Julia
felt something brush against her ankle. She looked down. A large
brown cat was crouching under the table. It flicked its tail from
side to side and made a moaning sound in its throat. ‘It’s
just a cat!’
She tried to stroke it, but the animal gave a worried mew and ran
out from under the table, still swishing its tale.
‘Oh, please yourself,’ said Julia, pouring some tea.
‘I could live here,’ said Mark, after a moment. ‘It’s
very peaceful.’
‘Yes. I bet they were happy here. The family, I mean. It’s
such a beautiful house.’
‘Then it’s settled!’ said Mark cheerfully. ‘If
we win the Lottery on Saturday, we’ll go to the owner and
say “Name your price!”’
‘The prize money might not cover it’” said Julia,
who always took this sort of conversation very seriously. ‘Anyway,
it’s owned by a charity. Which is a good thing. It means that
everyone can enjoy it,’ she shivered slightly. ‘Is it
just me, or is it getting chilly?’
‘Sun’s gone in,’ said Mark.
A cloud had passed in front of the sun. The wind returned, disturbing
the napkins and rattling the lid on the teapot.
|
‘Typical
British summer,’ remarked Julia, cutting into her second scone.
While she was adding the jam and cream, there was another groaning
noise, louder this time.
‘Sounds like our furry friend’s back,’ said Mark.
They both looked around for the cat, but it was not there. They
looked at each other in confusion. The courtyard seemed to grow
even colder.
‘Excuse me,’ said a voice behind them.
The couple jumped. Mark almost dropped the teapot. They turned to
see the elderly man who had entered the courtyard a few minutes
earlier. He was dressed in a long brown coat, and held a walking
stick. Julia thought he looked vaguely familiar, but she did not
know why.
‘I’m sorry if I startled you. I just wondered if I could
borrow your menu? There isn’t one on my table.’ His
voice was soft and polite.
‘That’s all right,’ said Julia, laughing at her
own jumpiness. ‘It was that groaning noise…we thought
it was the house cat, but it’s not here…’
The man looked at her curiously. ‘What groaning noise?’
‘Surely you heard…’ Julia tailed off when she
saw the man’s blank expression.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I must be imagining
things.’ |
