Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 1898

Estelle followed the servant through the suspended walkway that wrapped around the castle. As they crossed, Estelle couldn't help but notice an incongruous structure standing out against the backdrop of the castle. Tucked among the trees, it looked like a quaint chapel.

The presence of a chapel designed with oriental elements within the grounds of an ancient castle seemed oddly out of place, a jarring blend of styles.

The Brennans had some distant ancestry from across the world. If the old man fancied a slice of the East in his backyard, it was perfectly reasonable.

Estelle shrugged her thoughts off and proceeded to follow the servant.

Soon after, Estelle was ushered into the study. The room boasted classical elegance, spanning roughly a thousand square feet. One wall was dominated by large European-style windows, another by a cozy sitting area, while the remaining two were covered floor to ceiling with mahogany bookcases. The sight was nothing short of stunning.

As Estelle stepped onto the plush carpet, she noticed that the books on the shelves were meticulously organized. The section dedicated to literature spanned centuries, covering every conceivable subject. Among them, Estelle spotted several volumes that had reportedly been lost to the annals of history, yet here they were, collected under the Brennans' roof.

She was craning her neck to get a better look when another servant entered the room. “Miss, the young master sends his apologies. He's been detained by an unexpected visitor. He asks that you wait here for half an hour. Feel free to peruse any book you fancy, and if you require anything else, do not hesitate to summon me.”

“Thank you,” Estelle replied, offering the servant a polite nod.

She browsed the shelves and pulled out a historical medical tome, rumored to have been lost to time. Here it was in the Brennan estate. Estelle wondered what an uproar it would cause among the scholars to know.

After leafing through a few pages and realizing she couldn't quite decipher the text, she slid the book back into place. She pulled out another couple of books, and as she did so, one of them triggered something. A hidden compartment in the bookshelf slid open, revealing a small drawer with a photograph inside.

Estelle wasn't one for prying, but as the drawer slid out, she caught a glimpse of the image and paused. It was a photo of a girl in camouflage gear, her face obscured by a mask, standing on the edge of a desert. The girl's eyes were sparkling amidst the swirling sands. It was no other but the young Estelle.

It was the first time she'd seen Lambert's expression so starkly fierce.

He fetched a soft cloth from a nearby drawer and began to carefully wipe the photo before securing it back in its hidden niche.

Turning to Estelle, his face softened, and that familiar, roguish grin returned. “Darling, everything in this room is yours to touch. You could even run off with the crown jewels and I wouldn't bat an eyelid. But not this photograph. You got that?”

“Do you know her?” Estelle asked, curiosity piqued.

Lambert's eyes flickered with a distant recollection. “In a manner of speaking, yes.”