Selene gazed out the carriage window, lost in thought as she was trying to recount everything from her past to find clues about her parents.
What had she missed in the past? Were there signs that her parents were no ordinary purebloods?
Selene even tried to think of her grandfather’s visits but it was so long ago that she couldn’t find any answers.
Selene was momentarily distracted by men hard at work around the home. She faced Xavier who had to be the one behind this. "When did this start?" She asked.
"Right after it was back in your hands. The men I left behind continued to rid the home of what belonged to your aunt and cousin. Paige’s things have all been collected. It was meant to be a surprise to show you the result the next time we visited," said Xavier.
It was ruined by the surprising events.
Xavier wanted the home changed around by the time Selene found someone to look after it in her place. It was far from finished.
Selene looked again at the many workers on the outside, changing around the garden and those going inside the home. There were many changes she noticed which were quite similar to how the home was when she lived here.
"How did you know all these little details? Even my memory of it isn’t the best," Selene said, surprised he was able to find the very flowers her mother adored.
"I searched for an old servant who was more than willing to return now that your aunt is gone. Once the home is back in order, servants are willing to come back here. Most of them were fired by your aunt or cousin for being loyal to your mother," said Xavier.
It came as a surprise to Xavier to see how many accepted returning for work. They could have ignored him and stayed away from the Harrisons because of what was said around the town but they eagerly accepted returning based on what was told to Xavier.
It spoke about Selene’s parents’ character and treatment of those who served them.
"They were all so wonderful. It is no surprise that my aunt or cousin got rid of them. On the days we visited, there weren’t many servants in view. Not enough to keep a large home together. They must have had trouble with money," Selene realised.
"Must of?" Xavier found her way of saying it too kind. "They were after the money left to you for a reason. Your father was the heir of the Harrisons. They had riches at their fingertips when they took this home but they must have blown through it fast."
"I never heard of my uncle having trouble with money. It is possible he cut Trevor off so when Trevor got money from what they sold here, he had the freedom to buy what he liked but it must have gone quickly. You said Paige’s father had money," Selene remembered.
Trevor must have sold her a dream to bring her here.
"I am not done with my relatives yet. If I must visit the court, I will have them repay me for all that they took or sold. I do not care if it bleeds them dry," Selene said, hardly satisfied with only the home back in her hands.
Ruby and Trevor had more to pay for what they did.
"I spoke to Agnes today about letting her have the home. I will always be on the estate with you so I will not have time to look after it. If my parents do return here, I will find her another home. I don’t want to break my promise," said Selene.
Agnes was too excited for Selene to go back on what she promised.
"It is unlikely they will ever return to living here for the town to know they are alive. They must stay hidden to keep your secret. I will help her out," Xavier said, sending away Denis, the coachman.
Xavier exited the carriage first and offered his hand to Selene to help her down.
Selene opened the door to her parents’ rooms and as she expected, it was not the same. All the furniture was gone and the walls were in the middle of being painted.
The color was as she remembered but no matter what they restored, this home would never be the same.
’Did they ever point out something here?’ Selene wondered.
In her youth, she spent plenty of time in this room to the point she preferred to sleep here than in her bed. There were so many stories told here and so many times she dressed up in her mother’s belongings.
"My books," Selene softly spoke.
Her father always kept a book she enjoyed in the room for the nights she wanted to sleep there. Selene could never get bored of the stories about a young girl and the sea. Her father would read it here and then lift her to her bed.
Selene noted to later search for the book which she hoped was in her old room which had been turned into a storage room.
She looked around the room but found nothing out of the ordinary. It was only after she passed a window that Selene stopped and went back to look out of it.
Selene smiled as she recalled a chair placed for her to sit and look out the window for when her father would come back from his walk to join them for her stories.
"What was out there?" Selene wondered. She never bothered to ask her father about it but now, she was curious.
Rather than search the inside since it was already stripped of what was left behind, Selene decided to take her search outside before she continued inside.
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