Three Days at Allerdale Hall

On Our Way

"Are you okay? You've been jittery since we got on the road."

I tore my eyes away from the expansive country scenery and looked to Heisen, giving him my best smile despite my racing heart and bouncing leg.

"Of course, I'm totally cool."

"You sure? Because you're grasping your phone as if your life depended on it."

I glanced down then hastily tucked my phone between my legs before turning to look out of the window again, mentally checklisting and fretting that I had forgotten some part of equipment, even though I always travelled lightly for my videos.

We were nearing the halfway point in our five-hour drive and the closer we got, the more my adrenaline spiked and my heart raced, it was an unpleasant feeling and would flutter in and out, always unwelcome but equally as uncontrollable.

"I'm perfectly fine."

"Okay, you seem pretty nervous."

"Maybe I'm a little anxious but I'm also excited, I finally get to see the manor."

"And meet the brother."

"Yeah...and meet the handsome, reserved, totally intimidating in photos alone brother."

An image of the first photograph I ever saw of him flashed in my head again and I had to supress a shudder, the memory of his eyes had stuck with me ever since I'd first glimpsed at them in that book.

If that's how they were printed, just how intense would they be in person?

"Are you going to get me his number?"

I rose my eyebrow and glanced towards Heisen before snorting a laugh.

"No, I'm going to get me his number but maybe I'll put in a good word for you."

"Aww, the best friend that I could ask for."

I smiled and watched the trees and countryside turn into buildings and town landscapes before shifting back to rolling hills with a farm sitting near the middle of the expanse.

The drive had fallen silent an hour or so after he had picked me up, the only disruption from pure quiet being the rumble of the car, the sounds of the road and the CD that had been playing on a hushed loop during the journey.

We had left just before ten that morning and now that we had passed noon by sixteen minutes, both of our stomach were conversing in a kind of chorus.

Signs zoomed by us as we continued down the motorway, surrounded by dead trees and other cars as a sun that didn't warm anything loomed overhead.

"You want to stop at the next services?" I asked, looking back to Heisen.

He briefly glanced my way before focusing on the road again and nodded, chancing another look to the signs as we passed them.

"Sure, did you see when the next one was?"

"It's about twenty miles up ahead."

"Great, hope they have a KFC."

"Sorry, I think the sign said Burger King or Starbucks," I replied then laughed at his disgruntled face.

"Fine, Burger King will do."

Twenty minutes later we pulled into the services and parked up, both of us eagerly clambering out to stretch our legs and groan in satisfaction, Heisen definitely needing it more than I did given his ridiculously tall stature.

As he stretched himself out, I grabbed my bank card from my purse and then dropped my bag back into the footwell of my seat.

I ducked down and carefully backed out of the car, being sure not to hit my head as I exited the vehicle completely and then stepped back to close the door with one hand, holding my phone up with the other to flick the button on the side to illuminate the screen.