The Legacy of Hope House Read Online Free Page A

better go of it if you turned it into a straight forward hotel. At least there’s a need for a good one in this area.’ Then she stopped and looked around thoughtfully. ‘Only who’d want to come and stay in an out of the way place like this? There’s nothing here except grass and trees, grass, and more grass. And plenty of grey skies. And rain. And screeching seagulls.’
    ‘And the sea,’ Anna said, pointing to the waters over the edge of the cliff. ‘In my opinion, that’s exactly why people would want to come here… to get away from the bustle of busy towns and urban life. Lots of people would love the peace of a place like this.’ Anna fell silent for a few moments. ‘Y’know, Mum, I feel sure many would give their right arm to have what I’ve got… especially with the opportunity it offers.’
    ‘Pie in the sky,’ Margaret retorted, brusquely. ‘Don’t kid yourself.’
    For a minute or two, they continued to gaze at the building and its surroundings. Set well away at the left of the house, was an old stable block that would once have housed at least a dozen horses. The walls had gaping holes in them and had collapsed in places. There were roof tiles missing and the stable doors were either totally gone or hanging off. Grass and shrubs all around the boxes were thickly overgrown, making it impossible for Anna to inspect the boxes. She looked around with a feeling of helplessness; everything was overrun - the whole place was a wilderness.
    ‘Mr James told me there are three hundred acres here; that’s a lot of land, Mum.’
    ‘Yes. Mountain land,’ Margaret was quick to advise her, ‘and not much good for anything other than Welsh mountain sheep. But come on, Anna, I’ve had enough of the outside. Now I want to see inside.’
    ‘The solicitor told me bits of the family history, but it all sounds fascinating. I think I’ll research it as far as I can.’
    ‘Anna, we’re here to assess what you’ve been left, so let’s get inside and do just that, eh? This place has an eerie atmosphere, and I can’t say I like it at all,’ Margaret said, fidgeting nervously on her feet. ‘The sooner we’re in and out, the better I’ll like it. You can wander the grounds some other time. I want to see what’s in there, and you’ve kept me out here long enough now.’
    They walked up to within a few feet of the front door. ‘What’s that?’ Anna asked, pointing to a large, carved wooden plaque set high on the huge oak door.
    ‘Looks like a family coat of arms to me,’ Margaret said, studying it. ‘I didn’t know there was one. Don’t think your father did either; at least he never mentioned it.’
    They spent a few minutes looking at the plaque. ‘It’s intricately carved,’ Margaret said. ‘Looks like a stag’s head and three round objects that look like turtles to me.’ There’s a motto too, but it’s too faint to read what it says.’ She peered closer. ‘Ah, I think it says… ‘Quid Nunc’.’
    ‘Interesting, but what does it mean, Mum?’
    ‘How would I know?’ Margaret clucked her tongue at the question. ‘Anyway, we can find out. You could ask Mr James. Maybe he remembers enough Latin to tell you.’ She let her mind wander for a couple of moments. ‘You know, Anna, it seems to me Mr James knows a lot more about the Williams family than we do ourselves. It strikes me as odd he should have taken such a keen interest. I wonder why.’ She sniffed. Maybe he nosed around in those documents he gave you; I wouldn’t put it past him.’
     

 
    Chapter Five
     
    There was a faraway look in Margaret’s eyes when she finally finished looking at the carving. ‘Come to think of it, I have a faint recollection of something like that on the heading of the few letters that Tom wrote to your father when he was buying our share of this place.’
    ‘Will I be able to use it on my letters?’
    ‘Don’t think so. A coat of arms is handed down to the eldest son of the eldest son. It’s