"Hey, are you okay?" I felt a hand on my leg as her voice brushed lightly in my ears, taking in my surroundings.
The long road ahead of us stretched on until it stopped at the mansion doors. The windows were coated in long strands of ivy, the dark green leaves standing out like neon lights on a Christmas tree.
"Yeah, just nervous, the place is a mansion Kate," I replied as I turned my head to look at my aunt.
She gave me a smile.
"I know but don't worry, it's just going to be me, you, Mrs Grose and Flora,"
---
As Kate and I walked the grounds of the untouched mansion, we stumbled across the caretaker, Mrs Grose.
"Ah, you must be Kate, and you must be Elizabeth, I'm Mrs Grose the caretaker," An older woman eyed us as she chopped roses from the bush beside her, the red flowers appeared to be as red as blood.
Kate and I traded a look of curiosity as the older woman's eyes slowly left us.
"You'll most likely find Flora down at the stables, however when your working with her she will be in the lounge," She began, "I suppose you already know your duties with her," Mrs Grose spoke.
As the woman spoke I took my chance to get a look at her; she seemed to be in her seventies and wore loose clothing. Her grey hair was tied back messily, loose strands cupping her ageing face. I noticed her bright blue eyes seemed to be turning grey, but not due to age. They seemed dull and lacked life.
I continued to stare at the caretaker as I felt pressure on my right arm.
"Hm," I heard Kate mumble as I looked at her with a dumbfounded expression.
"It will just be you and Flora whilst Miles is at boarding school," Mrs Grose said as her eyes met Kate's, "You'll find journals from the last nanny, Miss Jessel, in the lounge, they should help you," Mrs Grose said as she turned and walked away into the mansion.
Mrs Grose walked us through to the kitchen. On the short walk to the kitchen, I took a chance to take in my surroundings once again. The walls appeared old, the wallpaper beginning to peel along the skirting board and damp patches appearing around the old picture frames.
"Sorry, but do you have stables here?" I asked Mrs Grose, a shy tone occupying my voice as I entered the kitchen.
"Yes, that's where you will find Flora,"
---
As I walked down to the stables alone, I felt eyes on me. It was like I was being followed, maybe it was just Flora?
Once I arrived at the stables, I went and found Flora almost immediately.
"Who are you?" Flora asked in her high pitched voice.
"I-I'm Elizabeth, your nanny's niece" I forced a smile as Flora sat on the concrete wall beside me.
I turned my attention to the horse before me, rather than the black horse thrashing about in it's stable to my left.
"Who's this then?" I asked as I fussed a tall, grey horse.
"That's Delilah, she was my mother's horse," Flora said.
I studied the horse. She had long grey mane with a grey forelock covering her face. Her dark brown eyes locked with mine.
I began making horse noises to make Flora laugh as Delilah nudged my pocket with her muzzle.
"She wants your apple," I looked at the giggly girl.
"How do you know I have an apple in my pocket, Flora?" I asked her, not expecting an answer.
She shrugged, looking towards Delilah.
I pulled out the apple and went to hand it to Flora, but Delilah snatched it from my palm, her tongue grazing my skin. She left behind a small amount of slobber on my palm, making me slightly squeezy and wipe my hand on my jeans, leaving a stretch of horse saliva down my trouser leg.
"Haha, she's kinda greedy," Flora said.
I smiled and noticed Kate staring at us from the corner of my eye. She stood just outside the stables, watching us.
"So, what's the black horse called?" I asked Flora as I turned my attention to the beautiful beast, attempting to divert my attention away from Kate.
"His name is Sampson, he's grumpy all the time," Flora told me. "Only Miles is allowed to ride him though, Mrs Grose says Sampson is too headstrong for me,"
"Who's Miles? I heard Mrs Grose mention that name before," I asked her.
The girl made eye contact with me.
"He's my brother, he lives here too but he's at boarding school right now," Flora replied with almost a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Well, I can't wait to meet him," I smiled at her, causing her to smile back.
"Come on, I want to show you the maze," Flora said as she took my hand, pulling me out of the exit.
---
"Wow, it must be easy to get lost in here though," I said as Flora skipped beside me, glancing up every so often.
"Yeah, it's very easy to get lost, just be careful,"
"I'm claustrophobic so I probably won't come down here often," I told the girl, hoping she knew what the word 'claustrophobic' meant.
"That's when you're afraid of small spaces isn't it?" She asked, curiosity filling her voice.
I raised an eyebrow, "Yes, how did you know that?" I asked back, amazed she knew the word.
"Mm, Miss Jessel was a good nanny to me, she taught me lots of things, even French," Flora said.
I looked at her, slowing my pace, "Miss Jessel, what happened to her? Did she leave?"
I noticed Flora had a worried expression on her face after I asked this, after I mentioned Miss Jessel.
"Um, yeah, she just left us one day, I think I must've gotten on her nerves after a while," Flora blurted out, sounding hurt.
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders.
"I'm sure she just needed a break, who knows, she might be back soon,"
"I doubt it,"
---
"Hey, slow down!" Kate yelled as her and I chased Flora into the mansion.
"C'mon!" She shouted back at us, waving at us to follow her.
"So, you don't hate kids at all do you?" Kate muttered beside me as we walked up the steps of the mansion.
"Hey, she's cute...and good company, plus I never said I hated children Kate, just not keen" I smiled as I nudged her.
"Up here!" We heard Flora yell from the top of the staircase, pointing at a room.
"Who's room is this then?" I asked as I entered the room. It was clear it was her room, with pink bed sheets and pinky wallpaper, teddies covering the floor.
"Mine silly" Flora answered. Kate and I laughed as Flora grabbed my hand and dragged me to another room.
"This is Miles' room" She commented as she swung open the door, flinging me into the room temporarily. Through the quick glance I managed to get, I saw a few guitars, a drum kit and a mattress laying on the floor. "I think you will be spending a lot of time in here when he gets home"
"Ha, what makes you say that Flora?" Kate asked as I felt my cheeks turn purple.
"You know, my brother is the type to make friends fast, and girlfriends" Flora winked at me as she jogged down the hall.
"Ooo, I guess you'll be busy tomorrow then" Kate said, attempting to tease me.
"Wait, he comes home tomorrow?" I asked her, hoping I came across as 'worried'.
"Mrs Grose told me when you left for the stables earlier today" She laughed. "And don't look so worried, I'm sure he's a nice boy" Kate finished as she brushed my fringe behind my ear.
"Wait, whats down there?" Kate questioned Flora.
"That's the east wing, I don't go in the part of the house" Kate and I looked at each other, swapping worried expressions.
"Why not?" I asked.
"Don't wanna" Flora replied as she turned and walked off.
"What the hell was that?" I asked Kate, looking at her.
"I don't know" She said with a worried tone in her voice as she stared down the east wing.
I felt my eyes heading towards the east wing too. The empty hall which seemed to be unoccupied, wasn't quite so welcoming. I could feel a cold breeze brush my skin as I stood there. It was almost like someone was attempting to push me down the corridor.
"Flora" Kate yelled down the hall as she walked towards another room, snapping me out of my daze. I followed, not wanting to pace the mansions floors alone.
"This is your room Kate, oh Elizabeth I forgot, yours is just down the hall at the end, next to Miles'" Flora told Kate and I as we studied the room we stood in.
"This is my room?" Kate asked Flora.
"Yep" She replied with a high pitched voice, prancing around the room like a pony.
"Woah, this is all for me?" Kate questioned, dazzled by the lovely room she had been given to sleep in.
"Yep" Flora repeated. "Want to see something else?" She asked.
"Yeah" Kate replied, following Flora through a doorway within her rented bedroom.
"Behold, my great grandmothers sewing room" Flora said as she twirled about the open space.
As I walked in the room I saw mannequins, piles of old clothing and fabrics and about four sewing machines.
"What is this?" Kate asked as she approached one of the mannequins.
"Oh Miles did that, I told him it was tacky" Flora replied and carried on dancing around the room, hanging off of anything she could see.
I too approached the mannequin and noticed two groups of sewing pins impaling it.
"If that was a real woman I bet she'd give Miles a piece of her mind" I said, causing Kate to laugh.
"Oh I bet you would" Kate whispered, nudging me again.
I looked at her with a confused look.
"Whats that supposed to mean?"
"You know"