– Yeah, but I'll still be the mistress of the whole house! – I laughed.

The Englishman looked at me intently.

– A tenant» he reminded me.

«How tedious and boring he is!» – I thought mockingly, covering my eyes with the palm of my hand.

– Are you ill? Do you have a headache?

I took my palm away from my eyes; Harry was looking at me with concern.

– No, I'm not. It's just that you're very tedious» I couldn't help but grin mockingly again.

– Tedious? – He asked in surprise.

– Very tedious» I clarified. – Don't take offence.

– Don't worry, I think I understand why you thought that. – He took one of my bags out of the boot and walked up the low stairs to a very modern but antique-patterned door. – We English don't call it «something tedious», but «love of order».

I couldn't find anything to say, so I just followed Harry upstairs and stopped behind him, waiting for him to open the door.

– The key's a little stiff here. You've got to push it a little harder. Just a minute… – Harry started fiddling with the key in the lock.

We stood like that for about three minutes.

– Let me try» I suggested, after Harry's failed attempt to open the door.

– You think that if I can't open the damn lock, you can? – The guy asked a little mockingly, looking at me.

– Wanna bet? – I suggested calmly, knowing the outcome in advance.

– Betting is silly.

– Afraid of losing to a girl? – I grinned.

He laughed softly, a pleasant enough laugh.

– Well, you asked for it. What's the bet?

– A wish» I said, deciding to teach him a lesson for his love of order.

The guy held out his hand to me with a smug look. I shook it.

– Your hands are cold. Are you cold? – he asked thoughtfully.

– Yes, I am, so I want to get inside» I said hurriedly, taking the keys from him.

And to be really cold in this amazingly sunny weather would be foolish.

With a little effort, I opened the door with ease and looked up at Harry victoriously.

He was surprised, his eyebrows almost touching the roots of his hair.

– It's some kind of miracle» he said with a smile.

Instead of answering, I walked defiantly into the house.

– Tell me, how did you do it? No one's ever been able to open that lock the first time» Harry asked, following me in.

– Not Maria, either? – I grinned.

– The lock was still alive when your sister was here» the guy said.

Harry dragged three more bags into the hallway and grinned derisively.

– I wonder how you'd carry all those bags yourself? – He asked.

– At least you have a sense of humour» I retorted, strolling through the rooms.

I was happy because I was in my own… Well, okay, rented house for a year, where I would start my adult life on my own and do what I wanted to do, like cry.

– It has everything I need: kitchen, entrance hall, lounge, living room, bathroom, two bedrooms…

– Two bedrooms? – I was surprised.

– Two bedrooms» Harry repeated. – Lights, heating. There's nothing interesting on the upper floors, unless you're interested in the old junk in the attic. That's where your bike is, by the way. – He went up the stairs and I continued to look round my little castle.

My flat or should I say house was very clean and cosy. I thought fondly of how nice it was to be here, much nicer than in my own Art Nouveau house in Warsaw. I felt as if I had come home from a long trip, and all the things in the house were glad to have me back. The windows, the curtains, the furniture, the parquet floor covered with beige soft carpet, the lamps, the lampshades – everything was imbued with true English style and tranquillity, and the bedrooms even had fireplaces, but unfortunately electric.

I took off my blue jacket and hung it on a hanger in the wardrobe in the hallway.

– There's your bike! – I heard Harry's voice and his footsteps on the creaking stairs.

The guy came down the hallway and placed a very nice dark blue bicycle with a bell in front of me.

– It matches the colour of my jacket! – I said cheerfully and snapped my finger on the bell.

The whole house immediately responded with a high-pitched ringing.

Harry looked at me strangely.