Rose & Thorne

Chapter o1

I hesitate at the edge of the clearing and hope that the gigantic mansion at the heart of it is Thorne Estate. Unless, of course, there is another mansion in need of a live in housekeeper. I send a silent prayer up to the darkening sky that my tumultuous hike through the woods has not been in vain because any revelation that this particular mini palace is not the one I've been stumbling around an hour to find will result in an epic scream session the likes of which Widonmire Bluff has never before seen.
Heard.
Whatever.

Succumbing to my exhaustion for a moment, I reach a hand out to steady myself against the nearest pine tree, it's rough bark stinging my already scraped up palm. I don't relish the pain, but it keeps me grounded to the suck-fest of my reality, which in turn keeps me motivated to move forward when all I want to do is second guess my decision and turn back. After all, running away may have been an over reaction on my part, seeing as nothing had actually happened to me.

He would welcome you back with open arms, you know he would. The thought of my foster father opens up a chasm in the pit of my stomach. His trustworthy brown eyes had always been so full of warmth and concern... Cunning, too, once I'd learned what to look for.

Richard Marks had always been affectionate with me, but over the past few months his lingering touches had become so uncomfortable that I'd felt compelled to follow instincts that screamed at me to get as far away from him as possible.

"Not a chance," I say so I can hear the resolve in my own voice and not just in my head. I hadn't just imagined the vibes from Richard that had made me feel sick to my stomach. They had been as real as jagged tree bark against freshly torn skin.

I push off the tree and cross over into the clearing, leaving the woods and thoughts of Richard Marks behind.

He is in my past now, and, provided I could  land this job that didn't need immediate proof that I wasn't a minor, it would stay that way.

The distance between the edge of the forest and the mansion is deceptively long, and with the thunder rumbling every few seconds I expect to get drenched before I even reach the front door.

The door is a massive black paneled barrier. Fitting considering I'd apparently stepped into an episode of Downton Abbey. There is a brass medallion as big as my face and had been fashioned into a rose with sleek petals. The knocker is a ring of thorns that looks so lifelike I reach out a finger to test for sharpness before wrapping my hand around the ring and knocking twice.

At the edge of the stoop a chilly breeze blows, and I wrap my arms around myself to wait another minute. I return to the door and knock four more times.

The sky is growing darker with heavy rain clouds circling ominously as thunder booms and lightning lights the sky up in neon white.

Taking one last backward glance at the unanswered door, I dart into the downpour, my forearm tight against my brow as I run the length of the estate. Just as I round the first corner lightning strikes somewhere nearby and I yelp and bang on the nearest window. Somebody has to let me in!

I round another corner, surprised to find a stone staircase. I hike up the length of my dress and take the steps two at a time, grateful for my thickly treaded boots.

Briefly a faint, familiar fragrance registers, but I have no time to locate its source. The patio the steps lead me too is made up of the same beige stone as the staircase, but also squares of grass that my footfalls alternate over until I come to a set of white French doors. Not wanting to risk waiting for someone who might never come, I grab the door handle and twist. It's open.
Miracles do happen, I think, pushing inside through a me sized crack.

I slam the door shut, the noise echoing in the room now that the storm outside is muted.

"Hello!"

I drop my messenger bag on the floor and take off my boots and soggy socks before they soil the nice rug I am standing on.

Great. Not only am I wet, but I also get to meet my potential employer barefoot.

"Hello!" I call again.

Catching sight of myself in a gold leafed mirror, I am mortified at how atrocious I look. Luckily my dress is comprised of two layers. I remove the top one and absorb the wetness from my face, chest and hair with a section that isn't muddy. Then I untwirl my bun and fan out the long chestnut spirals so they cover the thin straps of the underdress. There, I am halfway presentable now.

Glancing around the room leads me to one ornate distraction after the other. Every piece of furniture is either gold, richly stained wood, or otherwise screams 'I have money!'.

The object that intrigues me the most is a porcelain jar sitting on a marble pedestal.

White with deep pink roses painted on and gold roses stuck here and there, it is the very definition of 'family heirloom'.

Don't touch it, don't touch it, don't touch it...

That would be the voice of common freaking sense. I promptly ignore it.

The porcelain is cold to the touch, the weight of it in my hands like that of a newborn, light yet immensely precious.

I'm rotating it so that I can see every beautiful detail of its design when-

"PUT. THAT. DOWN."

Surprise scares my fingers straight for a perilous second. That's all it takes for the jar to go plummeting , the lid coming off, spilling its contents even before it shatters against the hardwood floor.

I step back just in time to spare myself any injury, but what has spilled onto my bare feet might as well be molten lava.

Ash.

Ash is everywhere.

Oh God.

**A/N**

Thank you so much for taking a chance on my story. I am very passionate about it and would appreciate any feedback its new fans have to offer, so **leave a comment**  (especially if you notice any **grammatical errors** , **inconsistencies** , or any **boring sections** ) 

This is going to be a **New Adult** novella that will also be suitable for young adults, meaning no kinky stuff. Fear not, there will be plenty **romantic tension** to go around 🖤

The chapters will be around **1,000 words** each, and there will be about **20 chapters** in all, so you'll know when we're nearing the end.
**This story will be updated multiple times a week** until its completion, just **FYI**

Again, **Thank You**  🙏🏾 and **ENJOY**