Amanda nodded, unsure if she was supposed to speak to the bees or not but Diana didn’t wait for her answer.
‘Now, this is a moon gate, as you can see. It is both a gateway and it is also a traditional architectural element that you can find in Chinese gardens. The second generation of Graybrooks added this as my family was in exports and shipping, and we assume my ancestor saw it in a Chinese garden on one of trips. He also brought back the wisteria you see here. Now, you can tell this is Chinese wisteria because the vines twist anticlockwise, whereas Japanese wisteria turned clockwise.’
‘That’s so cool,’ said Amanda, touching the vine.
‘And the moon gate is designed to look as though it is rising from the ground like the moon. When you stand at the top of the house, you can see through it to the sea, with the gate forming a frame, and when the moon is full, the reflection on the sea looks like stairs to the moon, through the gate.’
Amanda gasped. ‘That sounds amazing. I can’t wait to see it,’ she said.
‘The next full moon is in two weeks. I will let you know in advance and you can watch it from the top of the garden.’
Amanda turned to Diana. ‘Thank you. Perhaps you’d like to watch it with me?’
Diana paused, as though taken by surprise. ‘I can if you like. The symbolism of the moon gate is of birth, new life, renewal and entering another world.’
Amanda looked around. ‘It does feel like I’ve entered another world. This is so different from New York. Have you ever been to New York?’ she asked the older woman.
‘Once, a long time ago. I didn’t like it. Dirty, noisy, and full of rude people. Now, come along. Say goodbye to the bees,’ Diana said and Amanda wondered why she felt she had been told off as though she was solely responsible for the culture of New York.
Perhaps she was jet-lagged and overwhelmed, and as for talking to bees, she couldn’t remember the last time she had even seen a bee in New York. The bees’ buzzing seemed to drop to a low hum as they walked past them.
‘Bye, bees,’ Amanda said, feeling stupid.
‘Farewell, bees, see you soon,’ Diana said in a cheery voice. ‘They’re happier now. All you have to do is keep them informed of what you’re up to and they will be contented. Bees are nature’s gossips. The more they know the more important they feel.’
‘Good to know,’ said Amanda, wishing Lainie was here to witness the situation. Amanda hadn’t just walked through the moon gate to a new world, she had entered a portal to a new dimension.
They walked along a very overgrown driveway, framed by trees and shrubs and flowers she didn’t recognize.Mom would know what they are,she thought, and she stopped briefly and held a white bell-shaped flower in her hand.
‘My mom would have loved this. She adored flowers,’ she said.
Diana stopped and turned slowly. ‘Did she have a garden? Your mother?’
‘No, we lived in an apartment that didn’t even have a balcony, but she was volunteering at the community garden before she became sick. She loved to show the little kids from the high rises how things grew and stuff like that…’
Amanda heard her voice trail off. How many times had her mom asked her to go to the garden to help out and she had said no, she was too busy? She would do anything to spend some time gardening with her mother now.
Amanda was slowed down by the suitcases but kept pace with Diana who walked towards her gatehouse much slower than expected. Perhaps she was ill, Amanda thought.
‘This is my little place,’ said Diana, the pride evident in her voice.
The gatehouse was a smaller version of the main house but single level and with a lovely stone wall around the small garden at the front.
That garden was in better shape than the one out the front of Moongate Manor, but it still needed some tidying. Was Amanda supposed to help with that also?
Diana opened the gate and ushered the dog through and then opened the door for Amanda.
‘Pop the cases in here and then I can take you to see the house.’
Amanda placed the suitcases out of the way, noticing the neat, orderly and very elegant house interior.
‘This is a gorgeous home,’ she said to Diana.
‘Thank you. I’m very happy here.’
Diana didn’t offer to show Amanda around, nor did she offer her a drink or to use the bathroom, and Amanda didn’t ask although she could have done with all of those options.
‘Do you miss living in the other house?’
