“I’m interested in Rose Cottage,” I said, relieved to find my place in the script.
“I see.” Marigold’s brow furrowed. She lowered her eyes briefly, then leaned farther forward, looking as solemnly compassionate as an undertaker. “Will your husband remain in your cottage?”
“What?” I said blankly.
“After the divorce,” she clarified in the same gentle tones. “Will your husband remain in your cottage while you move into Rose Cottage? Or will it be the other way around?”
“What are you talking about?” I said. “Bill and I aren’t getting a divorce.”
“Wonderful,” Marigold said, her face brightening. “I’m a little confused, though. Why would you wish to purchase Rose Cottage if neither you nor your husband intend to live there?”
“We’re . . . we’re planning to use it as a rental property,” I improvised.
“What a pity,” she said with a sigh. “I hate to disappoint you, Lori, but Rose Cottage isn’t available as a rental property.”
“Ivy Cottage, then,” I said quickly.
“I’m afraid you wouldn’t be able to rent Ivy Cottage to a third party, either,” Marigold informed me regretfully. “As is the case with Rose Cottage, subletting would violate the terms of the lease.”
“The terms of what lease?” I asked.
“Jack MacBride and the Blandings lease their respective properties from the freeholder,” she replied.
“You’ll have to be patient with me, Marigold,” I said. “I’m afraid I don’t know what a freeholder is.”
“You’re a freeholder,” said Marigold, smiling. “In simple terms, a freeholder is a property owner. A freeholder may choose to live in his property or he may choose to lease it to a tenant.”
I frowned at her, perplexed. “Are you telling me that Jack MacBride and the Blandings don’t own their own cottages?”
“I am,” she said “They’re tenants. They lease their property from the freeholder.”
“Who is the freeholder?” I asked.
“It’s a what rather than a who,” Marigold explained. “Ivy Cottage and Rose Cottage are owned by a private company.”
“A company?” I said. “What company?”
“I’m surprised you have to ask,” said Marigold. “The same company holds the lease on your husband’s place of business, Wysteria Lodge.”
I blinked as another wave of confusion swept over me.
“I thought my husband owned Wysteria Lodge,” I said.
“I’m afraid not,” said Marigold. “He leases it from the company that owns the freehold.”
“How many properties in Finch does this company own?” I asked.
“All of them,” Marigold replied, “apart from the church, the vicarage, and the schoolhouse, which are, obviously, owned by the Church of England.”
“Obviously,” I said faintly. I cleared my throat, took another drink of water, and resumed, “Just to be clear: You’re saying that Peggy Taxman doesn’t own the Emporium or the greengrocer’s shop. She leases them from a private company.”
“Correct,” said Marigold.
“What about Mr. Barlow’s house?”
“Leased.”
“Sally’s tearoom?”
“Leased.”
“Dove Cottage? Wren Cottage? Plover Cottage? Larch Cottage?” I said, picturing the Handmaidens’ modest abodes.
“Leased, leased, leased, and leased,” Marigold replied. “As I said before, every building in Finch, apart from those owned by the church, is leased from the same company.”
“How can one company own an entire village?” I asked, thunderstruck.
“It’s not an unheard-of arrangement,” Marigold said imperturbably. “I work as a managing agent for a number of entities that own large tracts of housing.”
“Forgive me for saying so,” I said, “but you don’t seem to be managing Finch’s housing very well. Ivy Cottage and Rose Cottage have been vacant for months, yet I don’t see their photographs in your window.”
“I’d like to put them there,” Marigold said, “but I’m compelled to follow the company’s instructions.”
“I don’t understand,” I said. “Why would a company refuse to advertise its properties?”
“Every company has its own way of doing business,” she said with a small shrug.
I paused to collect my thoughts, then said, “It seems as though your clients meet a lot of people when they come to Finch to see a house because you make a point of introducing them to just about everyone in the village. Do you follow the same procedure in every village or have you been instructed to treat Finch differently?”