Chapter 2
With the front door finally closed, I took a deep breath and felt my shoulders relax as some of the tension I’d carried with me on the journey, and during my rather intense welcome to the square, started to ebb away.
‘What do you think of the door?’ Rafe asked, as I put down my bag and slipped off my shoes. ‘The panels are original to the house, but the previous owners had them set into a new frame and door.’
The geometric shapes the stained-glass panels were made up of were both striking and colourful and added an authentic touch to the entrance of the house.
‘I think it’s beautiful,’ I told him. ‘And I love that the last residents did this, it shows how much they cared for the house. I hope the sun catches it at some point during the day. It will look even lovelier then.’
Rafe looked delighted with my response. ‘I couldn’t agree more,’ he smiled. ‘So, full tour first or a comfort break and a cuppa?’
As I looked around the hallway I was already somewhat familiar with because of the detailed virtual tour he had given me, I could feel a welcome surge of excitement starting to bubble up and wanted to forge ahead.
‘I tell you what,’ I suggested. ‘Why don’t you make us a brew while I freshen up, and I’ll drink it as you show me around?’
‘Sure?’
‘Completely,’ I nodded. ‘I don’t want to wait another minute.’
I didn’t venture further than the downstairs cloakroom and waited in the hall, again admiring the detailing on the door and the ornately tiled floor, until Rafe returned with tea for both of us.
‘Is that all right?’ he asked as he handed me a mug. ‘I’m never sure if I make it strong enough for you, what with you being used to a Yorkshire blend.’
‘It’s perfect,’ I told him as I gratefully took the first comforting sip. ‘Thank you. Now,’ I smiled, inclining my head to the right, ‘I’m guessing this door is closed because the boys are in there?’
‘They are,’ Rafe confirmed. ‘I was going to hold off letting them out of their crate until you arrived so you could look at both sitting rooms and decide which you’d prefer, but with the time drawing on they were getting a bit antsy, so I thought it best to give them some space. I hope you don’t mind?’
‘Of course not,’ I told him. ‘We’ll look in there last, shall we?’
As my father and I had never spent much time together we’d agreed to have our own sitting rooms. They would afford us some privacy as we got used to living under the same roof. It might prove to be unnecessary, but I was grateful for the option of a domestic breakout space.
‘Yes, that’s a good idea. I’m hoping to introduce them to the house slowly. They’d only just got used to the rental after the trauma of their trip here from the States…’
‘I’m sure they’ll adjust just fine,’ I said, because he looked worried. ‘They’ll probably settle in sooner than me.’
‘Do you think you might have trouble settling in?’ He frowned and I instantly regretted what I’d said. I did think it was going to take me a while, but I really didn’t want to add to his concerns.
‘Of course not,’ I backtracked. ‘I was just saying that to try and make you feel better about the cats.’
‘That’s all right then,’ he said, clinking his mug against mine. ‘Drink a bit more and then we’ll make a start.’
The room to the right of the front door, where Rafe was acclimatising the cats, had previously been used as a family sitting room and had originally functioned as a dining room when the house was built.
I knew this from the detailed video tour he’d treated me to.
The room to the left was smaller, but with the same style of bay window to the front and the original fireplace with a not unattractive faux fire insert.
There were deep wooden fitted shelves either side of the chimney breast with practical cupboards underneath.
Rafe had asked the movers to deposit my much-loved William Morris fabric covered sofa and armchair in there and I couldn’t help thinking they looked like they had been made for the space.
I thought my books, which had been briefly kept in storage with most of my other things as well as everything Rafe had shipped from the US, would look right on the shelves, too.
‘This room was the kid’s playroom,’ Rafe explained. ‘The chap who surveyed the property said the chimney could quite easily be reinstated.’
‘But why would you want to?’ I shrugged, as he flicked a switch next to the fireplace and the flames leapt into life.
‘I think it looks lovely as it is. Real fires are beautiful of course, but do you really want the trouble of cleaning, laying and tending it? And in a room of this size, it’s most likely unnecessary, so would rarely be lit. ’
‘Um,’ he said. ‘I hadn’t really thought about that aspect of it. I suppose it would be a lot of work for an occasional real fire.’
‘And with this, you can have the look of the fire without the hassle.’
‘You’re right,’ he agreed. ‘We’ll leave it as it is.’
‘And I’d like to take this room,’ I said, looking around. ‘If that’s all right with you?’
‘You aren’t just saying that because your furniture is already in here, are you?’ he asked. ‘It’s smaller than the old dining room.’
‘I don’t mind the size. In fact, I like it. It feels cosy, and don’t you think the furniture looks like it’s meant to be here?’
He cocked his head and took the space in further.
‘Actually, it does look right. As if it’s been in here for ever,’ he nodded. ‘But don’t completely make up your mind until you’ve seen the other room later.’
‘All right,’ I said, but in truth I was already sold on the snug little space.
‘Kitchen next,’ Rafe said and led the way back through the hall which had storage built in under the stairs and the cloakroom I’d already visited. ‘The kitchen and dining area is part original and part extension.’
‘Oh wow,’ I gasped as I stepped into the room. ‘This looked impressive when you showed me on your phone, but it’s even lovelier in real life and it fits the house perfectly. What a sympathetic addition.’
‘I’m so pleased you think so,’ Rafe said as he also looked around. The extension was light and airy thanks to the pitched skylights and bifold doors that led out to the garden. ‘And it will be even lovelier once we’ve unpacked and got rid of all these boxes.’
As well as my few pieces of furniture, some kitchen paraphernalia had also been transported from Yorkshire ahead of me and now I could see our combined accumulation of boxes all together, I was looking forward to unpacking the contents and seeing them in situ.
‘I agree,’ I said on an out breath. ‘With Highfell being sold and packed up, I’ve felt like I’ve lived in a holding area for months. It will be good to be able to walk about without boxes and crates hindering every step.’
‘Yes, I feel the same way myself. Though I do appreciate your situation is different to mine, because I wanted to move.’
‘Yes,’ I said, then changed the subject because I didn’t want to spoil my first look at my new home with the memory of having just left my former one. ‘Let’s have another tea and carry on.’
‘And how about a slice of this Victoria sponge Lisa carried over with her? The jam is homemade and the eggs came from the hens in the community garden which, incidentally, is called the Grow-Well. How lovely is that?’
‘Very lovely,’ I said as I thought I might owe Lisa an apology for my unenthusiastic arrival. ‘I’d love a slice. Thank you.’
Upstairs, there were four bedrooms. The two large doubles both had en suites and the two smaller rooms shared a family bathroom. Given that a growing family had lived here before us, the place was remarkably pristine and wouldn’t need decorating in a rush.
I picked the double room at the back of the house because it offered a view of the garden and a huge oak tree in another property in a street behind the square, and Rafe was keen to take the one at the front because it had a double aspect.
‘I’m pleased that’s settled,’ he said as he checked his watch. ‘Because the new beds will be arriving within the hour. It would have been a nuisance to have to wait to set them up or move them if we hadn’t properly made up our minds and needed to switch them.’
‘Yes,’ I agreed. ‘I don’t think we could manage to do that on our own.’
‘I’m sure Lisa could have found us some help.’ I didn’t doubt that for a second. ‘I’m going to set up to write in the other bedroom at the back, so I hope my typing won’t disturb you.’
‘I’m rather hoping that it will,’ I contradicted. ‘Because it will mean you’ve found your muse again.’
‘That’s a good point,’ he smiled. ‘Here’s to many interruptions to your day!’
We went back downstairs and quietly went into the room where the cats were acclimatising to their most recent changes.
Socrates, black with white paws, was hunkered down behind some boxes, but the tabby, Plato, had stationed himself on the broad window ledge to check out the neighbours and have a good wash.
‘I hope Socrates is okay,’ Rafe frowned.
‘Given how nosy I know Socks usually is,’ I said, using the black cat’s nickname, ‘he won’t be able to resist joining Plato soon.’
‘I daresay you’re right,’ Rafe agreed.
‘Give it a few days and it will feel like we’ve been here for years,’ I said, optimistically.
I knew it was likely to take me longer, but there was no harm in hoping.
‘And I know you’ve already told me off for saying it, but I really am grateful to you, Rafe.
I don’t know where I would have ended up if you hadn’t offered to put a roof over my head. ’
‘And some respite to go along with it,’ he reminded me again. ‘I know you’ve previously told me off for mentioning it, but I mean it Skylar. Ten years you’ve been working without any proper time off. You need to make the most of this opportunity to rest and recalibrate.’
‘I know,’ I nodded. ‘And I promise I’m going to try.’