Witch Part 1

9: Home

A large victorian house turned into a warm and cosy family home.Hunter knew his great grandma hadn't remarried and was more than aware of all the many facts those who could only surmise had invented, twisting so to create what their interpretation of Lady Rosa's life story.When asked why she never returned? The young man brought up to be a fine gentleman knew it would be wrong to betray a trust.Through those she'd appointed to look after the Sapphire estate, Rosa spent her life much closer to what she called her village home than anyone would ever know.'Her true home.'What many called the witches hovel.Hunter and his family saw to be grannies cute country house.'Was Rosa alive?'A large multi roomed victorian townhouse, Hunters grandfather spoke fondly of his full time nanny Maria.The one who would look after him when Lady Rosa travelled for what she called family business was young, kind and caring.RJ said Maria leaving to become a teacher after marrying a man called James had made him sad, not only because Maria was like a second mum, but because her leaving meant him losing his friend, Maria's daughter Emily.RJ understood his mother wanting to remain close to where the bodies of those she loved were buried.'A lodge in the forest.'None had visited often, but Hunter remembered visiting his great grandma's secluded property more than once and one of those times had been the first time he met Emily.

Peace, prosperity and harmony, Erebus town grew fast transforming into a place where adults worked, families shopped and those brought up in the cities; visited in search of space and more affordable living.'Rich people liked having second homes.'Local town folk liked that the money generated by those who left their second houses empty for most of the time kept them in work and their rents low.Separated by Ebony Wood, Erebus towns' nearest neighbour shared new facilities to include a school, sports grounds, the town hall, village chapel, a court room, crematorium and memorial garden.Quaint and tranquil, the village of Déspoina was said by some to present itself like paradise, while hiding within its' stunning beauty the true gates of hell.A village to have recorded some of what was its' history wrong.Déspoina was a place where everyone knew their neighbour, where people helped one another and where children played in safety.'What could go wrong?'Having established important roles within the joint communities and brought back Tinkers Tavern, those responsible for the flocking of visitors from far and wide; felt in need of a break.'Time to look after themselves.'Good people.'Why did everything go wrong?'How could people who had never known, or laid eyes upon the woman they called The Witch of Ebony Wood, blame historical myth for everything?'Was the witch to blame?'When using what became their second home more regularly, some said the witch wouldn't like it.

Part time, with her husband busier than ever, running between businesses and overseeing rent collections, Hunter assisted with the solving of disputes and the supervision of new ventures while also trying to find the time to interview potential employees.Part time, his wife insisted she cut her working hours where and when possible.Understanding, Lacey said she wanted the two to think seriously about slowing down and starting a family.Once pregnant, she planned to stop work and asked her husband sort things so he could be by her side more than he was behind a desk, conference table, or the taverns' long busy bar.Having the means didn't equal having the ability to hand responsibilities over to others. Hunter thrived on what had become his new role within a community he was growing to love, but when his wife asked what she did, he promised he would try.Part time, he agreed, when they began the family they planned, he would reduce the hours he spent away from home.Their new home in the Wood.

An outside water closet and running water, what Lacey wanted installed within reach of what was to be their country retreat prior to parenthood turning it into a residential home; proved difficult.No way of installing electricity, the ground over which power cables would need to run was vast and the environment much too harsh.'Not possible?'Those told money was no object were force to declare defeat and admit them taking any money would be under false pretences.'Not up to the job?'There was no machinery tough enough to do the job the young couple wanted doing.A tin bath and large pans to boil water; using either the inglenook fireplace, or newly installed wood burning stove.A hut with a seat to sit on and a deep hole in the ground, the choice was to bury and move the structure along, or install a receptacle which could be emptied when full.Laying pipes to be used for sewage from the fresh water well, would risk contaminating what proved to be pure enough to drink. Sure it would be possible one day, those giving their honest opinions and expert advise said it was best collected waste be disposed of safely.'Used for composed.'When looking to the surrounding space filled with trees, those doing the talking pointed out the many local uses for natural fertiliser.'Sorry they weren't more helpful.'Those who were asked, struggled to solve what Lacey saw to be the only problem to be faced when creating a more substantial accommodation out of what already stood within Ebony Wood.Oil, or fire? The choices for light and fuel seemed obvious in a place where wood to burn was plentiful.Agreeing to go with what was suggested, Hunter and his wife looked forward to seeing what would be the minimal, but appreciated improvements being made to what would be their home.