A Unicorn's Legacy

Chapter 3

     I wake up back in the bed. Oh poop, I was hoping to wait up for who lives here. At least I’m still in the same clothes as when I fell asleep. That’s a plus. I get up and wash my face in the bathroom. My belly is protesting now that I’m up. I guess the first place I am heading today is the kitchen. The smell hits me when I open the door in the stairs. It can’t be….

     The aroma is making my mouth act like a waterfall again. Oh please let there be some for me! I barrel into the kitchen. Sitting on the end of the island, is the tray. Loaded with food. As I get closer, I see a huge pile of pancakes, surrounded by two eggs, fried diced potatoes, several strips of bacon and a slice of wheat toast. There is a large glass of orange juice off to the side. I don’t even bother taking the tray anywhere. I just dig in to the delicious display before me.

     After I finish the feast, I make a round of the first floor to see if I can find someone. The parlor is my last stop, the curtains are closed now, so I peek out. It looks to be dawn, the sky was beginning to lighten, but the sun isn’t even close to being considered up.  Well, time to explore the second floor. I go up the stairs across the foyer. I take the hall opposite of where I keep finding myself after I fall asleep. 

     I find a hallway to the right. There are 4 doors. Each one is a bedroom, with its own bathroom and walk-in wardrobe. The bathrooms have both a shower and a bathtub. They have different accent furniture though. One has a sette, another has two chairs and a small table between. The third, a large desk and a chair pulled up to it. The last one has a large couch with a coffee table. 

     I walk back to the original hallway and continue until I get to the next hallway off to the left. The first two doors look like linen rooms. Sheets are folded and neatly stacked on shelves      behind the door on the right and blankets and comforters behind the door across the hallway. The other 8 doors have more bedrooms. These are smaller than the ones in the other hallway. They have smaller bathrooms that are missing the bathtub the others have. There is a movable wardrobe in each instead of a walk-in.

     The smaller bedrooms are about the same size as the rooms in my parents house. The more I explore this place, the more I feel like I am home. I know I have always been strange, but this? My brain is just taking things too far this time. Still, I just can’t shake the feeling that I belong here.

     I retrace my steps back to the balcony. I notice two places in the carpet that look a little different than the rest. They are close to the wall, so I get closer and kneel down to examine them. They are close together, and look like squares pushing the carpet up almost imperceptibly. I run my fingers over them. Something urges me to push on them. As soon as I press them, the wall separates in front of me with a whoosh. I look up surprised. Where did the wall go? I realize as I stand up, that I’m looking into the ballroom. I walk a few steps and find myself at the top of the stairs. 

     Wow, and I thought the view from the first floor was amazing. I feel like a queen looking down on the dance floor. I can imagine it being full of people who respect and adore me. Not like for my birthday. That was a place full of curiosity and gossip seekers. Tilly, my parents and Carl were the only ones there that even gave a damn about me. Thinking of my parents and Tilly, I should probably write to them shortly so they don’t worry or come looking for me. I can always do that later though. Right now I’m still trying to figure out who lives here, and that means exploring more.

     I turn around and see the wall has closed, I look down at the floor and see 2 more switches on the floor. I step on these and the wall, or should I say doors, open again. I step back through to the foyer. Then turn right to go towards a door I saw before. This door leads to a hallway with 2 large rooms, both doors for these are on the same side of the hallway. They look the same as the rooms on the other side of the foyer. Only these have all the furniture of the previous 4 combined in each room. One more hallway to explore across from this one.

     There are several smaller bedrooms in this hallway, but all the doors are on the right. They are smaller than the ones on the other side of the ballroom. There are no bathrooms in these rooms but a separate one in the middle.  The furniture in all the rooms seem to coincide with the size of the room. The biggest rooms have the biggest furniture, where these in front of me have tiny furniture. I say tiny because I have never seen them built for someone my size or smaller. They almost look like kids rooms. Some even have beds stacked on top of each other, up to 3 high.

     My curiosity of why there are no rooms on the left side of the hallway leads me to believe there might be something hidden behind here. I wonder how many things are hidden in this place, thinking back to the ballroom/foyer wall trick. I check all along the wall and floor, but no seam, switch, indent or lever. Hmm. There has to be something here. The ceiling to the pool was high for what I’m used to, but almost everything in this place is bigger than I’m used to. It still didn’t reach two levels. I enter into the bedroom I keep waking up in, and check on this wall, still looking for anything out of the ordinary.

     Then I find it. Almost to the corner, I gently push a section of wall. It moves under my fingertips as I hear a quiet metallic click. Surprised, I let go of the wall, and the section gently swings towards me. I step back out of the way and see a stairway going up to another level. The rest of the room looks unfinished. I ignore the stairs for a minute and venture further into the room. It stretches all the way to the end of the mansion and it opens up beyond the stairs. There is nothing on the walls, not even paint. No furniture is in the room, not even a chair. It looks almost sad.

     I shake my head at that thought. I head for the stairs, determined to find out where they go. The top of the stairs opens up into a humongous room. Here I find a desk with a stool at it, a daybed, another walk-in wardrobe, a couch with end tables on each side, 3 overstuffed chairs around a small table, a lengthy bookcase and a rocking chair. There are 2 doors, one is a normal door that goes to a bathroom, and the other is a huge metal door. I’m not sure what kind of metal it is, but it looks like a bunch of different metals, intertwined for a marble effect. 

     I try to open this door but it seems to be locked. Maybe there is a key in here? I look all around, but to no avail. No key. Poop. Well, it was worth a shot. My belly decides it’s time for us to eat. She lets me know very persistently I’m past due for food. I make my way back down the stairs and through the secret door. I make sure I shut it behind me, by softly pushing in until I hear the click, then let go. Once I’m satisfied that it’s not going to open, I head towards the kitchen.

     As I am descending the stairs, I hear a noise in the parlor. I go faster hoping to finally meet someone, I really don’t care who at this point in time. As I rush through the door, I’m expecting to see someone. My feet stop so quick my upper half keeps going. I find myself bent in half, falling on my face. Luckily my hands were already shooting out to stop me from eating the carpet. Oh, that was close!

     I get my bearings and stand up quick, making myself dizzy. It goes away after a few seconds and I realize there is no one here. I see a tray of food on the short table. It has a pastrami on rye again, but this time there is a large piece of cake with it and a glass of iced tea. There are also some fresh picked berries. My stomach makes me sit down and start eating. The food is delicious. It is gone within minutes. 

     Just as I finish eating, an aging gentleman in a butlers’ uniform enters the room. He spots me and says, “ah Milady, I see you found your food.” I just look at him surprised. He continues on without pausing, “my name is Geoffry Hoffman, it’s nice to meet you at last.” He hands me a letter with a bow, “I was instructed to give you this Milady, as soon as I saw you.” He looks at me as if expecting a response.

     I reach for the letter automatically, but say when he is done talking, “I’m sorry, there must be some mistake.” I start with the explanation of how I got here. “You see, I just got here a couple of days ago. I stumbled on this place by accident when I got lost in the woods. You are the first person I have seen since I arrived. I have been trying to find out who lives here.” I try to hand the letter back while saying, “I really am sorry for the misunderstanding.”

     He looks down at the letter and then back up at me. He then says, “no misunderstanding Milady. You are the person I was instructed to give it to. He described you to every detail, including what you are wearing.” He still looks at me expectantly. After a few seconds of silence and no one moving, he nods to the letter. “Please read, it will explain some things,” he says. I look down at the letter in my hand sceptically. I open the letter carefully, breaking the seal without ripping the paper.  

My dearest Isabelle,

     I hope this isn’t too much a surprise to you. My name is Alexander, I have been awaiting your arrival for some time. I had this mansion built for you. If you do not wish to stay here, I can fully understand. I have hired Geoffry and Matilda to take care of the running of the place and anything you need. If you need or want something, just tell them and they will obey you. Even if it’s to arrange for you to go back to your parents. I have business away now that you are here. I will be back in a fortnight, I can only pray you are still here when I get back. If you are, I am hoping we can talk and maybe I can answer some of the questions you must have. If you do not feel comfortable staying in my bedroom, there is another space just for you. There is a panel in the wall of my bedroom, push it in and it will open to your own personal space. Geoffry and Matilda do not know of this door or the space above. It is your choice who knows about it. I plan on giving you a proper tour of the whole place once I am able to get back. That is, if you have chosen to stay. Please feel free to do or ask for anything, this place is yours afterall. I am giddy with excitement at the thought of officially meeting you. I am holding out hope you would like to stay. Even if you choose to go, please keep in mind, this place will always be here for you. Anytime. Under any circumstance. Until we meet.

Forever yours,

    Alexander Douglas

     I reread the letter, dumbfounded. If I wasn’t sitting down, I might have fallen over. I don’t know what to say. It all seems so fantastical. I look up to the smiling face of Geoffry. I try to gather myself enough to reply to his unspoken question. “I, uh, I need some time’, I start to say. Geoffrey’s eyes go wide with understanding as he interrupts me. “Oh, but of course Milady. I’ll leave you to your thoughts.” He gives me a bow and hastily exits the room.

     I feel restless so I stand and pace around. I don’t even realize I have the letter gripped in my fist as thoughts race through my head. Who is this Alexander? How does he know my name? Why did he build this place for me? Is this a case of mistaken identity? The only way I will find any answers is to stay. But staying with so many unknowns is crazy. Right? I feel like I want to stay, like I am home. This is ridiculous.

     I make up my mind. I will stay long enough to sort this mess out. I am sure this is a case of mistaken identity, and the real Isabelle will show up at anytime to set this all straight. If not, I can convince this Alexander that I am not who he thinks I am. In the meantime, I have some clothes to move. I might as well make the most of being here until the real Isabelle comes back or he gets here. Whichever comes first.  Now I need to find either Geoffry or Matilda, to make sure they stay away from Alexander’s bedroom. I don’t think the real Isabelle would like me accidentally reveling the secret section of the mansion. 

     I find myself standing in front of the fireplace, staring at the ashes. The letter almost crumpled in my fist, I was holding on to it so tightly. I flatten the letter and fold it neatly. I will put it into the desk when I get up to the third floor. I leave the parlor in search of one of the new occupants of the mansion. I find Matilda in the kitchen. She is a portly older woman. She looks quite at home in the kitchen. 

     I clear my throat when I realize she is so busy, she doesn’t know I’m there. She jumps and shakes like she’s having a seizure. Her hand goes up to her chest. “Oh, child, you gave me a fright!” She exclaims. “I didn’t even see you there, be a dear and make some noise next time.” She says with a sparkle in her eyes, “this poor old ticker can’t take too many more scares like that.” 

     I laugh, feeling at ease immediately. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” I say. “I was just letting you know I’ll be retiring to the bedroom for a while, I’d like to not be disturbed.” She looks at me quizzically,  but just says, “no worries child, I was told you move quietly, I just wasn’t expecting you to be soundless.” She adds, “I’ll make sure Geoffry knows to let you be.”

     "Thank you," I reply. I turn around and go out of the kitchen. I pass by the dining room doors and go through the first door in the stairs. I cross the foyer to the opposite stairs and up I go. When I get into the bedroom, I close the door. I go to the hidden door and open it. I head for the wardrobe and grab a few dresses. I go up the stairs with the dresses, trying not to step on them in the process. I get them hung up in the wardrobe on the third floor.

     I make several trips up and down the stairs with more and more clothes. I wrestle the rack up the stairs after the dresses and shoes are in there new home. I put all of the shoes back on the bottom of the rack once I get it all the way up. Now for the undergarments and the drawers they are in. To make it a little easier, seems I'm starting to get tired, I pull out each drawer and lug them up. 

     One by one I get them up, then comes the shell for the drawers. It's a little heavier than the rack, but it's smaller so therefore a little easier to wrestle up the stairs. After I am completely done, I go back down to Alexander's bedroom. I shut the hidden door and I crawl onto the bed, exhausted. I'll just rest here one last time. Sleep overtakes me without me realizing it.

     When I wake up, my belly is grumbling at me to feed it. I wonder what time it is as I stretch. I get off of the bed, and head to the bathroom to freshen up. No one seems to be around as I make my way to the kitchen for some food. My stomach announces my presence before I can say a word or make any other sound.

     As I enter the kitchen, Matilda says to me without turning around, "I see your insides finally woke you up. Supper is there on the counter. Help yourself." She continues on as I sit down to the delicious looking meal. "I know you requested to not be disturbed, but when I heard this ungodly noise coming from the room, I had to check on you." She looks sideways at me as she continues cautiously, "once I saw with my own eyes that it was coming from you, I closed the door and let you be." 

     She pauses a few seconds, gauging my reaction to her words. I am more focused on eating than I am what she is saying. She starts talking again, blatantly staring at me in wonder. "I have never come across someone who's snores can echo through a whole mansion. Nor have I ever met anyone who's stomach protests as loudly." She pauses again, before asking, "how in this world did you not wake up?" I stop eating, my forkful of venison and potatoes halfway to my mouth. 

     I look up sheepishly, I blush a little as I answer her without thinking. "I don't know, but my parents had to soundproof my bedroom so the household could get sleep. They didn't think it was that big a deal until they started getting complaints from the neighbors." I shrug, “I have been this way since birth.” I go back to shoveling food into my mouth. I finish eating before she can start up the conversation again. 

     She looks down at my plate when I push it forward with a satisfied sigh. “Child, where did you just put all that food?” She asks me incedulously. I look down at the plate confused for a second. Then I look up at her with a grin, “right here.” I say while patting my now quiet belly. “Thank you for supper Matilda,” I say as I hop off the stool. I skip out of the kitchen while Matilda just shakes her head at me. 

     The next couple of weeks go by fairly quickly. I wrote a letter to my parents to tell them of my situation. I really don’t want them to worry. I also wrote one to Tilly, she is my best friend after all. Then I wrote one to Carl, apologizing for running out on him. I know it must not have been easy dealing with the gossip from me running away. I really hope he can forgive me. I got to know Matilda and Geoffry a bit better too. I told them some about myself as well.

     A couple of days before Alexander is due back, I get a letter from Tilly. How it got to me when no one knows exactly where I am, including me, I’ll probably never know. I open the letter fast. I can’t wait to hear what Tilly wants to share with me. She tells me how much she misses me and brings me up to speed on all the latest gossip. She lets me know how my parents are doing, they were all worried about me until they got my letters.

     Then she goes into talking about Carl. Apparently he wasn’t too broken up at me running off. According to Tilly, he has been spending a lot of extra time with my parents horse trainer, Samual. She hints at the possibility of a relationship between the two of them. Samual is a really nice and patient kind of guy. I’m glad for Carl. He deserves someone who will appreciate him. 

     Tilly still hasn’t found the right person yet. She has had a lot of offers for marriage, and turned every single one of them down. It’s good to hear from her, but it still isn’t the same as talking with someone face to face. I hope I can get all of this straightened out soon so I can get back to spending my days with Tilly. I miss her terribly. As pleasant as being here is, I want my best friend closer to me.

     I wake up in Alexander’s bed again. I can’t seem to bring myself sleep anywhere else. I tried to sleep up where my clothes are, but it didn’t seem right somehow. I had to sleep here if I didn’t want to toss and turn all night. The first night I tried, I looked like hell the next day and Matilda and Geoffry hovered around me all day. I finally gave in and decided just to sleep in his huge bed.

     It is late evening when I feel his presence. I’m sitting in the parlor staring blankly into the fire when I’m snapped out of my stupor. I sit up straight and look around. My breath catches at the sight of him standing in the doorway. He is super handsome. Maybe even beautiful. He has pale skin like a china doll and piercing gray eyes. I can’t believe how tall he is. He has got to be over 6 ft. His black hair is cut short and combed neat. 

     I stand up quickly, not really knowing what to do with myself. I brush my hands down my dress, trying to smooth out non-existent wrinkles. He strides over to me so quietly, I don’t even know he’s in front of me until I see his shoes. I look up quickly, my eyes big, like a deer caught in a spotlight. He takes my hand and kisses it. “It’s good to meet you at last Isabelle.” I nearly faint at the sound of his voice, husky yet smooth. My name on his lips sends shivers down my spine.

     “Please, sit down. I’m sure you have a lot of questions.” He motions to the chair I just got up from. “As you probably assumed, I am Alexander.” He says as we both sit down. “I hope I’m not being too forward here by saying I’m so excited to find you still in the mansion.” He looks at me, waiting for me to speak. I open my mouth to speak, but no sound comes out. So I close it again. I can’t help but stare at him. I literally can’t look away. I try to speak again, but only a small squeak come out. What the hell is wrong with me? Oh no, maybe he put some sort of spell on me. Will I ever be able to talk again? I have so many questions, why can’t I ask them?

     He must read the confusion in my eyes because he just smiles and starts talking. “I want to thank you for still being here. I’m sure you have a million questions all wanting to come out all at once.” Ah, maybe that’s why my mouth decided to malfunction, I think, as he continues talking. “I had this mansion built for you, and whatever family you decide to have in the future.” 

     “I know that sounds very extravagant considering I didn’t even know you existed yet, until a couple of months ago.” Before he can say more, my mouth finally starts to work by blurting out, “I think you have the wrong person.” My mouth doesn’t seem to want to stop now that it has gotten started. “I don’t know who this Isabelle is that you are looking for, but I’m sure it’s not me.” 

     By now my mouth is running a mile a minute, like it has to get all of this out before he can say anything else. “I am sorry for this confusion. I am sure the Isabelle you are waiting for will be super appreciative of all of this. I just don’t want you to keep thinking I’m her, when there isn’t any chance of it being so. The only reason I stayed was to clear up the misunderstanding. I really hope you find the girl you seek.”

     With that, I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. He is looking at me with curiosity. “Wait here,” he says before standing up and walking out of the room. I just sit there, blinking in surprise. He returns shortly with Geoffry and Matilda. Now I’m really confused. He addresses them first, “both of you have spent the last 2 weeks with Isabelle. Before I continue with filling her in, I’d like the two of you to give me your honest opinion.” 

     He looks at the both of them, then to me. “She doesn’t think she is the person we have been waiting for, so now I’d like to hear what you think.” These words surprise me, but not nearly as much as what I hear next. Geoffry speaks first, “no disrespect Milady, but you are the one. I can feel it even if you can’t. You belong here.” I start shaking my head, but then Matilda states, “do not be afraid of your destiny child, embrace it.” That stops me cold. 

     I have heard that before. The foreign woman in the shop where I found the dress. I jump up from the chair and back away from everyone, uncertainty and panic written all over me. I start to hyperventilate. This can’t be real. There has to be a mistake. It can’t be me. Oh poop, I can’t breathe. What am I going to do? I can’t do this alone. I wish Tilly were here. That was the last thought I had before everything went black.