Page 75 of One Eye Open (The BlackWater)

Fuck Maddie thought as she got a glimpse of it, high on the hill, from the distance. That can’t be it. It just can’t be.

Cole glanced at her before looking back at the road. They drove around a long winding corner and he slowed, pulling up to the huge metal gates with equally huge stone pillars either side. A man stepped out, dressed in black and nodded to Cole before pushing a button and in sync the gates opened, as if welcoming him home.

Maddie’s eyes widened as she stared up at the literal forest worth of trees that lined either side of the drive ahead. You couldn’t even see the house from there, but everything about it, the long almost endless drive, the trees, the landscape around them gave the hint of what was to come if you knew what to look for.

They drove on, slowly, up the descent, passing more trees, more forest, and Maddie swore she could see deer hidden amongst them. The drive wound to the left and she gasped seeing a glimpse stone ahead.

“That’s not it.” Cole said smirking and she rolled her eyes.

“That’s just an outbuilding.” He said and she felt her stomach tense even more. If that was just a god damn outbuilding, what the hell was the actual house like?

Cole drove on, and she tried to keep her face passive, neutral, calm.

They turned another corner and the landscape around them changed. Gone were the trees, gone was the forest ahead was lush green scape of a quintessentially British estate with all the hallmarks of Capability Brown.

“Fuck me.” Maddie gasped because ahead, nestled amongst it was the largest god damn house she’d seen in her entire life. It wasn’t just a mansion, it was a literal palace.

Cole sniggered beside her and she couldn’t even look at him. Couldn’t tear her eyes away from it. It looked Georgian, with statuesque pillars framing what she assumed was the main entrance. Either side of the main building had a wing that stretched off, curling round and in the middle in front of it all was a beautiful, round, ornate fountain that wouldn’t have looked out of place outside Buckingham Palace.

Instead of pulling up to the front Cole drove along the side and through a series of arches before stopping beside what Maddie assumed was a side entrance.

“I prefer going in this way. The main entrance is too grand.” Cole said as he turned the engine off.

“Too grand?” Maddie repeated almost dumbfounded before staring back at the house again. It had five floors she realised. Five actual floors and then she saw windows in the roof. Six. It had six god damn floors.

Cole laughed at her face.

“Let me show you around.” He said before getting out the car.

A man appeared almost immediately, in a suit, looking suspiciously like some sort of servant.

“This is Ben, my butler.” Cole said and Ben smiled warmly at Maddie.

“You have a butler?” Maddie replied. “Of course you have a butler.” She added and both Cole and Ben laughed.

“I’ll get your bags.” Ben said.

“Take them to my room.” Cole replied and Ben nodded before popping the boot on the car and hauling out the two suitcases.

“Come on.” Cole said taking Maddie’s hand and leading her inside.

They walked from the side door past a boot room and up the stairs through a large kitchen.

Maddie stare around taking it all in.

“The place is a bit of a maze at first but you’ll get used to it.” Cole said.

“Will I?” She replied and he laughed before leading her onwards up another set of stairs.

“This place is ridiculous.” Maddie said staring wide eyed up at the hall around her.

“It is what it is.” Cole said.

“How long has your family owned this?” She asked taking in the paintings, the furniture, the litany of ceremonial swords that decorated the walls above the sweeping staircase.

“Seven hundred years give or take.” Cole replied. “It used to be a Tudor palace and hunting lodge but my family ripped it down and built this in its place.”

“It’s beautiful. Incredible.” Maddie said and Cole gripped her hand tightly for a moment.

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