The Knapthorne Conspiracy by Malcolm Ballard (best english novels for beginners txt) 📕

my meaning. Nothing personal like but it’ll just take time until they gets to know you. You’ll see. I don’t think you should be worrying yourself about Willow Cottage, not that I know of, leastways.”

“What were they doing, distilling the gin while you waited?” Ben made the remark in good humour, for which Bella gave him an old-fashioned look.

“I was talking to Mr. Handysides about the cottage.”

“Mr. who?”

“The landlord. This bar’s got more ears than a field of corn. When I mentioned that Willow Cottage had come into my possession, you could have heard a pin drop.”

“So?” Ben couldn’t see anything unusual in the reaction, given that she was a stranger.

“So, I felt that there was something creepy about it. Call me a suspicious novelist, if you like but I don’t think I’m wrong.”

“Perhaps, with all the excitement, you’re over-reacting?” Bella looked at him, long and hard, while she took a sip of her drink.

“Correct me if I’m wrong,” she said, mischievously, “but I believe you’re a solicitor, not a psychologist? There was something very odd about it, believe me.” She looked at her watch. “Anyway, we’d better be getting back before too long so that I can have a good look round.”

“You’m off to Willow Cottage, then?” Neither of them had noticed Alfie approach the table.

“Yes, Alfie,” Bella replied, politely. “Why’s that?” She had no recollection of Alfie having been anywhere around when she’d had the conversation at the bar. How, then, had he come to hear about the cottage?

“There’s folks round here knows about Willow Cottage!” It was plain to see that he appeared agitated. “They might not say nothin’ but they know, miss, mark my words!”

“Alfie!” Samuel Handysides voice rang out sharply. “Don’t you be botherin’ Miss Foxton, now, d’you hear. Get down the cellar and finish cleaning up.” Ben watched him go, concern clearly evident on his face.

“What the hell was that all about, I’d like to know?” he said, mystified by what had happened. Bella looked thoughtful as she suddenly finished her drink.

“Do you believe me now?” As she stood up, her chair scraped across the linoleum. “Come on, Ben, I think it’s time for some fresh air and a change of scenery.” Caught out by the swiftness of her action, he looked longingly at the remaining lager in his glass but decided to leave it.

“Might be seeing you again, then, sir?” Samuel Handysides had seen Bella leave and watched now as Ben stood up.

“You might, indeed,” Ben agreed, as he turned to leave.

“Best not keep the lady waiting, then,” Samuel advised him.

“You wouldn’t catch me keepin’ ‘er waiting for anythin’!” an earthy old voice volunteered and a chorus of laughter bade farewell to Ben as he went out the door.

The atmosphere in the car as they set off on the short drive back to the cottage was in sharp contrast to the mood that had prevailed on the journey to the pub.

“Didn’t exactly come across as your friendly local hostelry, somehow, did it?”

Bella’s thoughts were consumed by everything that had just happened and Ben’s remark didn’t really register.

“Bella?

“Hm? What’s that?” she asked, absent-mindedly.

“I said it wasn’t the most welcoming place I’d ever been in, don’t you agree?” Unusually for her, she looked a little intense as she answered him.

“I don’t know. I’ve just been thinking about it. Looking back on the whole episode, I suppose it’s very easy to over-react…” Ben couldn’t believe what he was hearing and didn’t let her finish.

“Well, that’s not how you were feeling back there, is it?” He made no effort to conceal his surprise. “Why the sudden change of heart?” Glancing sideways, to prompt a reply, he found it hard to take his eyes off her.

“If you knew me well, Ben, you’d find there is an impulsive side to my nature. I’ve a tendency to do things on the spur of the moment or make instant decisions, not necessarily with regard to trivial matters either.”

“Could make life interesting!” Given the little Ben did know about her, he didn’t find it difficult to believe.

“I’m trying to be a little more objective now. If I can recognise the symptoms early enough, that is!” she said, with a wry laugh. “The atmosphere in the pub wasn’t particularly pleasant but I’m trying to see it from their side of things, too.”

“But you felt, to use your words,” Ben said, emphatically, “that there was something creepy about it.” Bella took a deep breath then let it out, slowly.

“That’s how I read it at the time, but you were the one to suggest I may have been over-reacting and, in hindsight, you may have been right.” She looked across at him, to see his reaction, as they turned into Spinney Lane.

“Ok, then” he began, thoughtfully, “what about Alfie’s comment?” Bella greeted this remark with a dubious look.

“I’d rather tend to be asking the question, what about Alfie, wouldn’t you?”

“How do you mean?” Ben asked, keeping his eyes firmly on the winding road.

“Well he’s obviously one cuckoo short of a nest, to put it politely, so how much credence can you give to anything he says? What were his words, exactly?”

“There’s folks round here knows about Willow Cottage!” Ben, mimicked, giving a passable impression of a Dorset accent.

“There you are then!” Bella exclaimed, triumphantly. “Depending on your imagination, it can be as harmless or, on the other hand, as portentous as you want it to be.” As she was speaking, Ben spotted the tall oak at the bottom of the drive leading to the cottage.

“I have to agree,” Ben admitted, as he turned off Spinney Lane, “that now we’re out of there it all seems rather harmless.”

“Just city slickers off of their home turf, eh?” Bella suggested. The cottage came into view, bringing a smile to her face and dismissing all other matters from her mind. “Here we are!” she said, enthusiastically. “Right, where shall we start?”

 

Chapter Four

Bella was suffused by a warm, very selfish feeling of absolute well-being causing