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Haversham House sample
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HAVERSHAM HOUSE
Level 4 - B1/B2 Intermediate (2) Graded Reader from I Talk You Talk Press
Copyright
Haversham House
Copyright © 2022 by I Talk You Talk Press
ISBN: 978-4-910971-04-9
Publisher: I Talk You Talk Press
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Haversham House sample
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Haversham House sample
NOT FOR SALE
1. Milton’s surpriseLouise had finished packing. Her suitcases were closed and labelled. She looked
around the hotel room.
Tomorrow morning, I will have a few things to put into my carry-on bag, but everythingelse is done. I can’t wait to get back to England. I miss Milton so much. It was a great
experience to come to Sydney and help set up the bank’s new computer systems, butthree months was too long.
She lay on the bed and opened her laptop. She checked her emails. There were threefrom Milton. They all said the same thing.
---Where are you? Can we talk?--Louise smiled. It’s only eight am in England. We will be together in about twenty-fourhours. Why does he want to talk now?
She opened FaceTime and clicked Milton’s number. He came online immediately. Hewas smiling. He looked very excited. “Hi beautiful!” he said.
“Milton. I’ll be back tomorrow. I’m tired. I want to sleep. I have a long flight. Why do
you want to talk now?”“I’m so excited. I couldn’t wait to tell you. I bought a house!”“A house?”“Yes! You’ll love it. It’s amazing!”“But Milton, we agreed to buy an apartment in London. We don’t need a house, and ahouse in London would be too expensive!”“The house isn’t in London. It’s in Devon.”“Devon! Why Devon?”Louise was sitting up now. She was holding her laptop very tightly in both hands. She
could not believe what her husband was saying.
“You bought a house and you didn’t ask me! I haven’t seen it! I don’t want a house!”
She was shouting.
Milton looked surprised. “I had to be quick. There were other people who wanted tobuy it. I bought it for you. It’s perfect.”Louise took a very deep breath. “Uh, Milton. How did you find the money to buy ahouse?”
Milton’s face was red. “I used our savings for a deposit. I told the agent we had therest of the money. We will use the money your father left you when he died. You havemore than seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds in the bank. So there’s plenty to© I Talk You Talk Press
Haversham House sample
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Haversham House sample
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pay for the house. Of course, you will have to sign all the papers at the bank, so we canget the money.”
Louise was so angry. She didn’t want to talk anymore. “I’ll be in London late tomorrow,
England time. We’ll talk about it then.”“I’ll be at Heathrow Airport to meet you. I’ll tell you all about the house. I love you…”
Milton was still talking when Louise ended the connection. She was very upset.
She didn’t sleep well. The thoughts in her head were always the same.
He is using my money to buy a house. He didn’t talk to me. He didn’t ask me. I hatehim.
The flight from Sydney airport to Heathrow in London was very long. Louise didn’t feelgood. Not enough sleep, and too much stress, she thought. She was very tired, but she
couldn’t sleep.
She thought about Milton. He was American. They met when Louise went to MIT forsome special computer courses. He was a mathematician. Some people said he was agenius. He was also very handsome and charming. He was tall, with dark blonde hairand big brown eyes. They fell in love. They went to England to meet Louise’s family.
Milton loved everything about England. He loved the culture and the history. Hewanted to live there. Milton got a job at a university in London. They married, and for two
years, life was very good.
But now? thought Louise. Do I want to be married to a man who does such a thing?
Then she thought, We’re married. My money is our money.
It was very difficult. She had a headache.
When she walked into the arrivals area at Heathrow Airport, Milton was waiting. Hewas holding a big bunch of red roses. He looked very happy. Other passengers smiledwhen they saw him. Louise heard a woman say, “I don’t know who that young man is,but he is in love.”
Louise forgot about being angry. She was so pleased to see Milton after so long.
“I missed you. I wanted to do something very special for you. You’ll love this house!”
Milton was hugging Louise and talking at the same time.
“I missed you too,” said Louise. “Thank you for the roses. But I want to go home andsleep. We’ll talk about the house tomorrow.”
They travelled back to their apartment. It was in a house that belonged to Louise’scousin. Her name was Griselda. She lived downstairs, and Milton and Louise livedupstairs. Louise didn’t speak for the whole journey. She stared out of the window of thetrain and the taxi.
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Haversham House sample
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© I Talk You Talk Press
Haversham House sample
NOT FOR SALE
Louise cried when she walked into their apartment. There were more flowers andcandles. There was a bottle of champagne, cheese, snacks and fruit on the table.
“I’ll light the candles,” said Milton.
“Milton, it’s lovely. You are so romantic,” Louise said. “But I’m too tired. I must sleep.”Louise lay on their bed and went to sleep. She slept for fourteen hours.
When she woke up, she looked for Milton. He was sleeping on the sofa in the livingroom. I’m still wearing the clothes I wore on the plane, she thought. I’m so confused andworried. I want to talk to Griselda.
Louise took a shower. She washed her hair and put on jeans and a T-shirt.
She walked downstairs and rang the bell at Griselda’s door.
Griselda opened the door. “Welcome back!” she said. Then she looked at Louise.
“Something’s wrong. Come in. I’ll make coffee. You can tell me what the trouble is.”-----END OF SAMPLE-----© I Talk You Talk Press
Haversham House sample
NOT FOR SALE