An introduction.
This is an introduction to a longer series. It contains little in the way of instant relief. For that you will have to wait for Chapter 2.
I was in my mid-thirties before I bought my first house. I had recently got divorced after she ran off with a chicken farmer, of all people. It took me a while to recover from the trauma of it all, but I slowly got my life back on track. Once I had cheered myself up, I determined to enjoy my new freedom. I was still relatively young, and the world was out there waiting for me. I decided the first thing I needed was a base, so I bought a house.
It wasn't a new house but had been built in the mid-fifties according to the estate agent. It was the last house in a street of respectable detached houses in the suburbs. They were all more or less identical apart from minor changes various owners had made over the years. A variety of porches added and most now held the obligatory double-glazed windows, some in white plastic and some, like mine, in dark oak. Opposite was a green space and then the countryside beyond. They all had very 50's bow window fronts and a certain post-war feeling of opulence trying to combat the general austerity of the time.
When I said it was the last house on the street that isn't quite correct. Next to mine but separated and standing apart from the rest of the us was a large house, almost a mansion. It was much older, and the rest of the houses looked like interlopers. I wondered who lived there but all the estate agent knew was that her name was Miss Havering. I had immediate visions of some wizened crone brandishing a walking stick at me if I made too much noise. Luckily, I enjoyed the quiet life.
I'd been there about three weeks and had almost finished moving in when I first met her. Apart from work my time had been spent unpacking boxes, putting up shelves, doing a little redecorating. All the multitude of jobs when one first moves in. Finally, I had decided to take some time out and chill. It was the height of summer and the middle of a heatwave. I grabbed a book and a glass of wine and went to sit in the back garden. At the front, the street was open plan with one front garden flowing into the next. Apart from the final big house that had a high wall surrounding it. At the back it was different.
The previous owners had put up a high wood-weave fence on both sides and at the far end which gave me a nice privacy. There was a gate in the far fence that led onto a lane and, most curiously, there was a second one halfway along the fence that separated me from the big house. I thought this was odd, but I had yet to summon up the courage to try and open it and peer inside. I sat on the patio, also provided by the previous owner, in a folding chair and enjoyed the sunshine. I was wearing an old t-shirt and a very tatty pair of shorts, both paint spattered and needing to be thrown away, but both still useful until I had finished the decorating. I closed my eyes as began to drift off, the warm sun lulling me to sleep.
I was brought back suddenly by a click and a squeak. I blinked as the sun hit my eyes.
"Hello," came a distant, female voice.
I looked around trying to locate its source. I became aware that the side gate was now open, and a figure was occupying the space, silhouetted by the sun behind her. I sat up still dazzled by the light.
"Sorry to disturb you but I saw you sitting out, so I thought I'd come and say hello ... I'm your neighbour."
"Oh, hi," I said, stammering like a confused idiot, "pleased to meet you."
"Delighted to meet you," she replied, "may I ...?" she asked taking a step into my garden.
"Of course," I said, standing up, "let me grab another chair."
Clumsily I got up and grabbed one that was leaning against the wall and opened it up. I put it down next to mine and stepped aside. She smiled and walked over.
"That's very kind of you," she said, taking her seat.
"Would you like a drink?" I asked, suddenly remembering my manners, "tea? ... coffee?"
She looked at the wine glass on the paving next to my chair and smiled. "One of those will do nicely."
"I'll be right back," I said breezily.
I walked into the kitchen and fumbled around looking for a clean wine glass. Something told me that grubby finger marks would not do. I couldn't work out quite why I was feeling this way, but the woman had an undeniable air of being in control despite having intruded into my space. I opened a new bottle of wine, one of my more extravagant purchases made in a moment of madness. I had the sense that she could taste cheapness. I went back out and filled both our glasses and then sat down. I could not take my eyes off her.
This was most definitely not the wrinkly old crone I had expected. She was young and slim and absolutely gorgeous. Her hair was brown with a hint of red, cut into a short and elegant bob. She was dressed simply but, I was guessing, expensively. I don't know much about these things, but I reckoned her simple white t-shirt cost the same as my weekly food bill. She wore nicely tailored white slacks and white, low sandals. I was already totally in awe.
"I'm Eliza, by the way," she said, interrupting my stunned silence. she held out her hand and I took it gently.
"Hi Eliza," I managed to blurt out, "I'm Duncan."
"So, what is it you do, Duncan?" she asked, taking a first sip of her wine. Something in me seemed to melt as she smiled and nodded her approval. I'm not sure she was aware of the effect she was having on me, but I have a feeling she was. I also felt I wasn't the first to fall under her spell.
