"Good morning, Mr. Garrison. I hope you had a restful night."
Connor looked up from reading the travel pamphlet he had picked up in the front parlor, and met Mrs. Colborne's smiling, but slightly quizzical eyes. Why did he get the feeling she was studying him and not liking what she saw? His eyes narrowed and he laid down the pamphlet, and rested his elbows on the table, interlacing his fingers.
"I had a very good night, thank you," he smiled, his blue eyes crinkling. As she described the breakfast menu to him, he couldn't help himself from checking out the rest of her face, which now seemed rather strained. She had an oval face, with large brown eyes set below straight brows, her hair pulled back again - this time in a single braid. Her not-too-full lower lip was being chewed by even white teeth as she watched him, her brows raised, and he realized that she was waiting for his reply to a question he hadn't heard. She seemed uncomfortable.
"Would you like a carafe of coffee with your breakfast?" she was obviously repeating the question, her eyebrows still raised, as she stared down at him.
"That would be great," he smiled.
"Oh, by the way, our maid, Sarah, told me this morning, that you wish to take care of your room yourself during your stay." She rested her right hand on the back of the chair to his right. "While that's a bit unusual, we can accommodate you. I'll tell Sarah to handle the details." She turned to leave. "Oh, and no one will enter your room, I assure you," she added. "Enjoy your breakfast, Mr. Garrison. It will be out shortly." He turned his head ever-so-slightly to watch her walk off, and out of the corner of his eye noticed that the maid, Sarah, and a large lady in white, their heads together, were staring at him from the kitchen. He turned his head back abruptly, sighed, and resumed reading the pamphlet, hoping his breakfast would arrive soon so he could get the hell out of there.
After finishing his meal, Connor went back to his room to grab his khaki jacket. He descended the stairs quickly, and as he walked toward the front door, nodded to Mrs. Colborne as he noticed that she had lifted her eyes slightly from whatever she was working on at the desk to watch him.
"I'm going into the village to look around," he called to her. "I'll be gone a few hours." She nodded. As he walked to his car, he hoped that her promise was good - that no one would enter his room. That would not be a good thing - not at this point anyway.
What a difference daylight made. Connor looked around him as he walked to his car. While the morning was cold, the effect of sunlight on the house was astounding. Instead of the bleak, forlorn feeling he'd gotten the night before upon first seeing the inn....well, now it had transformed into a cheery, well-taken-care-of, homey place. He was impressed. And, the landscaping was perfect. He could see a path from the front of the house, that, he assumed led to the ocean cliffs. He would have to check that out at some point, he vowed to himself.