Chapter 1

Maggie Thomas was your average 37-year-old woman. Dark shoulder length hair, brown eyes, medium height and with a few curves. She was divorced, lived alone in the house she got from the divorce, and had some savings. The key phrase there was ‘Did have some savings’. But those savings had dwindled year by year, and now Maggie sat at her kitchen table reading her latest bank statement, which was not looking good. She had about enough money to last for one more year. Then she would be flat broke. It was time for her to get some advice, some help because she could not afford to leave it too late before she fixed her life.

She decided that she would write a letter to her cousin Robert. She hardly kept in touch over the years, but he was family, and he seemed to have his head screwed on about money and stuff. She wrote a real letter, not an email. An actual letter on paper with a pen and ink. Put a stamp on it and post it at the post office. As she let the letter drop into the box, her heart skipped. Would Robert read the letter and think she was a terrible woman, or would he read the letter and come to her rescue? It was done now. The letter was in the post, and there was nothing more she could do.

Four days later, a shiny red car pulled up at her address, and a tall, good-looking man got out, walked straight up to her door, and rang the bell. ‘Ding Dong’

Maggie opened the door, and he stood with a half smile and bright eyes, looking straight at her.

‘Cousin Maggie?’ He asked.

‘Yes, it’s me, cousin Robert?’ She replied.

‘The one and only, unless you have another cousin Robert I don’t know about.’ He joked.

‘Come on in, I’m glad you came.’

Robert went into the house and looked around. It was a typical suburban house with furniture, carpets, and stuff. The place was clean, too, which he noted as a good thing. At least Cousin Maggie had kept her standards up. Maggie led the way into the kitchen and began to make coffee for them both.

‘So tell me about your trouble cousin.’ Robert said.

They talked for nearly an hour. Maggie explained her financial situation, and Robert listened. He shared some ideas about her getting a job, but she seemed against that idea. She wanted more than a job with basic pay; she wanted more but needed to know how to make that happen. After discussing her predicament, Robert suggested that she pack a bag and come and stay with him for a week, and they could talk through his various ideas. Maggie agreed and packed enough clothes for a week away. Then they were in Robert’s car and driving down the road.

Robert lived a good 100 miles away, and it took them just over two hours of steady driving from him till they arrived at his home. His home was actually an English country house in the Georgian style. There were other buildings around a courtyard, which was very impressive for Maggie to see for herself. She had no idea that her cousin was so well off. He was rich.

‘Home sweet home.’ Robert said as he stopped the car right at the main door.

‘Your rich Robert.’ She said.

‘Rich is just money, Maggie.’ He replied.

After settling in her room, Robert took her to tour the house and the courtyard.