Chapter One: The inheritance
Sheila was at a charity ball for one of her family's many charitable organizations when she got the message that her father had passed away. Although she was sad, she knew it was only a matter of time before he passed. She left the ball and went to her family estate to see her mother. When she got there, her mother was on the front porch; greeting family and friends of the family for the wake. She thought that's rather fast considering she just found out only a few moments ago.
She walked up the porch to her mother, she hugged her and asked if she was okay. Her mother, Ophelia, was just glad he was gone and wanted to get the wake and funeral over with. Her mother and father never really did get along. Their marriage was a arranged marriage due to her mother's family were Irish nobles by blood and this was tradition. Her father was a English born citizen of America; he had come from England to America with his parents, where his father had began a business empire dealing in lumber.
Sheila didn't have much family left, all of her father's side had died off long ago and her mother's side, she had her aunt and two cousins. The majority of the people that were at the wake were either business colleagues of her father's or friends from his charity organizations. Sheila didn't know many of them, she said her hellos and accepted their condolences; but she didn't get into any in depth conversations.
Her mother was busy with the guests, so she decided to go for a walk around the grounds. As she was walking around, she came upon the "bell gardens", as her father called it, and decided to sit at the wishing fountain in the middle of the gardens. She sat down and looked at her reflection in the water, wondering if she made a wish, would it actually come true? She ran her hand across the surface of the water, making waves across the fountain; then she was startled by a reflection of a handsome young man standing behind her. She stood up and quickly turned and found nothing. Sheila shook it off as her mind playing tricks on her due to her grief of loosing her father and went back to the house.
The wake finished up around dinner time and Sheila decided to stay the night to help her mother. Her mother wasn't much for good company, she was a bitter old woman, but Sheila could hardly blame her for being that way. Ophelia had six children altogether, however five of them died due to illness; so Sheila was the only one left to live out her and her father's legacy. Considering she was a female, her mother told her the only way she would inherit anything was if she married a man of Ophelia's choosing. Sheila was definitely not ready for marriage, she was barely eighteen and desired to travel the world, not get tied down. However, due to her kind heart, she still couldn't leave her mother alone during this time of grieving.
The next day, Sheila awoke to her family lawyer having coffee with her mother in the kitchen. She got herself a cup of coffee and joined them at the table. The lawyer began by offering his condolences to her and her mother, then opened her father's will. He read that her father had left all his money to her mother and the house and estate to her. His business empire and charity organizations had been left to the family liaison to handle, considering he had no son and Sheila didn't understand how to handle his business empire.
Ophelia was a bit upset he left the house and estate to her daughter, but was overjoyed she got all his money. She and Sheila signed the paperwork after all was said and done, then the lawyer left. Sheila went upstairs and got ready for the day. She came back downstairs and had breakfast with her mother, even though she was being a bit bitter towards her for inheriting the house and estate. After Breakfast, Sheila decided to go to the bell gardens.
Sheila walked down to the gardens and she found the handsome young man she saw the evening before; sitting at the fountain, running his hand back and forth across the surface of the water. She approached him carefully and said hello, just as he turned, he disappeared. She stood in shock, wondering had she just witnessed a ghost? She turned and ran back to the house, shaken from witnessing a spirit on her property. She never recalled the estate being haunted before; she Wondered why now?
Ophelia laughed as Sheila told her what she saw. She told Sheila there was never a haunting before and there really was no reason for one, that she knew of. She told Sheila just to forget about it, it was probably her mind playing tricks on her due to her grief of loosing her father. Sheila said she thought that the night before but she wasn't so sure now. Ophelia just laughed and told her maybe Sheila should get out of there for a few hours and go to town, just to get her mind off her grief stricken dilusions.
Sheila and Ophelia left the estate and went to town. There they went to a local diner for lunch, went shopping at a few antique stores and then decided to go see a play at the local theater. The day went on pleasantly and Sheila was relieved her mother was actually behaving like a happy woman for a change. It amazed her that something as simple as visiting the town could make her mother so happy. Her mother was still a social butterfly, even at her old age.
When they finally got home, the sun was just beginning to set in the west. Sheila helped her mother inside and went upstairs to get ready for dinner. As she was brushing her hair, she caught a look at someone moving around in their Front yard. She opened the window and leaned out for a better look. She then realized it was the ghost of the handsome young man again, pacing back and forth under her bedroom window.
Sheila tucked her mother in the bed, kissed her good night and proceeded outside. She grabbed the hand lantern on the dresser in the foyer, lit it and then walked out the front door. She stood on the porch and swayed her lantern from left to right, then back left again. She heard a noise in the garden guest house; she decided to walk towards it. The night was foggy and the moon barely shown it's light, Sheila was glad she thought to grab the lantern.
She arrived at the guest house ten minutes later, shocked to see the lanterns were all on in the house. She stood behind a old oak tree outside the front picture window and waited. Within moments, she saw a shadow of a person, seemingly walking towards the fireplace. The shadow kneeled down and suddenly a fire sparked in the fireplace. She saw the shadow rise back up and it looked as though it sat down in the rocking chair in front of the fireplace.
She instantly thought they had a vagabond hobo hiding out in their guest house. She turned and ran back to the mansion. She got inside and locked the door behind her. She blew out the lantern and grabbed the candelabra. She lit the candles and proceeded upstairs.
Sheila was worried something might have happened while she was gone, considering there were muddy footsteps going from the front door all the way upstairs.
