Halversham Read Online Free

clothes last night, and woke up with puffy eyes and tousled hair. He rose and stared at himself in the full-length mirror before pausing at the window to listen to chirping robins and wrens. The sky was a brilliant blue, with only a smattering of frothy clouds passim.
    A minute later, he headed to the bathroom for a long bath, then dressed in a polo shirt and Bermuda shorts. The last thing he needed was to stay at the farmhouse and wallow in self-pity, so he made plans to walk around Halversham and revisit his mother’s favorite places.
    Piffy was carrying a pot of coffee to the table when he stepped into the dining room. It wasn’t a large room, and much like Aunt Magda’s, the kitchen was right next to it. His mother had wanted it that way so it was easier to serve guests. Plus, it was cozy.
    The older woman smiled as soon as she saw Andy. “Good morning, Andy. How are you feeling today?”
    “Adventurous.” Andy smiled. “How are you?”
    “I’m fine. Did you sleep well?” she asked, pouring him a cup of coffee. There was toast, peanut butter, and a variety of jams on the table.
    “Yes, I did,” Andy said. “Piffy, would do me a favor, please?” He picked up a piece of toast and spread peanut butter on it.
    “What is it?”
    “I plan to visit some of the places my mom used to take me to in Halversham and I won’t be back until late. Can you pack me some sandwiches for lunch?”
    “Sure. That’s a great idea.”
    “Thanks,” he said, taking a seat and munching on his toast. Piffy hurried back to the kitchen and busied herself.
    Patricia’s herb garden glowed outside the dining room windows, beckoning Andy. He pushed the final piece of toast into his mouth, gulped down his coffee, and opened the back door. He had half expected the basil, lavender, and parsley his mother had planted a long time ago replaced by some other  plants, but he was pleasantly surprised. The familiar herbs were still there, flourishing under the warm summer sun. Mort was crouching on the ground, tugging on some weed around a patch of coriander.
    “Hello, Mort,” Andy called out to the gardener and longtime family friend. Patricia used to enjoy working with Mort on getting the kitchen garden planted with a variety of herbs. And in that time, Mort had proved to be an invaluable fountain of knowledge and friend.
    “Andy? Is that you?” Mort glanced up with narrowed eyes and raised his hand to shield the glare of the sun.
    The sixty-year-old gardener wore a pair of suspenders to keep his pants up, and the cuffs of his shirtsleeves and pants were rolled up to reveal a pair of gloves and black galoshes.
    “It is me, Mort. How are you?”
    Mort rose in a hurry and removed his gloves. He hadn’t changed one bit since Andy last saw him. Although wrinkled, the tall, wiry man still looked strong and capable. Cottony white hair grew unruly around the sides of his otherwise bald head, reminding Andy of Doc Brown from the movie Back to the Future . A smile broke on his lips and Andy wiggled his eyebrows at his dear old friend.
    “I am fine, my boy.” He took a brisk step toward Andy and hugged him, almost lifting him off the ground. “Oh, what a big man you are now, looking just like your father,” he said with wide smiling eyes.
    Andy smiled, so pleased the old man hadn’t changed. “You look good too, Mort. I’ve missed you. And Halversham,” he said.
    Mort’s eyes suddenly wilted and his lips curved downward. “I heard about Patricia. I am so sorry,” he said, placing a hand on Andy’s shoulder.
    “Thanks, Mort.”
    “Well, some things just happen and it is not for us to ask why. All we can do is move forward and live the best we can with what we have.” His eyebrows lifted in two bushy arcs. “How’s your old man?
    “He’s fine.”
    “Is he here?”
    “No. He had to fly to San Francisco this morning.”
    “Always a busy man.”
    “Yeah, well.” Andy didn’t quite know what to say so he averted his eyes, but