Lily POV
"Park here and walk up to the welcome center. From there you'll get access to the gardens, but you'll have to take the tour to see the inside of the house. Welcome to Marblewood manor, folks!" Dad nodded at the greeter and we pulled into the parking space. I got out of the car and looked at the large, worn, brick manor with ivy covered walls. I looked at my phone. Dead. I put it back in the car, since I couldn't charge it and I had no use for it.
"Come On Lil!"
"Sorry dad!" I ran up the rock pathway, catching up to him. We walked to the welcome center and scheduled a tour for 12:30. We were then invited to explore the gardens while we waited. We went through the back to the view of eight acres of beautiful sculpted garden, with inspiration from different places around the world. At the center of it all was a large oak tree surrounded by grass. I read the information card next to the door.
'Built in 1874, this beautiful manor belonged to the Blyswick Family. Though Joseph Blyswick, the patriarch of the Family, ran a successful law firm, Eleanor, his wife, was the real head of the household. She oversaw the construction of the house and worked in law as a fighter for women's rights in education and voting. Despite their successful and busy careers, they still managed to have seven children; James(Eldest), Caroline, Mabel, Joseph Junior, Annita, Elizabeth, and Mark (youngest), all branched off into different aspects of business and art, with Mabel inheriting the house and deciding to turn it into a museum about the family.'
I looked around again, and my eye was drawn to the oak tree. I took the wood and cobblestone steps down to another part of the garden and read the placard near the tree.
'The family often had picnics during the summer at this tree before and after building a house here. When the original designer opted to cut the tree down and build the house there, Eleanor had him fired.'
I chuckled to myself. I walked around the beautiful gardens for another 20 minutes with my dad, next to other visiting patrons for the day. It was then I noticed a long path between two rows of trees I hadn't noticed before.
"Hey dad, can I look in there?"
"We have to go back to the house, the tour is in ten minutes, sweetheart. It's 12:21."
"I'll be quick, I promise." He looked at his phone, then at me, and sighed.
"Be very quick."
"Thanks dad!" I smiled and hugged him, and started off towards the path. When I approached it, I slowed down and took it in. Two lines of small, trimmed pine trees stood in front of me, leading to a fountain with an angel on top. I sat on a marble bench next to the fountain and looked around at the beautiful sight. I looked again at the fountain and noticed something odd.
'Did the angel turn it's head to look at me? No, that's impossible. How long have I been here? Wait...I might be late for the tour!' Before I knew I had stood I was running back through the long path of trees to the manor. Things looked different somehow, but I couldn't put my finger on it. When I got back to the rest of the gardens, I noticed that none of the other patrons were there. None of the cars were either, and the placards and signs had disappeared. The trees were smaller and the house looked brand new. It was as if I had stepped into a different era. 'What happened?' I thought.
It was then I noticed one girl, who looked to be about my age. She was dressed as if she was from the 1800s, with a long blue and white striped dress. She had shoulder length dark hair and tan skin. She must have heard my running because she turned.
"Hmm? Oh! Hello, who are you?"
"My name is Lily."
"Nice to meet you lily. May I ask, what are you doing on my families' estate?" I stared at her. Did she-? Did I-? No. Time travel is impossible. That would be impossible!
"Hello?"
"Oh! Right! Well, you see, um, the thing is," I tried to frantically come up with a story in my head.
"I got lost! Yeah, I got lost and now I'm here. My family- they cast me out because I... didn't marry the man they wanted me to marry! So I got cast out of my own house and put on the street. I've been wandering ever since, looking for someone who accepts me." Yeah, that will work. Cast out? Who would believe that?
"Oh, you poor dear! Quickly, come inside, we'll get you changed out of those horrible rags! I'll convince mother and father to let you stay with us until you can find a place to go!" I looked at my jean shorts and t-shirt. Horrible? I guess they would be to her.
She grabbed my hand and led me inside the massive house. The front parlor was gorgeous, with dark wood carved walls and porcelain vases on mahogany wood tables. There was a large grandfather clock in the corner and a glass chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Mabel pointed to a maid and then at me.
"Jane, take this girl upstairs, clean her, and give her new clothes. Have Bridgette and Martha prepare the guest room."
"Yes Miss, right away miss," the maid spoke with a cockney sounding accent. Mabel then turned to me.
"I'll go tell mother about you. I'm sure she'll let you stay as long as you need." I smiled, and the maid took my hand and led me upstairs to a bathroom. She then handed me a white towel and drew a bath.
"Here you are miss. Ring the bell if you need anything, I am going to tell the others to prepare the guest room. Then I shall be outside the door."
"Okay..." She left as I looked at the lavish towel and bath. Not wanting to make her wait long, I took a small bath, cleaning myself off of the dirt in the garden and washing my hair. I dried myself off with the towel and wrapped it around me. I then rang the bell attached to the wall and Jane walked in.
"If you could follow me miss," she said. A Lavish guest bedroom awaited me, with two other maids there, who I presumed to be Brigette and Martha. On the bed, there was a white flowing dress with frilly sleeves and a skirt that reached the floor. A large red ribbon sat next to the dress. At the foot of the bed there were matching white dress shoes with a buckle and a small heel. The maids helped me change into the outfit, tying the red ribbon around the skirt and tying it into a bow in the back. They then started brushing and braiding my long brown hair into a side braid, tied up at the end in a small red ribbon that matched the one at my waist. When they finished, I thanked them and one maid told me to come down in a few minutes, before they left. I sat on the bed and for the first time thought clearly about the situation.
I had traveled back in time. That much was clear. I wasn't sure how or why, but there was no use in denying it. I had reason to be glad. I didn't know if I was the first person to time travel, and I've always been enamored with the eighteen hundreds. From language, to attire, to history. Maybe that could help me blend in. But I had no idea why I was here, how to get back, if I could stay, or what to do next. I decided my first step was going back downstairs and figuring out where to go from there.
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Hello everyone, my name is Alyx and I hoped you like my story! Certain elements of it are taken from a story about the Choate family at their house in Stockbridge, MA, Naumkeag. Look it up if you can, it's very cool. That being said, the characters and places in this story are original. Hope you enjoy the mystery and magic of Marblewood manor (didn't even notice the awesome alliteration.)
-Alyx😈
YOU ARE READING
The Ghosts of Marblewood Manor
Mystery / Thriller"That's just it... my entire family is dead." "Dead?" "Yes. James died of illness at the age of 20, Caroline died of poison, and Joe Jr., Annita, Elizabeth, and Mark, as well as my mother, died in a car accident. Father returned to me and...
