Colton Manor Read Free

was tired and unmotivated as she stared at the blank canvass in front of her.
    “Hel lo, is there anyone home?” The voice floated up the stairs, just barely audible above the rain and distant crashing of waves on the rocks. Ursula jumped in shock at the unexpected sound. Although she’d only been at Colton Manor a short time she’d become accustomed to the silence, and the intrusion seemed harsh and out of place.
    She didn’t know anyone in the area, and she felt slightly apprehensive as she made her way downstairs. Through the glass door at the back of the house leading into the kitchen she could see a woman with springy blonde curls standing on the veranda. She was dressed casually in jeans, and in her hand she held a plate with a cake on it. She appeared to be around thirty.
    “Hi, I hope you don’t mind me intruding like this. I live around the point with my family. We’re your closest neighbours. When Yvette from the real estate agency told me you were out here on your own I thought I’d better come and introduce myself. I’m Bonnie Forbes.”
    “Oh, thanks, that’s really nice of you. Please come in and I’ll make a fresh pot of coffee. I’m Ursula.” Bonnie hesitated as Ursula held the door open for her.
    “Do you mind if we sit outside? The veranda is completely sheltered from the rain.”
    “ It’s a bit cold don’t you think? I can put the heater on in the kitchen and it will be nice and warm.”
    “I’d really prefer to sit outside if that’s okay. Here, this is a welcome gift for you.” She held out the chocolate cake towards her.
    “ Okay, thanks” said Ursula as she took it. “You go ahead and I’ll be right out.” As she boiled the kettle and cut a piece of cake each, she contemplated the woman’s strange behaviour. The rain was setting in, and it would be very uncomfortable outside, but it was almost as if Bonnie didn’t want to come into the house. She seemed nice enough though, and Ursula could use the company. Grabbing a scarf someone had left in the hall closet she retrieved the tray from the kitchen and went outside to brave the elements. 
    Bonnie had made h erself comfortable at the table on the veranda and as they chatted amiably Ursula discovered that her neighbour was a school teacher with three young children. She and her husband had moved to the area five years earlier to escape the city grind.
    “Please tell me the weathe r gets better than this. I really don’t want to spend my summer wearing a coat and scarf. My friends will be very glad they couldn’t make it if it rains the whole time I’m here.”
    “What happened to your friends , if you don’t mind me asking? Yvette at the real estate agency said a group of you rented the house but the others had backed out after you’d paid. That seems a bit unfair.”
    “Oh, it wasn’t their fault. My best friend Rachel was in an accident and she broke her leg. Her boyfriend obviously couldn’t come without her. The other person, Dale, well, he and I had a bit of a thing going but we split up not long ago. It would have been fine if the others had come, but we both agreed that just the two of us would have been a bit awkward.”
    “ And you couldn’t you find anyone else?”
    “No, by the time all this happened everyone had made plans, so I had no choice but to come on my own. ”
    “How have you found it so far?”
    “To be honest it’s a bit lonely, I’m used to being around people all the time, so it’s hard being by myself. I think I’ve started imagining things. I actually thought I heard someone calling me in the middle of the night last night.” She expected Bonnie to laugh, but instead she looked serious, and she didn’t say anything for a moment.
    S he cleared her throat and looked uncomfortable before she finally spoke. “I really don’t know how to put this, and I don’t want to scare you, but there are rumours about this house that you should know about.”
    “What sort of rumours?”