Chapter Two

It was apparent to Belinda the building’s age was much like her own cottage, which had its origins in the 13th century; indeed, Kryme was probably much older. The walls and floor were solid stone, and as she progressed inwards through the gloom, she saw the building was essentially one large chamber. The light from the open door revealed a small room on either side, which appeared to be wooden divisions constructed later. Dead leaves collected on the uneven stone floor while here and there, dull cobwebs hung like morbid ornamentations.

Turning left, she entered what would appear to have been a living room. A large smoke-stained fireplace dominated the space. A broken chair and worn sofa were the only remnants of the previous habitation. The other room was empty, and Belinda made her way further into the cottage.

The main structure was a large space and much more extensive than she’d imagined, longer and stretching back into the surrounding trees. Little light seeping into the area came from a few narrow upright windows set well back in the thick stone walls. Here and there, small hollows in the walls were presumably designed to contain candles.