Beyond the two houses, the driveway narrowed and began to slope downward, becoming more of a path edged with rhubarb, aloe vera, wild iris, and fuchsia. Tiered rock gardens stepped down toward the sea. Trellises and arbors gave structure to stunning circular beds stuffed with wildflowers. Emily couldn’t help but think how much Juliet would approve.

At the bottom of a wide set of stone steps, she found herself looking at a pristine infinity pool surrounded by sun loungers and enormous glass lanterns. A cushioned daybed and a swing seat were positioned in front of a wall of tall fluffy grass, each stem like a giant feather duster, and a Balinese-style pergola cast its shadow over a poolside kitchen. Everything was angled to showcase the spectacular ocean view. This is insane. Emily’s mouth hung open. Who lives like this?

They circled around and walked back up toward the houses, veering off to enter the one with the tower. “This is the guesthouse,” Nina said, showing Emily the laundry room, the dry-goods store, and the linen press. Neat rows of cabinets lined the walls, and sprays of lavender stood tall in ceramic jugs. Wicker hampers sat on shelves above a huge stone sink. It was all impeccably organized, but the shelves themselves were sagging, the walls shedding paint like dry skin. Emily sniffed. There it was again, that smell, just under the laundry powder and lavender. The same as before, but slightly different. Damp. Mold. Rot.

“You’ll notice that there’s quite a bit of work to be done,” Nina was saying. “We have extensive plans to decorate, but it’s a slow burn.”

They climbed a timber staircase to a landing that gave way to a maze of hallways and doors. Emily struggled to count the bedrooms, but there seemed to be eight; five on the first floor and three on the second, including one in the tower, which turned out to be the most beautiful bedroom Emily had ever seen. “This is you,” Nina said, leading the way inside. “I hope it’s okay.”

White, bright, and airy, the bedroom had tall windows, floaty curtains, and floorboards set in a herringbone pattern. In one corner stood a huge glass-paneled closet; in another, a dressing table was adorned with a small brass alarm clock and a vase of fat pink peonies. French doors led to a small balcony, on which Nina talked Emily through her duties while waving a hand expansively over the grounds.

Emily’s overwhelmed brain failed to catch the specifics, but she understood that she would be helping with the cooking, the cleaning, and the laundry. She would do the grocery shopping and take care of the pool. There was a great deal of gardening to do—weeding, mowing, power-washing, pruning, watering, raking—and the animals needed constant care. There were chickens and goats, plus a few rabbits and a miniature pig called Francis Bacon. Nina also required help with DIY projects: sanding, painting, ripping up carpets, varnishing floors … the list of jobs went on and on.

“We’d like to open for business at some point,” Nina said. “I’m thinking yoga retreats, a cookery school. Maybe even artist residencies. We have an art studio now, did Scott tell you that? Oh, and you’ll be relieved to hear that your indoor chores will be limited strictly to the guesthouse. I’ll take care of the family house myself.”

From the balcony, Emily could see that the lawn had been mown into a neat spiral, at the center of which stood a tall, thin tree. The branches served as a screen between the houses, offering a degree of privacy for the first-floor windows.

“In fact,” Nina continued, “I’d like to make the family house a no-go zone. I hope that doesn’t make things awkward, but if this arrangement is going to work we need to respect each other’s space, don’t you think?”

Emily shrugged and nodded. “Sure,” she said. “Although Scott mentioned that you might need me to help look after your daughter?”

“Yes, well, we can discuss all of that later.” Nina pushed herself off the balustrade and stepped back through the balcony doors. “Speaking of which, why don’t we go and find the little rascal? I’ll introduce you.”

“Okay, great.”

“You’ll love her,” Nina said as she crossed the room and disappeared into the hallway. “She’s such a monkey.”

Downstairs, Nina led Emily into a long dining room dominated by a giant stone fireplace. Sculptures towered on side tables, crystal glasses winked in cabinets, and bottle upon dusty bottle of wine lay in tall racks. Textured oil paintings ran along the walls in a long line. Emily shivered. Despite the heat outside, it was cold, and there was an old, fusty smell, like in a closed-down museum.

Nina stood in the middle of the room with her hands on her hips. “Come on out, Strawberry,” she said. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

There was no reply.

“She loves to hide,” Nina explained with a grin.

Emily smiled politely.

Nina turned back to the room. “Come on out, honey.”

Emily began to feel uneasy. She thought about the health issues that Scott had mentioned. Why hadn’t she asked about them? A breeze swept in through the open door and tickled the back of her neck. She looked around the room, in the corners and under the table. No feet poked out from underneath the curtains, no stifled giggle floated out from behind the door. The room was completely empty.

There was a soft creak, and a panel in the back wall swung open. After several seconds, a hand emerged, followed by an arm, followed by a swathe of black hair and a huge straw hat. A pale face peeked out from under the brim.

“There you are,” said Nina.

A little girl crawled out from her hiding place and stood up.

“Emily, this is our daughter, Aurelia.”

Emily released her breath and realized she’d been bracing herself for something obvious, some kind of abnormality or disability that she’d have to pretend not to see, but Aurelia was just an ordinary little girl. Definitely on the skinny side, though, and with eyes so dark and skin so white that Emily almost made a joke about Wednesday Addams. Almost. She waved and received a blank look in return.

“Aurelia, I’d like you to say hello to our new friend. Let’s make her feel at home, shall we?” Nina placed a hand on Emily’s shoulder. “Welcome to Querencia.”

* * *

Aurelia led the way to the animal sheds, skipping ahead and darting off the path, vanishing suddenly then reappearing in unexpected places.

“She’s been so excited to meet you,” said Nina. “She’s got a whole list of things she wants to show you, but don’t be offended if it takes a while for her to warm up. She’s extremely shy.”

Trying to think of something to say, Emily watched Aurelia’s big hat disappear behind a bush. “She seems … very sweet.”

Nina grinned proudly. “She is.”

As they ambled up toward the gates, Emily wondered if they were perhaps heading off the property, but just before they reached the end of the driveway, Nina slowed down and gestured to a gap in the hedge. A gravel path veered off to the left. “After you,” she said.

Ahead, Emily glimpsed several wooden huts and a wire fence.

“Did Scott mention Aurelia’s condition?”

Emily nodded. “Kind of. He said she wasn’t well.” She kicked herself again for forgetting to ask Scott about it. She realized she hadn’t asked Scott any questions about his wife, either—not even her name.

“Aurelia was very sick as a baby,” Nina said. “She pulled through, thank god, but her immune system was very badly damaged. Among other things, she was left with a serious sun allergy. Even the slightest exposure can bring her out in hives. She gets headaches, nausea, vomiting—sometimes she even passes out.” Nina shook her head and sighed. “She needs constant sun protection. Long clothing, hats, sunscreen. Her eyes are incredibly sensitive, too. It’s not easy to manage but we do our best.”

Emily studied the trees and eventually spotted Aurelia about twenty meters away, her huge hat disappearing behind one of the sheds. Ahead, Emily could make out small shapes moving around within the confines of the wire fencing.

“She also has days where her whole system just shuts down and she can’t get out of bed. We’re told her body will get stronger as she gets older, but for now we’re quite limited. We can’t really go anywhere. Some days we can’t even leave the house.” Nina spread her hands. “Which is why you’re here. On my own, I can’t focus on either Aurelia or the property as much as I’d like. We’re falling behind with homeschooling and the reno jobs are piling up, so a lot of the day-to-day stuff just gets pushed to the side.”

“Have you thought about hiring a painter or a decorator?” It was an innocent question, but Emily realized she sounded churlish. “I mean, I’m more than happy to help, but wouldn’t it be quicker?”