Shattered Dreams Read Online Free

and absolutely frozen. She glanced
down at her heavily stained dress in disgust. Although she tried,
she couldn’t ignore the smell that emanated from the bottom of her
clothing, and knew that everyone else who came anywhere near her
would be able to smell it too. Especially her new employer; if she
didn’t get the chance to change before she met him. The thought
made her worry even more.
    She
glanced at the large mansions that lined the road to the side of
her, and felt more out of place than ever. Although her old home,
Attingham House, was bigger than most of the houses in Bennington
Green, it was far less ostentatious. When a pang of homesickness
swept through her, she quickly closed off all thoughts of home, and
turned her attention to her new soundings.
    On the
surface, Bennington Green was really a rather nice neighbourhood.
Tall, detached houses sat in regal splendour along one side of the
road, and overlooked the town and valley beyond. Unfortunately,
there was something about the slightly faded opulence that felt
rather forbidding. The further she walked, the harder it was to
ignore the deep sense of unease that began to build within
her.
    Half an
hour later, her worries grew as she studied the old, moss covered
name plate that declared the house at the end of the driveway to be
the Rectory.
    It was
far less auspicious than she had expected. The huge property,
located a little way back from the road, had two bay windows on
either side of the large front door. Even from several feet away
she could see that the curtains that hung inside were considerably
less than fashionable. She carefully turned her gaze away from the
peeling paint on the front door, and studied the long driveway that
was covered with weeds. It seemed to blend in with the over-run
lawns which appeared to lead to an outbuilding that had half of its
roof missing.
    She
began to wonder just how old her new employer really was, and
frowned at the woeful state of the house, which sat in stark
contrast to the rest of the houses on the lane.
    “ At least there is someone home,” she muttered as she studied
the gentle glow of candle-light that glimmered in one of the
windows.
    She
hurried along the driveway and found her way to the back
door.
    The rose
garden at the back of the house was, unsurprisingly, also over-run,
but still pretty, and sat beside a rather functional vegetable
garden that was to the left of the main house. Opposite that was a
low building, which stood empty. Between the buildings lay a large
square of rather overgrown lawn framed with flowers and bushes of
all kinds. It really was rather pleasant, if a little
wild.
    Her
brisk knock on the door sounded loud even to her own ears. She
stood back to wait for someone to answer it with her back straight
and her chin tilted confidently.
    Good impressions matter, she
reminded herself, and knocked on the door again when at first,
there was no answer.
    The
speed in which the door was suddenly yanked open made her jump. She
opened her mouth to speak only to stare in consternation at the
dark glower the man inside gave her.
    “ What do you want?” he growled rudely.
    As he
spoke, his lips actually curled in an arrogant snarl of
contempt.
    She took
a hesitant step back at the sight of the disgust on his face, and
wondered fleetingly if she might have called at the wrong
house.
    Surely
this couldn’t be someone she would have to work with from now on,
could it?
    “ I am here to see Mr Harrington Tingay,” she announced
carefully. For some reason, she didn’t want to tell this man her
reason for being there.
    “ He is expecting me,” she added when he didn’t move to let her
in.
    She
watched his brows lift and, for one brief moment, a look of
derision sweep over his face. To her consternation, rather than
open the door to let her in, he leaned a nonchalant elbow against
the door jamb and looked her up and down suggestively.
    “ Oh, you are one of them, are you?” The smirk on his