The Baron and his Lady

Three: Penthurst Manor

"Are you sure you can find the place?" Dina hovered outside my door. She's recovered from her pills.

"Yes mom. Dad gave me the address and Louie will pick me up as soon as I land." I slid my laptop inside the bag back and I was set.

"Sweetie, do you have to go?" Dina put her hands on my shoulders, she looked worried. If Dina knew how to be worried that is.

I smiled at her, "It's alright mom. Dad's just gonna show me the house and once I convince him its the wrong one, I'll be back here right away." With her Dad's money, travelling wasn't a problem. In this case, my allowance.

"That project of his and his obsession has swallowed him." She sank down in a chair. Oh great, Dina's getting melodramatic now, "It cost us this marriage and it kept him away." Her eyes were actually tearing up, I so do not have time for this. "And now he's gotten you mixed up in it too."

I put my bag down and went to my mom, "He didn't get me mixed up. I wanted to be part of Dad's life, archeology is what he loves mom. I support him for choosing that. It doesn't mean I'll be following his footsteps." Yeah, like digging graves and finding bones. Ugh.

"It's still his fault! He filled your head with stories and mysteries since you were a little girl. Now he's chasing a dead man, why can't he find other things from ancient times? Why did it have to be a corpse?"

I almost rolled my eyes, almost. "Mom, there's no corpse. Baron Lucian lived long ago and no one knows where his body is. Dad thinks he found the Baron's house, but I am going to go there and prove to him that its all wrong." I squeezed Dina's arm, "I may even bring Dad here with me."

She didn't say anything after that. The doorbell rang and Oggy was on his heels. "Gotta go." I said and picked up my bag.

"At least tie Oggy, Kristania!"

I was almost at the door and remembered Oggy was out of his leash, I grabbed the nearest one by the door and cuffed the dog. He didn't mind.

"Let's go boy." He thumped his tail and we went towards the cab.

5 hours later
I landed safely, that's what I told my mom on the phone. She wanted to know if Louie was on time, I saw his head peeking against the mob and waved at him. I cut off Dina's hysterics and ended the call.

"How's your flight Krista?"

"Fine. Please take my bag, I'll hold Oggy."

Louie nodded. He was 5 years older than I am and had been tailing my dad since he got into archeology. He led us to a car waiting just by the exit. Oggy slid on the back seat but settled on the floor, he didn't like flying but he loved cars. I took the passenger seat.

"We should be at the house in an hour." He glanced back and patted Oggy, "You need anything before we go?"

"No. I'm good, thank you Louie."

He smiled. At 22, Louie can be posing for a magazine. With his blonde hair and deep blue eyes, taut chest and flat stomach, he could be landing big contracts from modelling agencies. His toothpaste commercial winning smile drove girls crazy. Yet here he is, chasing ancient remains with my Dad. And I have a feeling that he's half in love with me. Yikes!

I turned my attention on the road, we passed by a lot of farms mostly.There were houses that were huge and beautiful but appeared to be old, the road was well constructed and they had traffic lights working. When Dad described Winter Falls, I pictured the place to be provincial and untouched by modern technology.

"We'll have to go thru a dirt road after this."

"Why?"

"The house," he paused gripping the wheel tightly, "is located far from the main road. They didn't develop it since its private property and all. Plus, only one family lives there right now." Louie explained.