The Dangerous Duke of Blackton Manor

The Duke of Blackton Manor

The great hallway was covered in a blanket of darkness. It had been years since Harrison had set foot in his childhood home, he hadn't known what to expect on his arrival at Blackton Manor.

Somehow he had expected it to look different, but it didn't, it looked exactly the same as the last time he stood in this position 6 years ago, before he had left and made a promise never to return.

He stood in the open doorway as he took in his familiar surroundings.

A sleepy footman swayed at his side ready to take his hat and greatcoat, he had ridden hard through the night to reach the manor as quickly as he could.

He had received his cousins letter to call him home whilst indulging in the beautiful widow, Lady Ruxton.

With fiery red hair and a temper to match, she was hot headed and more than willing between the sheets, the perfect mistress...or so he had thought as he had begrudgingly left her naked and purring in his ear, he would have to get back to that.

He gave over his sopping wet great coat and hat, leaving him stood in puddle as the water continued to run off him. The rain had been nothing when he left London, little more than a drizzle, but it had quickly turned into a nasty storm with big heavy drops of rain that made the roads nearly impossible to travel on and the angry clouds crashed above him.

Lightning cut through the clouds, lighting the entire sky, He had followed the lightning bolts, as if the storm had been leading him to the place he once called home.

'Where is the Duke?'

The footman straightened himself once more

'In his chamber My Lord'

He heard footsteps approaching

'Harrison'

his cousin 'Jack, what is so important that it was imperative I drop what I was doing and ride out in the middle of the blasted night to come to this wretched place'

or perhaps that should be who I was doing

'Your father, he is..unwell'

He could have laughed, the Duke was no father to him.

'The Duke is ill, then summon the doctor.'

'The doctor has been, there is no more he can do, his lungs and heart are failing'

Harrison knew he hadn't been well for months, but never had he thought it would come to this, that the Duke might actually die.

He had never thought anything or anyone would kill him. It was as if he was immortal.

How could someone with no soul die?
Surely he was already dead.

'He doesn't have long, you must make haste'

his cousins words brought him back to the reality, the time had come, he would have to face him.

He didn't utter a word. He took the steps that would take him up to his fathers chamber as quickly as he could before he could change his mind.

He froze on the threshold with his hand on the brass knob as his heart beat fast and hard in his chest, he took a deep breath and turned the doorknob and let the door swing open silently.

He stood looking down the dark corridor that would take him into his room.

It was dark and smelled, the stench of death filled the air. He took a step in and there was no going back, He took another and slowly the darkness engulfed him completely, another step and he could hear voices, sobbing.