When the Hydrangea Flowers Bloom

Chapter Four: The Manor

I stepped out of the car, ready to start this new adventure. As my foot reached the cobblestone it twisted and I fell out of the car. The guards standing by rushed to help me up, but I stood up on my own. I straightened out my dress and kept walking. A man with a top hat and glasses was waiting at the top of the stairs.

"Welcome!" Professor Fawcett said. "I am Professor Henry Fawcett."

"Hortence Langdon," I held out my hand, which he kissed. "Pleasure to meet you. Thank you for inviting me to be a part of your study."

"Thank you for accepting! Walk with me," He started to walk inside.

As the doors opened, I gasped. The ceiling was three stories high with a diamond chandelier hanging. Sunlight poured in through glass windows on the walls and domed ceiling. The black and white marble floor clacked loudly when my shoes touched it. Everything I saw was either velvet or marble. There were two staircases that came together at the top before branching off again and going upstairs. Maids rushed around with food, laundry, and other things.

"As you know, I sent out invitations to twenty people from ten cities. Seven wrote me back. You'll meet the other guests soon enough." Professor Fawcett informed me.

"Am I the last to arrive?" I asked.

"Yes, they're all very excited to meet you." He assured me. "The study will take course over one year. You will only be able to interact with the people in this house. I will be supervising, but I will not interfere at all. You will need to take a daily journal of everything, be as detailed as you can, it is very important to the study. You will be allowed to write home once a week if you would like, but no more than that. Twice a month you and the other guests will have a day out, so as not to trap you here.

"When it comes to interacting with the other guests, there are a few rules. Any physical fighting and you will be asked to leave. If we hear rumors of any verbal abuse, and these rumors prove true, you will also be excluded from the study and sent home. Romantical relationships are allowed but frowned upon.

"You are allowed to leave whenever you would like if it is an emergency, say a family member's health. But be warned once you leave, you are not allowed to return. Ah. Here we are." We had walked up the steps and turned left. We arrived at a door. Professor Fawcett pulled it open to reveal a parlor. In it were 7 people.

"I'll let you get to know everyone." Professor Fawcett left.

The room was large with a huge window on the back wall. The walls were covered in elegant wallpaper. It was dark green with flowers on it. There were two couches in the center of the room and lots of comfy-looking chairs. The room was covered in plants There were two different groups of people talking. I walked over to a group of three people sitting on a couch by a few hydrangea plants.

"Hi! I'm Winnifred, but you can call me Winnie. Nice to meet you," A girl with tight blonde curls held out her hand. She had a round face, so when she smiled she looked like a baby. She wore a pink dress with a bustle in the back.

"Simon. Simon Elmswood." Simon nodded at me. He had short brown hair and hazel eyes. He was wearing a fancy white suit with a light pink pocket square. He looked ready for Easter Sunday.

"I'm Martin." Another guy shook my hand. He was wearing a brown suit with his black hair slicked back. He reminded me of my old tutor, Mr. Browning.

"Nice to meet you all. I'm H-" I couldn't tell you why, but for some reason, I stopped. I glanced over to the hydrangea plant. "I'm Hydrangea Langdon. Nice to meet you."

"Welcome Hydrangea!" Winnie said.

"How long have you been here?" I asked them all.

"I've been here for a couple of hours," Simon said.