The Guest House Hauntings Boxset by Hazel Holmes (novel books to read txt) 📕

59

The closer Sarah moved to the mansion, the larger the structure grew. But what it gained in size, it lost in luster. Distance had hidden much of the mansion’s decay, and up close it looked more like an extension of the old woman than the beacon of decadence that had been its original incarnation.

The steps leading up to the front doors were crumbling, some of them completely missing, worn away by time and neglect.

The evening sunlight breaking through the gray skies exposed the dirt and grime that covered the windows. Large cracks ran the length of the building’s five stories, and each of the gargoyle statues posted on the roof was missing some type of limb, head, or wing.

But the mansion wasn’t completely without awe-inspiring features. Two massive columns ran the height of the house on either side of the doors, each of them engraved with beautiful, intricate designs and elements of the forest, and though they had been weathered by the seasons, time and nature couldn’t detract from the craftsmanship.

“Damn steps keep multiplying.” Iris stopped at the top of the stairs and leaned up against a statue for support. She was short of breath, and despite the cold, she was sweating. “I just need… a minute.”

After a few minutes of rest, Iris straightened herself and smiled. “Age will do a number on you, darling. Don’t take that young body of yours for granted.” She gestured toward the house. “Now let’s go inside before we freeze to death.”

The front double doors weren’t locked, but they groaned loudly and opened slowly. Iris entered, but Sarah hung back a moment, examining the scrollwork on the wood. It was a carving of the town below.

Sarah saw the road that cut through the middle, the buildings on either side, and on top of the hill was the mansion itself.

“Get in here,” Iris snapped. “It’s drafty enough in this damn place.”

When Sarah finally crossed the threshold, it took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dimness, and Iris closed the doors behind her.

“You’ll get used to the darkness,” Iris said, scooting past Sarah. “Powering this house costs a fortune, and while the Bell name still carries value in town, I’m afraid the family bank account doesn’t share the same clout.” She struck a match and lit a candle.

“I hope it has a little something left,” Sarah said, staring at the back of the old woman’s head, that ridiculous feather sticking out from the top making her look like a weathered bird. “I don’t plan on working for free.”

Iris turned, the glow from the candle shifting the shadows on her face. “You’ll get your payment, dear. Don’t worry.”

“Good.” Unsettled by Iris’s glare, Sarah stepped past her, head tilted up, and gazed at the massive crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling then at the grand staircase that led to the upper floors. Red carpeting draped over the steps, and the stairs’ railing was engraved with more scrollwork, though it was too small for Sarah to decipher. The floor of the foyer was marble, though the stone needed a good polish to restore its shine.

Iris moved past Sarah and stopped at the foyer’s exit onto the first-floor hallway. “Coming?”

Sarah nodded then followed.

“The job is quite simple. You will work Monday through Friday from eight o’clock in the morning until five o’clock in the afternoon. You will be given one forty-five-minute lunch break and two fifteen-minute breaks to use at your leisure.” Iris abruptly stopped in the hallway and spun around. She pointed a long, arthritic finger at Sarah. “But don’t you try and take advantage of that and think you can use that time to start late or leave early. Got it?”

Sarah leaned back, her forehead wrinkling as she frowned. “Yeah, I got it.”

“Good.” Iris spun back around, candlelight illuminating the golden-flecked wallpaper on either side of them, which made it feel as though they were walking down a hallway of stars. “At the beginning of each day, I will assign you a room that needs tending. You will be tasked with cleaning it from top to bottom, including any furniture or belongings that are inside. Should you find anything broken or beyond your capacity to fix, you will notify Dennis.”

“Who’s Dennis?”

“The groundskeeper.”

“How many people do you have working in this place?”

“A few,” Iris answered, her tone ending the conversation. “Now, you and Dennis will be part of the day crew, and there is another shift that works at night. You’re not to disturb them, and they won’t disturb you, understand?”

“What do they do?” Sarah asked, goading the old woman into a flurry.

“Whatever I tell them to,” Iris said, again clutching that wooden sphere, and then tapped her arthritic finger against Sarah’s shoulder. “Do you have a problem with following directions?”

Sarah walked over to a nearby table and picked up an empty vase, wondering if it was worth anything. “So long as the money comes on Friday I’m all yours, lady.”

“Good,” Iris said. “I’ll show you your room.”

A second staircase was revealed at the end of the hallway. It was much more modest than the grand staircase. The space was narrow and cramped, winding tightly, with the steps so small it gave the impression it had been built for children.

Sarah followed Iris onto the third floor, and the pair stopped at the seventh door on the left.

“Here we are.” Iris reached into her pocket and removed a silver key. “This is your room.”

Inside, light flooded through an open window, exposing a modest room that boasted only a bed, a nightstand, and a vanity. The furniture was from the last century, but the sheets on the bed looked new, and the fresh scent of bleach signaled it had been recently cleaned. A fireplace was on the wall opposite the bed, logs stacked next to it.

“Bath is next to the closet. The shower is small, and it takes a while for the hot water to kick in, but it’ll come.” Iris