Evie Adams vs The World

Evie Adams vs The Warm Welcome

"Fuck a duck, that's not a house it's bloody castle!" I stood in front of one of the biggest houses I had ever seen, having lived in London all my life I was completely lost amongst the green landscapes and open spaces of the Scottish Highlands. Shielding my eyes against the bright sunshine, I looked up at the grey stone building with its turrets, slate-tiled roof and hundreds of white framed windows. I shook my head in disbelief I must be in the wrong place, there was no way this was mine.

My atlas lay open on the bonnet of my car, either the map was wrong or I really had inherited this fortress. Spinning on the spot, I tried to take in all my surroundings; the 'house' was situated in a private area hidden by a huge clump of trees. There was a large lake off to my left, also surrounded by trees, creating a secluded hideaway from the rest of civilisation. I wasn't sure if I liked being so isolated from the rest of humanity, if some disaster occurred it would probably take a week before you found out here. There was a small village about a mile away that was named Glenduggan as well, but you couldn't tell it was there with all the foliage cover.

"What have I let myself in for?" I perched on the car bonnet and looked up at my new home, how was I going to keep this place, who the hell cleans all the windows because I'm guessing they don't have a window cleaner up here. Shit! This definitely not what I was expecting. I thought I'd get up here and find a nice little cottage with a small garden in a small village, somewhere I could live until things settled down in London and I could sort my life out; but no I come up here and find a freaking stately home.

Somewhere behind me was the crunch of gravel as something came towards me, I froze, what the hell was I supposed to do there was nowhere to hide. The steps grew louder and faster as a couple of hairy things rounded the car towards me. I jumped and slid to the ground, landing arse-first on the sharp stones, two small dogs sniffed at my converse trainers and began licking them.

"Hello, who are you two?" I reached out a hand to each dog and scruffed the coarse hair on their backs, they looked up at me with cute faces and began licking my hand. One had a red collar and was tan with a white chest, the other was tan all over with a blue collar; I'd always wanted a dog when I was younger but both mum and Robbie had been allergic, another reason I felt like I didn't quite fit in. Pushing myself up, I moved to crouch on my haunches and wiped the stones from my jeans as the two small canines continued to investigate me.

"Bertie! Freddie! Where are you? You better not be chasing those bloody ducks again! If you're pissing on the roses again, I'll shave all your fur off and knit a jumper for myself . . . oh, sorry I didn't know you were there Hen." I stood up as I heard the sound of a woman calling form the direction the dogs had come from, I turned to look at her careful not to tread on the excited dogs at my feet.

"Oh! Lizzie . . . sorry, it's just, you look so much like Lizzie." The middle-aged gasped and dropped the basket of berries she had been carrying in her left hand. She was small and plump, just how a mother should look, wearing a white apron with purple blackberry stains smeared over it. Her hand covered her mouth as she took a step closer, the two dogs had gone over to the basket to investigate the contents that had spilled all over the gravel at her feet; she didn't seem to mind that they were licking at the juice and eating all the fruit she had collected.

I took a step towards her holding my hands up to show I wasn't a threat, I really didn't need to be scaring the locals on my first day up here. "Sorry, I wasn't sure if I was at the right place. I'm Evie, Evie Adams." I reached out a hand as the woman continued to stare at me, when she didn't take it I pulled it back a little self-conscious; maybe they didn't shake hands up here, they don't like to touch people in some cultures do they.

Looking down at my shoes, I wasn't prepared for the pair of strong arms that clinched around my waist and I froze in panic. Was I being attacked? Was she trying suffocate me but couldn't quite reach my neck? I was about to try and wriggle free and get into a fighting stance I'd learned in a self-defence class I'd taken about six years ago and then quit because the cute male teacher left and was replaced by some hideous female ex-army captain; however she released me and looked at me in disbelief.