She was inside a cavernous lobby where the old-fashioned candlelit theme continued on a grand scale. A glorious chandelier, dripping with candles, illuminated the flagstones and oak panelled walls, the polished surfaces reflecting the flicker, as if on fire. Candles burned from candelabras atop the oak furniture and polished windowsills. This was the main entrance lobby. Stella could see the enormous oak doors she’d had been too scared to knock on. The tunnel entrance had run beneath the house to the front, albeit close to the sweeping marble staircase that dominated this end of the vast space.
Stella turned her attention to the ornate stairs. The balustrades were carved with exquisite naked figures while the pillars at the base featured angels with feathery wings wrapped around their bod
