A Family Forever by Helen Scott Taylor Page A

The old man held a shotgun in his hand and waved it at her. She stepped back, her heart rate picking up.
    It wasn't the first time she'd had a gun waved at her. On a photo shoot in Africa, making a program about poachers, she'd actually been shot at. But she'd had bodyguards to shoot back, and she'd expected it there. She didn't expect to be threatened with a gun in the English countryside.
    "Wave that gun at me again, and I'll report you to the police for threatening us."
    At her words, he lowered the weapon to his side and backed up. "I ain't threatening you. I'm telling you to keep off my land."
    Victoria gritted her teeth and met the old man's gaze. "I'll walk on that footpath anytime I like. Go and milk your damn cows and leave us alone."
    She turned her back on him, her neck prickling as she climbed through the fence. A surge of relief wobbled her legs as her feet touched Larchfield Hall land.
    "I don't want to see any of them hedgehogs in my field, either. You hear me?"
    Victoria turned back to the man, her eyebrows raised in disbelief. "They're wild animals, Mr. Andrews. I don't control their movements."
    "You released them. You must stop them coming in my field." He ran his gaze along the fence between Larchfield and his land, as if he expected hedgehogs to scamper out at any moment. "If I see the blighters, I'll shoot 'em."
    Victoria's heart slammed against her ribs. Did he hate her so much that he'd punish innocent wild creatures to get at her? "Why?" she asked, her voice thin with confusion.
    Old Farmer Andrews simply glared at her, then whistled for his dogs and turned away.
    Victoria watched him go, Sophie's hand clasped tightly in hers. She wasn't sure if the man was bluffing, cruel, or crazy. He'd had it in for her from the moment she'd moved in to her cottage and she'd no idea why.
    She just prayed that the new owner of Larchfield Hall turned out to be hedgehog friendly and wouldn't frighten the animals out of the garden.
    ***
    "I like the look of this area, Dad. I want to explore. Are we nearly there?"
    As he drove, Adam Cantrell had been mulling over his schedule for the next few days. At his son's words, he jolted back to the present and examined the quaint English village and woodland outside the car. Adam would probably have enjoyed exploring the countryside as well when he was ten.
    "A couple more minutes, Harry. The house is on the outskirts of the village."
    His son leaned forward, nose pressed to the side window of the car, his iPad forgotten on the floor while his precious camera was clutched in his hands.
    They turned between the tall stone pillars at the entrance to Larchfield Hall and headed along the rutted drive through a mass of overgrown shrubs and greenery. After a hundred yards, Adam swung the car around a dried-up fountain and parked outside the front door of the imposing Victorian manor house.
    "Wow, Dad. This is cool. It looks like it might be haunted." Harry had his seat belt undone and the door open almost before the car stopped rolling. He jumped out and put his camera strap around his neck.
    Adam chuckled at his son's enthusiasm. It was good to see him excited about something instead of moaning he was bored.
    Climbing out, Adam stretched, his back and shoulders aching after the drive down from London to Hampshire. He was only thirty-six, yet sometimes he felt as stiff and achy as an old man. His doctor said the pain was tension caused by stress, but there wasn't much he could do about that. He had a business to run. Life had to go on.
    The sun still kicked out plenty of heat even though it was nearly six p.m. Adam left his suit jacket in the car and pulled off his tie, unfastening the top button of his shirt.
    "Can I go and explore, Dad?" Harry already had his camera up to his eye, looking at everything through the viewfinder.
    "Of course. How about I come with you?" Adam had intended to make a few calls, but they could wait until Monday. He planned to spend the weekend with his son.