North Mansion Part 4

Going through their father’s study proved harder then both anticipated. Eleanor found some of the things inside the office sentimental and dear to her and James found the paperwork rather tedious to sort through and even with the capable help from the butler, they made slow progress. Eleanor opened up more to him, however and her feelings spilled out a little more at being in the room her and her father had spent so long in.

“I spent many hours in here with him.” She said softly, sinking into the leather armchair near the giant round window. “We used to talk here every night. About the day, future, problems, things we were thankful for.”

James set down the folder he was going through and came over, sitting on the edge of the other chair

            “Every night?”

            “Yes, no matter how busy he was with work or if he got in at midnight.” She blinked back tears and clasped her hands around her legs, resting her chin on her knees. She looked out the window in silence. James looked out, awed once again by the magnificent view afforded by the large window. The mountains and the ocean could be seen over the blanket of trees below.

            “Don’t stop talking about him.” He said “Trust me, it will hurt you.”

The aching in his voice betrayed loss of his own, not just this father, but another dear, dear person.

            “Come, let’s take a break. Did Dad still keep horses in the stable?” he could sense she needed a distraction

            “Just two. We would ride on the weekends or I would ride with a friend during the week. Want to ride?”

James agreed quickly to this and both parted ways from the study to change. James suggested a meeting place of the basement and when Eleanor looked confused, his eyes widened

            “You mean you’ve lived here your entire life and you don’t know?” he said in amazement “Just trust me, meet me in five…”

He reached the basement just before Eleanor did and walking through to the servant’s quarters

            “Back when there used to be more of a household staff, this passage way was used to get to the stables.”

He easily found the right wall hidden away at the end of the corridor in the staff’s area. The girl seemed stunned, but excited

            “When I was little and Dominique and Arthur came over to play, we would hide down here from Dominique. She never found us.”

It was hard for the girl to imagine James playing as a child. The walk was about a quarter mile and after a spiral staircase up, opened into the tack room.