Read Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor for Free Online Page A

England together.”
    They rolled their luggage out to the parking garage, and when they found their rental car—a compact Volkswagen—Ella opened the door on the right side and started to climb inside.
    Heather leaned against the door behind her, holding up the keys. “You want to try it?”
    Ella backed away from the vehicle. “I’m not driving on the wrong side of the road.”
    “It’s not wrong over here.”
    She hurried to the passenger side of the car and buckled in before Heather insisted she try.
    As they cruised slowly out of the airport, Heather regaining her confidence in driving on the opposite side, Ella talked about her new job as an account executive and all the weekend trips she and Matthew had planned for the summer. Heather would never tell Ella, but some days she missed her daughter so much, her heart ached. After Jeffery left, some days—and some months—it had been hard raising a child alone, but she and Ella had leaned into each other like two hearty trees that had sprouted from different roots, their trunks entwined into one. And they’d remained there until Ella began growing her branches. Then the winds of life blew her daughter in a different direction.
    It was a strange season, having her daughter married and off working in another state now. Ella used to say they were two peas in a pod , traveling, playing, and even studying together when Heather returned to college to finish her degree. They were still two peas, just no longer in the same pod. Ella had a husband and a career, and Heather treasured these rare mother-daughter moments.
    “Tell me everything that’s happening at home,” Ella said, but when Heather started talking about her latest restoration projects, her daughter yawned.
    Some moms sang their children to sleep when they were young. Others read a book or told a story. All Heather had to do was start talking about the details of her work, and her daughter would be asleep in minutes. Ella was as curious as her grandfather about the world, but she had little tolerance for details or order.
    For a while, Heather thought none of the efficient, orderly genes from the Doyle side of the family had passed down into her daughter’s life, but about five years ago, Ella suddenly realized she needed to develop a somewhat orderly schedule to maintain a job. Fortunately, she didn’t need to sit still for long in her position with the marketing firm.
    “Surely you’ve been doing something other than working,” Ella said.
    “There’s not much time for anything else,” Heather replied, drumming her fingers as she drove.
    Ella eyed the steering wheel. “Are you nervous?”
    “No.”
    “Perhaps there are some friends in Bibury you’ll want to see.”
    “Most everyone has moved away.” Glancing over, she saw Ella studying her face. “What?”
    “I wonder if one of your old boyfriends still lives here.”
    Heather managed a grin. Ella, in her four months of marriage, now thought herself an expert on relationships and she was determined to help her mother find love again. But there were no relationships Heather wanted to discuss. As long as Ella didn’t find out about Christopher, everything would be fine. “Maybe,” she finally said with a shrug.
    Ella clapped her hands. “Is he still single?”
    “Probably not.”
    Ella sighed. “Then I guess you’ll have no choice but to stick with Nick.”
    “I’m not sticking with anyone—” She stopped herself, glancing back over at her daughter. “What’s wrong with Nick?”
    “He’s a bit stuffy and . . .”
    Her eyebrows climbed. “And what?”
    “You need to be with someone who’s not like you!”
    “You’re saying I’m stuffy?” she asked as she pulled down the sun visor.
    Ella tilted her head. “A bit.”
    “You’re getting quite bold in your older years.”
    “Matthew says I need to practice transparency.”
    “Don’t feel compelled to be so transparent with me.”
    When Ella laughed, Heather’s heart