Under New Management Read Online Free Page A

himself: he moisturised, had manicures, took an interest in clothes, both his and hers, but that’s not that unusual these days, is it?
    He would happily spend hours shopping with her. He seemed to thoroughly enjoy it, in fact. Was that a sign?
    His music tastes were varied. He liked classical music, something she had never got into, but it wasn’t as if he was belting out Kylie tracks all the time. Neither did he have an affinity for pink lycra, well not that she knew of. David showed no clichéd traits that she could pinpoint.
    How did one tell that their beloved was batting for the other side? Mollie beats herself up constantly. Was it her? Was it their moderate sex life? Should she have made herself more available? Did she not pay him enough attention? All of these questions, and more, float randomly through Mollie’s head. She has spent a moderate amount of time feeling sorry for him. She understands that it must have been terribly stressful to live a lie but why did he have to force her into living one as well? Nonetheless, all of those thoughts and feelings aside, the result is the same. David has left her for another man and she would have to get over it.
    After all, every cloud and all that. At least now she could get rid of her ridiculous surname. I mean, seriously, nobody would actually choose the surname Pratt, would they? She would officially go back to being plain old Mollie Brown just as soon as she could get her act together to find out how.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 3
     
    Mollie is shattered after spending the best part of forty-five minutes in her office contacting the other members of staff and tenants by phone. It is now seven o’clock and she is going home. Taking her belongings she leaves by the back kitchen.
    The October evening is chilly and dark. Mollie trudges round the back of the house in her Uggs, crunching the gravel underfoot. She drags her new raspberry red coat around her and buttons it up to keep out the cold. Mollie starts to set off across the gravel to her Peugeot 306. She passes through the wrought iron gateway set in the enormous, ancient brick wall which encircles the courtyard at the back of the Hall. She has parked as far away from the front of the house as possible. Staff were expected to park in the courtyard. However, there had been a tractor blocking the gate earlier when she returned from town leaving her no choice but to park out front. Lady Sedgwick would have a fit if she noticed!
    The Hall is a beautiful building, with impressive stone steps that lead grandly up to the huge double fronted doors. It is enhanced by a large circular gravelled forecourt with a majestic fountain in the middle. A long tarmac drive flows seamlessly out of the soft, cream gravel which connects the Hall with the main road. It is a practical and more modern addition to the original landscape. The drive is nearly a quarter of a mile long and lined with trees.
    Lawns and immaculate gardens slope gently away from the Hall and parkland, continuing towards the fast flowing river that surrounds it. In the evenings, the external lanterns and lights which illuminate the fountain, together with the lights shining through the elegant windows from inside, lend the place a fairytale air. The Hall was built in the 17th century and is imposing. It has twelve bedrooms, the majority of which are never used. The stone is grey and weathered, but the huge sash windows soften the architecture. Shrubs at the base and climbers, such as wisteria and clematis, cover the stone winding their way up the sturdy walls to fold around the windows. At the end of the Hall where the courtyard wall meets the building, a lone, solid Horse Chestnut tree stands sentry. It is only ten feet or so from the house and has often been inspected by tree surgeons for fear that its roots could cause subsidence. So far, however, the tree has survived. It is as high as the upstairs windows, and its gnarled, heavy branches cast eerie