‘What?’
As she scrolled through the message Laura’s heart began to lurch all over the place. ‘There’s an email from Matt.’
Kate leapt up and rushed to her side. ‘What does it say?’
‘He’s given me the house.’
‘He’s done what?’
‘He’s given me the house,’ she echoed. ‘I think,’ she added, unable to believe what she’d just read.
‘What do you mean you think?’
‘I’m not sure. I can’t think straight. You read it.’
Laura handed her mobile to Kate and crumpled onto the sofa, her mind struggling to make sense of it all. Why would Matt have given her Somerford Manor? Was it some kind of sign? Was he telling her that he’d never change and that she ought to find what she wanted with someone else?
But how was it that they were over yet he could still turn her brain into knots?
‘Property law isn’t my field of expertise,’ said Kate finally, ‘but this seems pretty comprehensive. He’s definitely given you the house.’
Laura swallowed back the lump in her throat. ‘Is it legal?’
‘It looks like it. He’s also given you a six-figure lump sum to do it up.’
‘Oh.’
‘Whatever his failings, you can’t say he’s not generous.’
‘Only with things that don’t matter,’ said Laura as her heart began to ache all over again.
‘Why would he give you his house?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Maybe he’s winding up his assets here.’
‘I doubt it.’ His declaration that he had no intention of staying on Sassania still rang in her ears. ‘It’s probably a tax move or something.’
‘Or maybe he knows how much you love it and just wanted you to have it.’
Laura ached. God, how she’d love to believe that. Because hadn’t she secretly been hoping that Matt might have realised that he’d made a whopping mistake in dismissing what they’d had so casually? But he’d never think he’d made a mistake so she could stop that tiny flicker of hope. ‘That’s even less likely.’
‘Well, it certainly solves your problem of where to live.’
And be constantly battered by memories of him and everything she’d lost? No chance. ‘I couldn’t live there.’
‘So what are you going to do? Sell it?’
For some reason that didn’t appeal either. ‘Tell him I don’t want it, I suppose.’
‘Don’t you want it?’
‘Not if it doesn’t come with him. And it doesn’t, does it?’
Kate shook her head. ‘The transfer deed is in your name only so it doesn’t look like it. I’m sorry.’
Laura shrugged as if disappointment weren’t crashing through her. ‘Doesn’t matter.’ She took out her phone and sent a quick reply and then deleted the email. ‘There,’ she said, her voice shaking a little. ‘Done. Crisis over.’