had mentioned caught my attention.

Even the smallest bedroom was a decent size and would make the perfect craft room, especially as it boasted a ready-made storage solution – a walk-in cupboard with built-in shelving.

And the master bedroom was a delight, with a wrought-iron fireplace and a sparkling-new en suite. “They only put it in last summer,” the agent said. He must have picked up on my keenness. “Tasteful, isn’t it? And good to have an alternative to the main bathroom.”

And oh, the bathroom! It looked like it belonged in a spa hotel rather than a family home. It even had that smell, the fresh, faintly salty smell, that you found in a spa.

“You’d be able to come home and have a well-deserved soak at the end of the day,” Max said with a smile as I looked longingly at the roll-top bath. “Lots of bubbles, a few candles, a glass of wine…” His voice trailed off and I knew he’d won me around. This house would be ideal for us. It was everything that I’d ever hoped for, the wildest dream in a house-shaped package.

“Think how much it’s going to cost though,” I said, trying to keep a hold on my emotions. In the past my heart had ruled my head and it had ended up with me running up a five-figure credit card bill. “We’ve got to be sensible. The mortgage on this place must be twice what we pay in rent.”

“We could manage, Soph. I know we could. And if we don’t take a chance now, we’re going to miss out. Houses like this don’t come around very often, and definitely not at this price.”

“I know, I know. And I don’t want to be miserable about it, but I’m trying to be the voice of reason.

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