Chapter 2

What was it about empty houses? Nina heard her footsteps echo as she entered each room. The place felt chilly and slightly damp. The rooms were a good size and pretty much how she remembered them from the viewing, but there was a sense of disappointment. Was that because of her reluctance to move, or was it a feeling about the house?

In case Nina hadn't thought about it, Joy produced a box from the boot of their car, from which she took a kettle, tea bags, mugs, milk and spoons. After the tour, she had headed for the kitchen to make the, first of many, cups of tea. Hopefully, a warm drink would thaw Nina's apathy.

There was a bit of dust, a few cobwebs, but nothing much else that needed cleaning. After making tea, Joy delved into the box and retrieved dusters and polish.

"I'll just have a flick around everywhere."

Nina let her go. Rory and Martin had gone outside to look at the garden and she was left standing in the kitchen. The cupboards and drawers were opened and closed without much enthusiasm. Ambling to the end of the room, she peered through the French windows onto the garden.

The hedge marked the boundary of their land and beyond that were fields. The occasional tree broke up the view, with a road barely visible in the far distance. Nina felt like she was adrift in a sea of green. Rory was waving at her, a grin on his face, and she raised her hand in acknowledgement. Remembering to look happy, she forced the corners of her mouth up.

The kitchen had been circled several times before the sound of the lorry broke through Nina's distraction and drew her to the front door. Rory jogged up, from the side of the house, and began chatting to the removal men. He got on well with everyone. Within minutes they were laughing together and then the doors were opened and the work began.

As furniture was placed in rooms, the echoes vanished and everything looked a bit better. Nina put her china, all thankfully intact, onto shelves and filled cupboards with pots and pans. The matching toaster and kettle stood next to each other, their pale blue adding some colour to the cream and grey décor.

Bit by bit, personal items were put in place. Clothes in wardrobes, toiletries in the bathrooms, and ornaments in the lounge. The smallest of the bedrooms was the place that unemptied boxes were stowed. Nina had glimpsed into them, but she was getting tired and just couldn't make any more decisions. There was nothing in them that needed immediate attention.

Joy and Martin had been working hard all day. They left once the majority of things had been put in place. Nina opened packets which held crisp new bedding and prepared their bed for their first night in the new house. Standing back to survey her work, a feeling of contentment emerged at last. They were in without, too much, drama.

"Already it feels like home." Rory was happy.

"We're getting there." Nina wasn't convinced yet.

"I bet you have ideas forming about how you are going to decorate the place. I bow to your superior taste in that area."

"Tomorrow, I'll have a chance to give it some thought. At the moment I'm tired and hungry."

A Chinese was delivered. A local takeaway was a glimpse of light, at least. The furniture was more or less in the right place. Most of the boxes and crates had been emptied. Their new life in Fernborough was about to begin.

Nina climbed into bed that night, exhausted. Sleep was elusive though. The silence of the countryside was unnerving rather than peaceful. This was just one of the things that would take some getting used to. The events of the day were analysed over and over again, as she tossed and turned.

Joy and Martin had been helpful and kind. They had departed at the right time, leaving Nina and Rory to enjoy their new home. The house was big and had light, airy rooms. In time the place would grow on her. Seeing Rory so excited, it was hard to not have some of that rub off on her. It would work out fine. All that was needed was a little time.