As a precaution, I only open the door a fraction and peek through the gap, spotting a set of large double oak doors to my left and eyeing them warily; with any luck they'll be open. A portrait of an 18th century man hangs on the muted grey-green wallpaper and stares out ominously next to a row of smaller portraits, all of blank-looking men and women.
To my right is a wooden chair, cushioned with a plum fabric that sports an odd brown stain. No chance of me sitting on that. There's a plain chest of drawers but nothing seems too significant about them. I creep further into the hall, spotting another door adjacent to the drawers that looks...special; like it's been specially customised. The knocker is golden and in the shape of a lion, with metal swirls looping out from its shimmering mane. The lock has some sort of family crest carved into it, highlighting its significance. Wonder where it goes...
A crinkled piece of paper sticks out like a sore thumb against the aged brown colour of the drawers and my fingers immediately grasp for it. Unfolding the page carefully, I see the words "mansion floor plan" scribbled across the back of the sheet. The other side is a large map; both floors are pictured clearly with notes and labels — jackpot!
My fingers tighten around the crinkled paper as I look down. Right, which way leads where..? I can vaguely see another door at the end of the corridor and a turn to the right, into another offset.
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"Nice find,"
Chris shuffles his way closer to me and observes the map, one of his fingers hovering above an area on the first floor section, his tongue sticking over his bottom lip slightly.
"So we're here," he circles the small corridor to the upper right of the floor, "that room there," he gestures to the grand door, "is a study, the door further down this corridor leads into a chamber that goes outside, and the door round the corner leads to a path to the courtyard." Chris then turns around to the double oak doors behind us.
"Those doors lead to a new corridor which means we should check around here first,"
The grand door glitters in my peripheral vision and it becomes obvious that it would be a study. Something so personal would be specialised in.
"We'll try the door further down, by the looks of the map, the chamber inside seems small which should make it a little easier to navigate," I fold the map up and tuck it into my belt.
"After that we'll head through the double doors and then go back to quickly check on Rebecca and Rich, the courtyard can wait and this door—" Chris tugs at the elaborate door, it only rattles in response, "—is locked."
"Guess we'll have to come back to that one. Anyway, you're right. We should check up on the others, I need to know they're ok," My finger taps against my gun absent-mindedly as I brainstorm.
The route back to Rebecca should take at least 20 minutes if we explore all the rooms and a lot can happen in 20 minutes. Oh who am I kidding? Rebecca's fine and can handle herself well, she has been for the past several hours.
