STONES OF FIRE

By Tessa Harvey

CHAPTER ONE

(Continued)

Leaf bustled around her kitchen happily. Her given name was Phyllis, but she had been called Leaf or Phyll by her friends and family for a long time, partly because she loved to dress in reds, oranges, greens and brown "like leaves" her friend May had once giggled.

There was a sudden loud knocking on the door. Dropping her spatula, Leaf opened the door, hoping it wasn't the children playing tricks again. They sometimes leaned over the small porch roof linked to the wall next door and banged with a broom pretending someone was there!!

But when she opened the door, her smile faltered. The men waiting there were not the kind you wanted to greet very warmly.

"Hello madam. We are looking for a B&B. Can you recommend one anywhere? The older man leaned forward , peering around her into her home. The younger one just stared at her assessingly.

Leaf recovered her poise. She had just seen her husband Neville turn into the street before calling out to him rather louder than necessary, then giving the men details of accommodation.

Nev glanced at his wife, sized up the situation and frowned at the men as they sauntered cockily past. Just then her children came tearing home and she forgot the strange men until the middle of the night. She woke up briefly, thought of them unwittingly, murmured a prayer and went back to sleep, glad she did not live alone.    


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