The Downfall Of Grace Griffin

23.

"Why are we here?" I asked as Roman let me inside.

"You wanted somewhere to hide?"

I guess I did. I shrugged at him as I wondered around.

"This place is beautiful." I muttered as I stared at the delicate designs on the roof.

Roman had walked out to somewhere and I suddenly felt lost. The place was huge and fancy.

This didn't seem like Roman at all. I always pegged him for modern.

"Roman?" I called out as my hand went to a pillar in the sitting room. The place felt old, like history has come to life.

I went to the fireplace and on the mantle were photos. I smiled at them. There were a couple, sitting on a blanket in the grass, they looked so young. The other one was a boy, holding a football, he looked about ten. Then there was a teenager, those eyes, that hair. Was that Roman?

"That's my parents." Roman said as I looked at a formal photo of three people.

I turned to face him. He had changed. He was in something more casual.

"I've let the cook know about dinner." Roman stated.

"Cook?" I asked him. He had a cook?

"Well, I can't cook. I'm assuming you don't."

I shook my head. "No. I can't." I answered honestly.

"Come on. I'll show you around."

My eyes widened in surprise. Roman took my arm and we walked quietly around the place. He showed me the multiple sitting rooms and the game rooms, the studies, the kitchen, the dining rooms.

"Why so many rooms?" I asked him.

"Well," Roman smirked. "This place was built many years ago, my family from my mother's side travelled here to Australia from England."

"They had money, they had large social groups, just like someone else I know, they were very social and entertaining people."

I saw Roman smile at me.

"As it got passed down from one generation to another, I was the one that ended up with the place on my parents death."

"They too were very social people. They liked to entertain and host parties."

"They did?" I asked him. "Why do you hate it so much then?"

Roman squeezed my hand as we went up the wide hallway. There was a slight step up.

"These were known as the sleeping quarters." He told me. "Because," Roman sighed. "I became use to my private world, just me."

I looked ahead of me as we passed a couple large doors.

"I didn't or don't like the party scene, hosting events, having social gatherings, because it reminds me too much of my parents."

I stopped walking and looked up at Roman. Here he is again, opening his heart to me, again.

"Most of the place has been restored, the furniture as you can tell, it looks old like each could tell a story," Roman gave me a small smile as he pulled me along. "But it's all next to new. Every room I've showed to you is finished."

"The rooms are gorgeous." I let my fingers run down the wall next to me, on the wallpaper that looked so detailed, I wanted to know if it was 3D.

"This is where you will be sleeping." Roman opened the door at the end of the hall. Where I will be sleeping?