Page 36 of A Letter to the Last House Before the Sea

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Rosie looked up from her computer when Lettie got back to Driftwood House. She’d given up any thoughts of exploring the village further, in spite of what she’d said to Corey. She felt too flustered.

‘Hello, there.’ Rosie closed the lid of her laptop.

‘Hello. Sorry, I don’t want to interrupt you.’

‘Don’t worry. The internet connection is playing up again so I can sort out my marketing some other time. Did you have a good day?’

‘Yes, thanks. I walked up to Cora Head – or Lovers’ Link, do you call it? – and before that I spent some time with Claude.’

‘Really? Did you see him in the pub?’

‘No, he let me into his cottage to see his photos and cuttings about old Heaven’s Cove.’

Rosie got to her feet, her mouth open. ‘Wow, you’re honoured. Not many people, particularly people Claude doesn’t know, ever get over his doorstep. He must have taken a shine to you. What did you think of him?’

Lettie thought back to the slightly odd, but quietly endearing man she’d spent time with that afternoon. He’d suddenly been so keen to get her out of his house, almost as if he was frightened of her.

‘He’s rather eccentric, but he seems like a nice man. A bit lonely maybe.’

‘I think so. We try to involve him in village life but he tends to keep himself to himself.’

‘Do you know much about his past?’

Rosie shrugged. ‘Not really. He’s always lived in the village, as far as I know.’

‘Has he always been single?’

‘I think so. He’s never been married and I’ve never heard talk of him having a partner. It’s just him and his dog, Buster. They go everywhere together. Was Claude helpful with your search for family info?’

‘Really helpful. Look!’ Lettie pulled the photo of Iris and Cornelius from her bag. ‘That’s my great-aunt Iris over seventy-five years ago, with Cornelius Allford next to her.’

‘Allford?’ Rosie took the photo and studied it closely. ‘Is he related to…?’

‘He was Florence’s brother, Corey’s great-uncle, who died in the war.’

‘That’s sad.’ Rosie handed the photo back. ‘Did you find out any more about Iris or her life here?’

‘No, not yet.’

Lettie hesitated. Should she tell Rosie about the run-in with Florence? She decided against it and changed the subject. ‘I bumped into Belinda again in the village.’

Rosie grinned. ‘She’s involved in everything and is quite hard to avoid.’

‘So I’m discovering – I keep bumping into her, and Simon too. I saw him in the pub on my first evening here, and in the churchyard yesterday.’

‘Is that the property guy?’ When Lettie nodded, Rosie took off her reading glasses and sat back in her chair. ‘He’s quite a smooth talker and presumably a good businessman, but he’s not making many friends in the village. He doesn’t want to buy the land that people have for sale, but he’s keen on buying up Cora Head for holiday housing.’

‘What do you think about it?’

‘Me?’ Rosie frowned and sucked the end of her pen for a moment. ‘I think it would be a shame to spoil that land with development, but I can see that people would love to wake up to that view, and I wouldn’t blame Florence for taking the money. I’m lucky because I wake up to a fabulous view every day.’

‘I’m surprised Simon hasn’t called on you to see if you’re up for selling. Oh,’ said Lettie, seeing Rosie’s expression. ‘He has tried to get you to sell?’

‘He had a chat to me about whether I’d be willing to sell Driftwood House so he could knock it down and build some holiday lets instead.’

‘What was your answer?’ asked Lettie, hoping against hope that this attractive, historic house was safe.