Deceit of Angels by Julia Bell

the Volvo Estate and
set off for the Grange.  Ben drove and it was hoped that the journey would be
trouble free.  They travelled first through heavy city traffic and then into
the countryside.  It was going to be a hot day and as they drove along Anna
insisted on winding down the windows even though Ben complained that that
wasn’t necessary since the car’s air conditioning was in good working order. 
Anna would have none of it.  She didn’t want to be closed in on such a
beautiful day and wanted to feel the breeze in her face.  Her excitement at
spending time at Jason’s childhood home had made her feel carefree and
contented as a small child and she had decided to enjoy herself.
    The
journey took longer than expected, as they were forced to stop while a farmer
and his herdsman rounded up about a dozen cows that had escaped from the field
and had wandered onto the road.  The cows seemed to want to go anywhere but
back to the meadow, the antics of the two men causing a great deal of amusement
for the people waiting patiently in the car.  Until one beast attempted to push
its head through Anna’s window causing her to squeal. 
    Finally,
they reached the gates that stood tall and proud at the end of the drive and
Jason jumped out to swing them open.  As the car passed through, Anna’s mouth
nearly fell open in surprise.  She had assumed that Jason’s childhood home was
just a large house called the Grange, but it was obvious that it was much, much
more.  She noticed the wonderfully entwined leaves in the elaborate ironwork of
the gate and then the drive up to the house.  Closing the gates after them, Jason
got back in the car and they drove up the drive and into the forecourt at the
front of the house.
    It
was an impressive building, in the style of an Elizabethan manor with ivy
growing along the walls.  But the most wonderful adornment was the boxes and baskets
filled to capacity with lobelia, geranium and chrysanthemums.  The main
entrance was set back in a substantial porch-like structure, above it three
more storeys, with windows of small panes of glass.  But to the left and right
of the main door the building extended a good hundred metres in each direction
as three storeys, until finally becoming four storeys again at each end.  Anna
smiled as she surveyed its expanse and wondered if it had changed much since it
had been built.  Somehow she felt very little had been done to the external
structure except for the necessary repairs and maintenance. 
    “It’s
wonderful,” said Anna, peering upwards. “It’s as though time has stood still.” 
    Jason
responded with a chuckle, as he helped Ben to empty the luggage from the back
of the Volvo.  “That’s been said many times before.”
    She
followed Mrs Wilby through the sturdy oak door and into the main hall where a
small figure with short, curly hair greeted them. 
    “My
dears, you’ve arrived!” she smiled.  “I was getting quite worried.  The travel
news seemed to say there were hold ups everywhere.”  Suddenly a golden
retriever appeared and made its way straight to Anna.  She backed away alarmed
at its wet, inquisitive nose that nuzzled her hand. The woman stepped forward briskly
and caught hold of its collar. “Come away, Tess! People don’t want you
slobbering over them.”
    Anna
felt embarrassed.  “I’m so sorry.  I’m not really a dog person.  My mother
wouldn’t have one in the house.”
    “That’s
perfectly OK, my dear.  Please don’t worry about it.  She’s very friendly
though, so I’ll put her in the kitchen.”
    “Oh,
please don’t do that,” said Anna in alarm. “It’s her home not mine.”
    Jason
suddenly burst through the door with Ben hot on his heels. They dropped the
luggage on the floor and Jason flung his arms round his mother, nearly pulling
her off her feet.
    “We
would have been here earlier, but we got held up by a herd of cows,” said
Jason, winking at Anna.  He bent towards the