Coombe's Wood Read Online Free PDF Page B

all-over sweat. She wiped her palms on her jeans and walked to her front door. She hadn’t heard them come back. With luck, they’d not caught anything. She’d say thank you from the threshold, and leave. She paced back through the living room, and out to the balcony.
    A bitter wind blew, and she wrapped her arms around her body. Night had fallen early and thick clouds blotted out the view, only vague outlines of the hills distinguishable. She wondered where they were, perhaps in those woods. Maybe Connor was in trouble, and there was nothing she could do about it. She had let the best part of her life out of sight with some strange man.
    She’d caught the scent of lavender on him earlier. Or thought she had. What normal man wears perfume? Certainly, no cologne she knew resembled lavender. Izzy paced back into Connor’s room, put the shelves against the far wall, and arranged his magazines and books on them. One of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books slid down. She picked it up, leafing through the pages. Rincewind amused her, and for the first time that afternoon, her worries faded away as she entered the bizarre world of wizards and living luggage.
    A bang on the door sounded. Izzy jumped, dropping the book, and then jumping to her feet. She glanced at her watch, how long had she read? There was a second knock, followed by a woman’s voice calling, “Hellooo?”
    “Who the hell?” Izzy muttered. She stayed in Connor’s room, not sure she wanted to meet anyone. Then the person rapped again.
    “Coming,” Izzy called out, and put the book back on the shelf.
    She opened the door to a middle-aged woman, a large bunch of colourful flowers obscuring her face. She peeked out between two sprays of gypsophilia. Pink lilies, carnations and chrysanthemums hid the rest of her face.
    “Hi, hope I’m not disturbing you. My name is Cathy. I live in number eight, the flat above yours.” She held the bouquet out, exposing a skin creased by laughter. “Sorry it’s taken me so long to knock, but I lose weeks like some people lose socks.” She pushed the flowers into Izzy’s hands. “These are for you, a welcoming present.” Cathy grinned. “Hope you like them.”
    “Thanks. I’m Izzy.” She took them, breathing in their perfumes. “I love lilies, and don’t they smell lovely?” She opened the door wider. “Would you like to come in?”
    “Love to.”
    “You’d best come through to the kitchen. We haven’t got much furniture yet. I can do tea, though.”
    Cathy peered into the rooms as she passed by. “Reminds me of when Lou and I moved in. For months, all we had was a bed.” She giggled. “Didn’t need much else.”
    Izzy glanced at the clock. Quarter-to-six.
    “Milk and sugar?”
    “Ooo, yes. Two spoons. I never did manage to give up the sweet tooth. You know, Lou and I put a spare sofa in our storage unit. Would you like it?” She took her mug, and leaned against the counter. “It’s almost new, but Lou found a half-price deal at a furniture shop in Reading. He’s always wanted a leather one, and couldn’t resist. We were going to sell the old sofa, but apparently if there’s no fire rating thingy, no one’s interested.”
    “I couldn’t pay you much … ”
    “We don’t want money.” Cathy chuckled. “Lord knows. You’d be doing us a favour.”
    “You sure?” Izzy asked.
    “Yes. I’ll tell Lou to get the trailer out and bring the sofa around tomorrow night. That soon enough?”
    “Fabulous, thanks!”
    “So, where’d you move from?”
    “Chester. You been there?”
    The other woman shook her head. “Don’t travel well. How far away is that?”
    “Took us five hours.”
    “Must have been a big reason for the move – work?”
    “No. Personal.” Izzy shifted nervously against the counter.
    “Bad break-up?”
    “Something like that.”
    “Shame.” Cathy put her half-full mug in the sink. “Sorry I can’t finish the tea. Lou’s back soon, and I need to get the tea on. You