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“I did! I found it the first night I was here, and it vanished!”
Joseph smiles, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Chapter 4
Joseph
Aweeklater,wefinally found a new set of contractors who start work without incident or complaints. I told them I’d double their rate if they stayed longer than two weeks.
For the first time in years, an air of levity has settled over Idylewylde Hall. Eleanor’s presence has improved my mother’s mood greatly. She’s taken to baking for Eleanor, presenting her with fresh muffins for the morning.
I must admit that it’s nice to have another person in the house. Eleanor and I have established a fragile rapport. She teases me about working in tech. I ask her how her ghostbusting is going. She rolls her eyes and drags me up to the attic to show me her latest discovery.
Eleanor is breathtakingly intelligent. Each night, we huddle over crumbling bits of the past, and she explains how to authenticate them and how to check for paper quality and distribution of the ink. She’s meticulous. When she talks about these things, her eyes light up, molten and brown like embers in a campfire.
I’m intrigued by her, and her beauty is intoxicating: her downy soft skin and plump cheeks, her pert breasts. Sometimes, when I’m in the middle of a particularly arduous meeting, I find myself daydreaming about what it would be like to take one of her pendulous tits in my mouth to feel her tighten around my throbbing cock.
It feels a little on the nose, given my family’s track record with the men sleeping with those who could otherwise be classified as “the help,” but I can’t help it. Eleanor’s beautiful. Idylewylde men have never been able to resist beautiful women.
Eleanor already left for the library by the time I made my way downstairs. I finished up my first meeting of the day, and I need another cup of coffee.
On my way to the kitchen, I run into Jim, our newest contractor.
“How’s it going?” I ask. I’ve been trying to be more personable to fight the looming sense of desperation to finish this project, but Jim looks oddly chipper.
“The flooring place confirmed the order for the new floors for the attic.”
“Excellent news.”
“Yep, they’ll be here next Thursday, and you’ll no longer have to contend with a gaping hole.”
“Wonderful, thank you so much.”
“Any time. I gotta tell my buddies they were being dramatic. This place is fine. It’s not cursed. If anything, this is one of the easiest jobs I’ve had all year.”
“I’m happy to hear that.” I grimace and step into the kitchen.
My mothers at the stove, putting the kettle on the burner.
“Joseph! I was about to make some tea. Would you like some?”
“I’m okay. I’m grabbing more coffee before my next meeting.”
“Well, at least grab a muffin while you’re at it. They’re lemon poppyseed.” She gestures toward the plate of muffins on the counter. I grab one and take a bite. I have to admit, they are quite good.
“If I knew you’d start baking again, I would have invited an archivist here years ago,” I say.
My mother scoffs. “I love you, darling, but this place was getting dull with just the two of us. It’s nice to have someone new to liven up the place.”
“Yeah, Eleanor is certainly a character,” I choose my words carefully.
“I think she’s fantastic. She’s quite pretty, don’t you think? She’s got that fairy princess red hair.”
I pause mid-bite. What the hell is my mother insinuating, and why do I feel like a teenager whose mother just accused him of having a crush? The muffin turns to sand in my mouth, and I force myself to swallow.
“She’s not unattractive.”
“Oh, come off it, Joseph! She’s gorgeous. Anyone with eyes can see that. I’m surprised she doesn’t have a boyfriend.”
