The Nation Charmer-Book 1

Chapter 5

Picture of Mr.Philip McLean on the side.

Chapter 5 

            Dahlia awoke when the helicopter was lowered onto the helipad outside Dahlia’s father’s mansion. The mansion was easily twice the size of a five-star hotel and also twice or maybe even three times as grand. Dahlia smiled. Home, sweet home.

             When Troy first caught sight of the mansion, he choked on his own saliva. As Olive banged him on the back, he spluttered, “Gosh! That’s your home?!”

            Dahlia grinned at his expression and gestured to the mansion. “Voila. Right there.”

            Helen gaped at the house too. She had lived in a school dormitory for as long as she could remember.

            The helicopter slowly landed and the front door of the mansion flew open. Dahlia’s father ran down the drive and heaved open the helicopter’s door.

            “Dahlia, how nice that you're back!” He swept her up in his arms for a hug.

            Dahlia’s father had the same blue eyes as she did and the same fair hair although his was straight. He was a tall, lean and distinguished-looking man, still young and in his prime. His blue eyes twinkled the same way Dahlia’s did.

            Dahlia smiled and hugged her father too. She gestured to Troy who was climbing out of the helicopter with a look of awe and amazement on his face.

            “This is Troy, his sister Helen and our friend Olive. Troy, Helen and Olive, this is my father, Philip McLean.”

            Troy smiled at Mr. McLean. He looked very friendly and pleasant indeed. The man obviously loved his daughter a lot and Troy wondered what had happened Dahlia’s mother. Whenever he had asked her, she had changed the subject or pretended that she hadn’t heard or walked away.

             He glanced at Dahlia. She looked happy to be back home but there was a worry on her face that he hadn’t seen before. Now he realised that the worry was probably because of Dr. Fang and all the happenings of that day.

             She saw him looking and gave him a quizzical look. He smiled faintly and then turned away. He didn’t want her to know what he had seen.

            Mr. McLean smiled and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Come on in, all of you. I’ll get Harold to show you to the guest room suites.”

            “Suites?” Helen asked with an expression of astonishment on her face.

            “Yes, suites,” answered Mr. McLean. “Each of you will have one of your own when you stay. In fact, I think that it would be better if Harold and Dahlia showed you around because it is perfectly probable that you would get lost.”

            Dahlia, Troy, Helen and Olive all laughed and followed Mr. McLean toward the entrance. The door was opened by a young man in a black suit with a crisp white shirt underneath and a bowtie.

            “Ah, Harold,” said Mr. McLean. “I was about to call for you. These young men are Troy and Olive and this young lady is Helen. They are Dahlia’s friends from school. Please look after them while I go and do some work. I have business to check.”

            Mr. McLean hurried off and Harold turned to Dahlia, Troy, Helen and Olive.

             “Please follow me,” he said and led the way.