The Legacy of Hope House by Dilys Xavier

having decided to set it aside for Quentin Hale.
    The day seemed to have gone quickly, and the boys were gathering their tools ready to leave. David got into the van to drive them home, and then decided to slip back to see Anna. He took one look at her expression and knew in an instant that all was not well.
    ‘Something’s the matter; I can tell from your face.’
    Anna shrugged and turned to go back into the house without answering. She swung around when she realised David was not following.
    ‘The least you can do is tell me what’s up,’ he said, sharply, as he caught up with her. ‘I kept my promise to help you, so come on tell all.’
    ‘Sorry, but I think I’ve made a faux pas. Mum reminded me this morning that the planning permission hasn’t come through yet, so I could get into serious trouble letting a room without permission.’
    ‘That all?’
    ‘It’s enough. I’ve got a guest coming on Saturday, and I can’t afford to make mistakes.’
    ‘Don’t worry. Let the guest in on your difficulty, and I’m sure he’ll agree to be considered a personal visitor, rather than a paying guest. That’d cover you.’
    ‘Brilliant. David, you’re the answer to everything. Thanks so much – that takes a load off my mind.’
    He stood back and grinned at her. ‘We’ve both been overdoing things and we both need a rest. I’ll pop in on the weekend to see how things are with you, and then maybe I’ll take a day off work soon so we can go somewhere nice for the day.’ He lifted his finger and wagged it at Anna. ‘It’s common to be upset and sleep poorly when you’re stressed, and sooner or later, it shows. I reckon that’s why you’re having nightmares.’
    Through the window at the side of the door, she watched David walk briskly away, and continued to watch as his van disappeared from view down the driveway.
    The sharp tone of the telephone made her jump. ‘Sorry, Anna, but I can’t make it tonight,’ Liz said. ‘I’ve been asked to stay late to finish some important work in the office, but I’ll see you on the weekend, okay? Got to dash now.’
    Anna suddenly felt very alone, but reasoned she had to get on with what she was doing instead of feeling sorry for herself.
     

 
    Chapter Fourteen
     
    Anna had never done so much cleaning and lifting in her whole life, but there was such a lot to do, and she wanted to cut the cleaners’ time there so she could save money. Thankfully, there were no more jobs left to do today, so she would wait until David came. She picked up the phone.
    ‘Mum, I’ll be a bit late home, but don’t worry, everything’s okay.’ It was a relief to hear her mother say that today’s meal was a cold chicken salad which would keep until she got there, and that by six o’clock she would have gone out with her friend for the evening. Anna decided to arrive home after her mother had left in order to avoid any questions about how things were progressing at Hope House.
    Alone, and pensive about her future, Anna sat in the comfortable leather chair in the library again, quietly assessing the situation. She chuckled, because right now everything seemed so normal and placid that she began to wonder if her concerns were due to no more than plain stress.
    Within a couple of minutes, she had once again turned her attention to another of the journals. In the middle of it was a folded sheet which she opened out on the desk. It was a large ancient document confirming the allocation of a large parcel of land in Jamaica, and dated 1741. It mentioned land, together with trees, underwoods, and water courses, that were to go to Thomas Williams and his heirs.
    Feeling sleepy after studying the journals and documents for a while, Anna closed her eyes and leaned back, quickly slipping into a dream world again. She found herself holding another conversation with the Colonel. ‘I’d love to hear stories about my great, great, great aunts and uncles, my distant cousins, and what life was