I have slept the entire day away!
My stomach rumbles reminding me that I haven’t eaten since breakfast and I wonder if Alex came to see if I wanted to go for lunch, or if he’s still mad because I didn’t obey his command to go to his room. Dinner is usually around eight here from what I can gather so I get up and get changed into a yellow dress. I put on some make-up and I’m just running a comb through my hair when there’s a quiet knock at my bedroom door.
My stomach flutters for a second, but then I realize if it was Alex, he would have used the connecting door. The excitement turns to curiosity. I go to the door and pull it open. I smile when I see Babushka standing there.
“I wondered if you would like to accompany me on a short walk before dinner,” she says with a smile.
“Oh yes, I’d love to,” I say. “I’ll just be a moment.”
Babushka nods and smiles. She has grown on me quickly and I very much like the idea of spending time with her. I also think the fresh air will do me good after a day cooped up in my room.
She has her cane, but she links her other hand through the crook of my elbow. She is slow on her feet, but she’s sure footed and we walk slowly down the stairs, through the dining room, the conservatory, and into the grounds.
Babushka leads me in the opposite direction to the stables and I get a good look at the house itself from this direction. The place really is one of the most impressive buildings I’ve ever seen, and in such good repair too. Babushka sees me looking at the house and she smiles.
“It’s in pretty good condition considering parts of it are almost five hundred years old, isn’t it,” she says.
“Wow. I knew it was old, but I had no idea it was that old. It’s in excellent condition.”
“The house has been passed down the family for generations. Along with the values needed to take care of a house like this. Or should I say a team of staff who know how to do that,” she smiles, that irrepressible twinkle coming back into her eyes.
I laugh along with her and she goes on.
“I’m sure some of my older ancestors wouldn’t approve of the changes I made to the place, but it had to be done. Growing up, the house was beautiful, but it was like something from the dark ages. It badly needed electricity, gas, and modern plumbing installed. It was a big job. Some would say a man’s job, but my brother was a weak man, so I took it upon myself to oversee the transformation. It’s a never-ending job, insanely expensive affair keeping old houses from falling into disrepair.”
I stare at her curiously. The more I learn about Babushka, the more fascinating she becomes. She is most definitely the matriarch of the family. They all respect her and do what she wishes, but she is so much more than that. She’s clever, and even now I imagine pulling the wool over her eyes would be damned hard. Unless of course it’s something she wants to believe. Like how her favorite nephew has found love. I feel another surge of guilt run through me, but as always, I remind myself I’m here to make an old woman very happy, to maybe give her her final wish.
“You must love this house very much,” I say softly.
“I do. There was only once when I wanted to leave it. When my husband died. Then I wanted to die too. For years I grieved, wearing only black and walking all those empty corridors. I thought he would come back. Even just once. I thought he couldn’t leave me just like that. I waited for the sound of footsteps, his laughter, an apparition. Anything. But he never did. Then one day I cast aside my black garments and I moved on. I never remarried or anything, and the house became my, well my obsession. I think certain family members were a little disappointed when I rallied and they realized they’d have to wait for me to die to get their hands on the house and my money.”
“Oh, I’m sure that’s not true,” I gasp.
Babushka gives a wry laugh. “Oh, I’m sure it is true, but it is what it is. It seems they’ve had a rather long wait.” She winks at me and I can’t help but laugh at her healthy attitude towards it. I’m almost certain she’s talking about the ice sisters, although I don’t come out and ask her. Good on her for getting one up on those two.
“I can’t speak for the rest of the family, but Alex speaks very highly of you, and I know he doesn’t feel that way.”