Read A Well Kept Secret for Free Online

completely modernised since his childhood visit. He vividly recalled the huge scrubbed table that had held pride of place in the centre of the room when he last visited the house, along with the large welsh dresser to one side, and of course the old fashioned range. It was all gone now, replaced by fitted units, washing machine, cooker, microwave oven and all manner of culinary aids. In place of the old scrub-top table stood a very modern kitchen one, with four chairs placed round it. Everything was in a pristine condition.

    He crossed the room and opened the door that gave access to the rear of the house. The old solid wooden affair that he remembered had long since vanished, and its replacement had a large glass panel in it that gave additional light in that part of the kitchen. Beyond the door was another large patio leading into a kitchen garden, in which a good selection of healthy looking vegetables gave evidence of recent care. Judging from appearances, even following the death of his uncle, those people that had worked for him had continued to care for his home as if he was still with them.

    He returned into the building, locking the door behind him, and retraced his steps to the hallway. He collected his cases from where he had placed them close to the front door, and carried them up the thickly carpeted stairs. The room at the back had been prepared for him, Mrs Brent had said. As he subsequently discovered following a leisurely browse round on the first floor, this was the smallest of the four bedrooms, although still of a respectable size and bright and airy. It looked out over the restful vista of the rear garden, and no doubt caught the morning sun. The room was nicely decorated, and furnished with a comfortable double bed. Just looking at the bed brought a sudden pang of sorrow. If only it had been a single bed it might have helped. He tried to turn his mind away from Alicia as he unpacked his clothing and personal effects, stowing them in the drawers of the dressing table or into the large oak wardrobe.

    There was no en-suite, and that was only to be expected in the circumstances. There was a large bathroom complete with a shower adjacent to the room he was using, and here he placed his toiletries. He finished his preliminary examination of the building by looking briefly into the other bedrooms, which were all clean and tidy, but with dust-sheets over the beds and other furniture, the first he had seen in the building. There was a further flight of stairs leading to what used to be servants quarters, and it was evident from a cursory glance that these were now used solely as box rooms. He half expected to find accumulated dust in a part of the house that was manifestly unused, yet once again, although the rooms were well cluttered with junk, everything was as clean as if it had been attended to that very day.

    Returning once more to the ground floor, he walked out from the dining room French windows and took a stroll down the surprisingly extensive garden, admiring the variety of plants and shrubs on display. It was a garden that would undoubtedly have delighted Alicia, and once again the familiar pang struck him as he thought about her and the fact that she would never be able to see it for herself. About half way down the garden, just beyond a screen of neatly pruned evergreens, he came across the large ornamental pond complete with a fountain that he vaguely remembered from his childhood. There was a seat beside this, situated in a sort of rose bower, and he stayed there for a while watching the carp and other fish in the water as well as the occasional bird that came down to drink or bathe in the purpose-built shallows at one end. He sat there for a quite a while, just relaxing and enjoying the rural peace of the spot. Eventually he stirred himself and returned into the house where he ascended to his room once again to finish sorting out his luggage. With the task complete, he went off to enjoy a