The Secret in the Mist (Random Updates)

Chapter 1

Evangeline looks down at the letter in her hand, still trying to come to grips with what it states. She has inherited an estate from some distant relative that she barely remembers visiting as a young child. It doesn't make any sense and yet there in her hand is the physical proof that it is in fact very true. She looks up, her dark brown hair slightly masking her vibrant blue eyes so she pushes it behind her ear so she can look out the window, despite the fact that it's raining. A soft sigh escapes her lips as she tries to conjure up memories of the last time she visited The Duke at his estate. Try as she might, she couldn't remember ever calling him anything other than Duke. The paperwork in her hands tells her that his actual name is Edward Van Hise III but it just looks and sounds weird in her mind. Blinking back into focus, she sighs softly again as she pushes up out of her chair and walks over to her bed. Dropping her gaze onto the suitcase in front of her, she quickly shuts it before shoving the papers into her messenger back alongside her laptop. Well, if she was going to get any answers to what was happening, then she needed to head to the one place she barely remembers yet something inside her told her that she was always safe there, even if she didn't know why.

The drive to the estate was a blur to her honestly, but once she drove up to the gate reality came crashing back. The guard standing at the gate made her breath hitch. He had an olive complexion and if she didn't know any better soulless eyes stared back at her. "Name?" he barked harshly, making her flinch. He is clearly over six feet tall, which makes her feel even smaller than her five foot four height. He is very intimidating, which she guesses is a good thing with him being a guard.

"Eve," she gasped as she quickly pulled out the paperwork the lawyer sent her. He snatched it from her before finally breaking his gaze on her. "Evangeline Willows," she cleared her throat. "I'm supposed to be meeting Mr. Anthony Thomas here?"

"Go," he briskly nods while holding out the papers. She takes them and he pushes a button, making the gates swing open.

She parks the car and grabs her messenger bag, looking around nervously. She feels eyes on her and yet she doesn't see anyone. Taking a deep breath, she runs her fingers through her dark hair then grasps the crystal pendant hanging from her neck. It always gave her a sense of security and now she could really use it.

Walking up to the house, her eyes widen in amazement, it has a Victorian Gothic design to it and seems to be pulling her towards it, beckoning her to enter. Just as she took a step on the stairs, the wooden door opened, revealing another man clearly over six feet tall. He has a military cut to his black hair as he stood there in black slacks and a white button up shirt. "Miss Willows?"

"Yes," she nods softly, "I'm Eve...I mean Evangeline."

"I'm Raine, this way," he says as he steps to the side for her to enter. "Mr. Thomas has already arrived. He's waiting for you."

"Thank you," she whispers as she quickly walked past him into the foyer. "Oh wow..." her eyes widen again as she took in the nature aspect of the room. It was like she stepped into a magical forest. "So beautiful."

"This way, Miss," he said curtly as he started walking down a hallway. "The meeting is this way, Ma'am."

"Eve please," she said as she rushed to catch up to him. "Or Evangeline."

"Ma'am," is his only reply as he opens a door for her and steps to the side, "Miss Willows, Sir."

"Thanks Raine," an older man's voice comes through the doorway as Evangeline steps inside. Her eyes find the man sitting at a desk with a gentle smile on his face. He is clearly older, he could even pass off as a grandfather if she had any relatives that was. "Miss Willows, nice to meet you finally, I'm Anthony Thomas, Duke's lawyer, please have a seat."

"Thank you Sir," she says as she forces herself to sit down across from him.

"I'm sure you have lots of questions," he looks at her patiently. He can clearly see that he doesn't have her full attention and he smirks.

"Yes, Sir," she nods as she looks around the library. Her eyes glittering with excitement at seeing all the books surrounding her. It was almost an exact replica of the library from Beauty and the Beast. She always dreamed of having a library like it one day. She forces herself to look back at the lawyer and blushes sheepishly at being caught admiring the books, "I really don't understand anything."

He chuckles softly, "I suspected as much. Duke told me that you would barely remember him since your parents didn't particularly like him. But after your father made it very clear he didn't want anything to do with Duke you became his only living relative so," he waves his hand around, "all this is now yours."

"Excuse me?" She asks in disbelief.

He smirks, "There are some stipulations though."

"Stipulations?"

"Duke stated that you have a career transcribing books into English so you have access to his collection with the agreement that you never sell any of the books and that you work from here from now on."

"I can agree to that," she nodded.

"The other stipulation is that you keep Raine, Cirro, and Wolf. They are not only your staff but your bodyguards as well."

"What?" she looked at him in confusion and shock.

He chuckled, "You have already met Raine and Wolf." She blinks as he shakes his head, "Raine is the butler and makes sure this place stays in top shape. Wolf is your security guard at the gate."

"Oh," she whispers, "Cirro?"

"He is your chef," Mr. Thomas explains, "you will meet him later, if he isn't in the kitchen then he is most likely at the market."

"And I have to keep them?" she asks and he nods, "but why?"

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that," and yet the smirk on his lips tells her that he has more answers than he is willing to tell her.