If Only You Knew

11 - The Manor

April 11th, 2015 - Northern England

It was a 5am wakeup as Matt and I stumbled out of my bed, got ready and were climbing into Andrew's car with Cassia at 6. The wind was a little harsh and cold as I pulled a cardigan around me, my curls loose down my back. No one spoke for a while as we raced the sunrise along the relatively empty road. It was quiet, only the sound of the engine could be heard from the back seat, where I sat with Matt. 

I gazed out the window, watching the trees go past in a blur. We were flying through the woods and tapped my fingers on my knee quickly and nervously. But it was mostly excitement.

"We should be there by 11," Andrew called back to me and I smiled and mumbled a reply. Cass and Matt both gave me small smiles.

"Who lives out here?" Matt asked the question I'd been wondering.

"My parents do at the moment, but family sometimes drift through," he smiles, the reply seeming automatic. "But not often. I think I'm the only one who comes out here."

"So just your parents will be out here?" I ask quietly.

"Yeah," Andrew nods and throws a smile at me in the mirror.

"And will they know who I am straight away?" I meet his eyes in the mirror and he nods again. "Did you?"

"Yes, but I didn't say anything in case I was mistaken," he gives a small shrug as Matt and Cass watch the conversation.

I nod in understanding and then we drive the rest of the way in silence. I mainly watch the trees, but sometimes look over at Matt, who's watching the trees pass by. 

Eventually we pull up and I climb out of the car, taking in the view of my home. The huge brick manor, with white awnings and porches and railings. The window frames and door frames are all white as well. Every climbs out of the car and we pull our bags out of the boot of the car, walking up the stairs as I look around at the familiar garden and front area. I meet Matt's eyes, and he's smiling at my smile. Everything is just like I remember. I snap back to reality as Andrew knocks gently on the old wooden door and smiles at me, then at Matt and Cass behind us. I nod at him as the door opens in front of us.

"Andrew," the woman, who I assume is his mother, is short and has shoulder-length brown hair with grey running through the roots and bright green eyes. She smiles at me suddenly and her eyes widen. "Alice?"

All I can do is nod. I try to smile, but my mouth awkwardly freezes up. I'm saved from the awkward silence by the arrival of a man, who looks like a 50-year-old version of Andrew, down to the smile. I continue to simply stand there, but I can feel Matt behind me.

"Did you say Alice?" He turns to his wife and raise his eyebrows, then sees me. "Oh my. Come in, come in everyone and we can talk about this over tea and cake."

Mrs Whitehall quickly snaps out of her trance and gestures for us to enter, standing to the side and holding the door. "Of course, please do come in, I'll go and get us some tea and bring it up to the drawing room." 

We all smile and nod as I lead the way to the drawing room, up the stairs and down the corridor. Andrew follows, talking quietly to his father, with Matt and Cass on either side of me. We walk into the room and place our bags inside the door and I look around. The furniture is the same, the wallpaper and everything. I look at the corner of lounge and see a stain peeking out from underneath, from when Freddy and Charlotte's youngest daughter had spilled her first cup of tea and I smile to myself at the memory.

"Please do take a seat, all of you," Mr Whitehall gestures to the lounge I was already looking at. It's very long and I sit in between Matt and Cassia, with Andrew on the other side of Cass. Mr Whitehall takes a seat on the lounge opposite us, and so does Mrs Whitehall when she walks in a moment later, setting a tray on the low glass coffee table in front. The tray is laden with a teapot, 6 tea cups and a huge plate of biscuits.

"It's nice to meet you both, Mr and Mrs Whitehall," I smile over at them as Mrs Whitehall pours us all tea with milk and sugar.

"It's amazing to meet you Alice," she smiles up at me. "But call me Marie, and this is Charles."

"Thank you," I smile as she hands me a cup of tea, and everyone else does the same.

"Now, you do have some explaining to do," Charles smiles warmly at me, and I see the portrait of my family behind him on the wall. I was only six when the painting was done and I smile at it.

"Is that you?" Matt whispers in my ear.

"Yes, when I was six," I nod at him. "I'll explain everything."

And so I do. It takes nearly an hour, by Marie and Charles just listen politely, and Cass adds in parts when she can. Matt simply sits in silence, but Andrew talks a few times throughout my story. I stumble over some parts, but for the most of it, I speak without a hitch. I smile at them when I'm done and lean back against the lounge.

"Well, that sounds complicated," Marie smiles and leans back against her husband's arm. "But now you have your sister's magic?"

"Yes, I do," I nod and smile, meeting her gaze.

"Alright, that explains why magic was never past your generation," I bite my lip and nod again before a silence falls over all of us. 

"Anyway, we'll let you get to your rooms and get settled before dinner," Charles stands and smiles down at us. "It was lovely meeting you all."

Marie stands and gathers up the tea, before turning to Andrew. "Would you show everyone to their rooms, dear?"

He nods quickly and his parents both walk out the door that we all came in. "Well, Alice, I hope you remember where Frederick would have hidden the key to your room. Or you'll be in a guest room."

"I remember," I smile cheekily and walk across the room to the family portrait. I stick my hand under the corner and feel along the inside ledge until I find a piece of cool metal against my fingertips. I pull it out and look down at it, blowing the dust off it's bronze surface. "I remembered."

I smile at the others before we all grab our bags and follow Andrew as he leads Cassia and Matt to their rooms before going to his, and I find Cass and Matt, leading them up to the third floor, to the east wing, where my room is. 

We reach the dark wooden door and I hesitate before quickly inserting the key and letting myself in. I look around at the room I left behind all those years ago. The white curtains hang still in front of the glass doors leading to my balcony. The sun shines through the material, leaving a golden glow over everything in my room. I look at my floral wallpaper, hardly faded over the years, and then at my huge bed. The white canopy is pulled back by golden cords and I look down at the pale purple covers and pillows, all with silver embroidery, the work of my grandmother. I look at my vanity table, the off-white wood faded a little, all my perfume bottles still lined up down the side, with various other vanity products strewn across the surface, just how I left it that morning.

I hear Matt take a step into the room behind me, and I hear Cass' gasp of surprise. I smile around at my room, before walking over to the slightly open dark wood wardrobe, a long skirt peeking out. Cass follows as I open the doors. My shoes are all lined up at the bottom, all black or white with small heels, and a single pair of black riding boots in the back corner. Mine and Cass' eyes are joined by Matt's as they travel up the length of my dozens of dresses, up the delicate stitching and then the jewelled corsets and lace detailing. To the various necklines and sleeves. The top of the wardrobe has a shelf displaying all my hats and headpieces, as well as my pearls on a plain bust. 

I was home.