White Rose

Chapter 6: Estelle

Each step echoed in the still air. The wind was a scared companion over my shoulders, there, but making it's existence made known as little as possibly can. 

I made it to a grand door of fine wood. Probably mahogany, I'm no wood expert or whatever. I saw glinting door knockers. I reached for on to my right and inspected it fully. It looked like the head of a Chinese lion. Carved in what appears to be gold. The other to the left is similar. Along the door frame stood a pillar of glass, to which I saw signs of a fire or lights inside. I could hardly see anything other that light coming from the door sides and atop the door frame. The glass was opaque glass. Everything inside was a blurr, pressed against the glass behind the strong light.

I proceeded to knock. I reached for the heavy gold ring that looped through the creature's mouth and hit it against the wooden door.

An eerie echo crawled throug the surrounding greenery as I hit more than once. Giving up, I looked for a doorbell.

I heard the door open and a woman stood firm at the ajar door. She was wearing a more formal and long-skirted version of a French maid's uniform. She was abnormally tall and narrow. She didn't look unhealthy, apart from her pale skin. She looked as if she was made of living stone. Her presence was a weight of emptiness in my chest. I didn't know what to feel from her, for she gave nothing to feel. Worse, her face was completely covered by a black veil. Only feature above her neck were her dark lips and raven hair in a Bob haircut above her shoulders.

"Good morning and welcome, sir. How may I be of assistance?"

Her dry monotonous tone made me feel she didn't strongly felt to aid me either way or not at all. She sound as if she had rehearsed that line for years, losing all emotions out of forced routine.

"Morning, I'm looking for-"

A voice as smooth as honey slid between the dry space between me and the maid.

"I'll take it from here."

I couldn't help but eye the woman from toe to head. She peaked from behind the door, but half her body was clearly visible.

She wore black boots. From the sight if the material and design, it wasn't just any boots. Her thin legs hid under skin-fitting black leggings and hid under a buttoned up velver coat. It hugged her figure beautifully, opening slightly at where her neck should be. She hid her neck with a scarf. Her face was the only exposed skin, she wore thin leather gloves. Along her milky skin, draped raven curls, tumbling over her shoulder and over one of her eye. I'd say she didn't need it, but her exposed eye and eyebrow were skillfully done.

"Morning, please do come in. You must be frightfully cold in this weather," the words flowed off her crimson lips in the smoothest American accent I've ever heard.

"Actually I'm just-"

"Please, I do beg of you to accept my hospitality," she smiled warmly at me. I took notice to her scoping me out as well. The sound of her voice drove a warmth up my back.

Weird.

I accepted and she stood aside along with the maid to Grant me way to enter. It seems the woman had not long been here. She's dressed as if she herself had recently came in from the cold.

Inside was dark, only a fire lit the room. Far ahead was a grand fireplace. The flames had died down, less brighter than what I had seem from behind the fog glass. Right in front of the fireplace were two large chairs, with a tray of hot tea awaiting someone's return, most likely the young woman's. I spotted a mound of suitcases behind the chair.

So she had indeed recently arrived.

"Eileen! Have you lost your manners! The next guest that arrives you show hospitality or you return from where you came!"