CHAPTER SIXTrotting up the drive between the neatly laid out gardens, Ravina was once again impressed by the amount of work that had been done to the Priory to bring it back from a dilapidated state to its present glory.
Twisted chimney pots reared up against the bright blue sky. Over the years ivy and wisteria had been left to run riot over its walls, even hiding the windows and giving the building a frightening aspect from the road, especially to small children.
Even the village urchins had not dared to climb the stone walls that surrounded the immediate grounds and trespass in the orchards to scrump the fruit, even though the gnarled old trees gave copious bushel loads of apples, plums and pears every year.
The grounds had remained untouched for years, a rough wilderness for wild lif
