Sami pulled up at the house and turned off the car. Shaking her head, she looked at the building, stunned by their turn of luck.
This couldn't be right, surely?
Chapter 3
"Come on, let's go and look." Garth opened his door and jumped out full of excitement.
Sami glanced up at the imposing house, her heart in her mouth. She looked down the driveway to the shed waiting for someone to come and tell her she was in the wrong place. Nobody appeared and finally she got out of the car and followed her brother.
The fragrance of the roses by the gate brought back memories of her mother and tears filled her eyes. Blinking them away she pushed open the gate and walked up the cracked concrete path to the veranda where Garth was waiting, casually leaning against an old white cane chair. Sami's stomach clenched. They'd had such a hard last few years and it looked as though he thought those times were over. She hoped he was right.
"Open the door." He nodded at the ornate front door with its leadlight panes of glass.
She looked at the keys in her hand and inserted the largest key. The click at the turn of the lock brought home the facts in front of her. This was their new house. The door opened with a soft creak and Sami pushed it wider before walking inside.
Garth stepped in behind her and whistled.
"Sheesh, would you look at this?" They were standing in the entry of one of the most beautiful old homes she had ever seen. A small hall table sat to one side, covered by a lace doily and an empty crystal vase. White painted tongue and groove walls led into a lounge graced with antique furniture, most of it protected by dust sheets. Oriental rugs covered the dark polished timber floor, their rich colours warm against the wooden furniture legs poking out from under their protective layers.
Garth reached out and pulled the cover from the furniture closest to him. Scrolled wooden legs supported a tapestry covered chair and he ran his fingertips over the back of it before looking at her with a stupid grin on his face.
Sami pushed him further into the room.
"Pick up your chin." She could understand his reaction, this was not what she was expecting. With the unveiling of each piece of furniture, the disbelief grew. She felt like she was intruding in someone else's home and her nerves were getting rattled.
When all of the dust sheets lay on the floor, Sami looked around the room.
"Wow."
"Yeah, wow is right." Garth stood with his hands on his hips and looked at the beautifully preserved furniture filling the large room. "Sure as hell beats op-shop chairs and dirty couches."
A heavy sideboard against one wall held a silver tray with crystal bottles filled with golden amber liquid. The dark glossy wood needed a gentle dust and polish but did nothing to hide its natural beauty. Sami ran her hand over the edge of the smooth timber. She crouched down and opened a door, revealing row upon row of crystal glasses in all shapes and sizes.
She shook her head in wonder before standing again. The fireplace was placed in the centre of the internal wall. Taking pride of place over the hearth was a black and white photograph of an elderly gentleman sitting on a chair with a cane in his hand. She smiled at the dour look on his face as he posed for the camera. Not the fashion to grin in those days apparently. The lady standing behind him was unsmiling but there was a glimmer of a spark in her eyes. She stood with a hand on her husband's shoulder gazing straight ahead. This must be her grand parents.
Sami tilted her head and looked closer. If she let the tears blur her vision, she could see her mother in the woman' s face. She sniffed and shook her head.
"Let's go." Leading the way, she walked into another room where a formal dining setting was also covered. Flicking the cloth to the floor, she grinned before opening double doors and pushing them wide to look into the next room.
Pale green and white linoleum squares covered the floor and Sami resisted the urge to hop scotch over the expansive space. A large black coal range was recessed in one wall with baskets of wood and kindling sitting in front of it.
Along the wall sat a modern stove. A tea towel was folded neatly over the oven door handle. The rest of the wall was lined with cupboards leading along to a door. A couple of old hats hung on a coat rack screwed onto the back of the door.
Garth walked over and lifted the latch on the door, pulling it open. Late afternoon light filled the room and they looked at each other.
"Home," he said and smiled at her.
"Yeah." Sami ran a hand over her eyes, blinking away the tears. Sniffing loudly she took a deep breath. "Let's look some more before it gets late."
A hallway led to four large bedrooms, a bathroom, a laundry and storeroom.
"May as well get our bags in before we go and look around outside." Sami walked back through the lounge to the front door glancing back before she ran down the stairs to her car. She was lifting her bags out of the boot when a man called out.
"Hey there, are you Samantha?"
She peered over the boot of her car as an elderly gentleman came toward her. "Yes, I am." Here we go, the 'who the heck are you' talk.
"Nice to meet you. Name’s Mike Tibbens, call me Tibby. I was your grandfather’s right hand man. Welcome to Buttercup Farm." He held out a wizened old hand and beamed up at her, his bright blue eyes watching her keenly as her gaze met his.
"Hi, nice to meet you
