Mr. Alcott let out a surprised gasp, his voice booming through the halls as he bellowed, "Welcome home!" Mrs. Alcott squealed in delight, and the cook, Mrs. Corpt, entered the dining room carrying a tray laden with breakfast items: tea, cakes, bacon, sausage, biscuits, and oatmeal.
"It's still a bit hot," Mrs. Corpt explained, "but I had the tea in the fridge so it's cooler for you, Miss." She placed the food in front of me and gently draped a napkin across my lap.
"I don't think we've been properly introduced yet," I said, extending my hand. "I'm Ayana Delaney. I'll be overseeing the Alcotts' mental well-being for the foreseeable future."
Mrs. Corpt hesitated for a moment, glancing nervously from me to the door, before shaking my hand. "I'm Regina Corpt. I've worked here for twenty-nine years, head cook for as long as I can remember," she said, her voice more confident now. She quickly turned and left, retreating back to the kitchen.
Mrs. Alcott entered with a broad smile, her arm linked with that of her son, Victor. "Miss Delaney, it is my pleasure to introduce you to my son, Victor."
I stood and walked over to greet him, shaking his hand as he set his briefcase down.
Victor's eyes didn't match the portrait above the mantel. The painting depicted him with dark, almost black eyes, but the man standing before me had eyes that were a strange mix of blue and green, streaked with light brown. He took my hand in both of his and kissed it gently. "My mother tells me you're a doctor, is that right?"
I blinked, caught off guard. "Yes, that's correct. I just finished my PHD before coming here."
Victor tilted his head slightly, his eyes studying me with quiet curiosity. "So, doctor, how are you enjoying Belmore?"
"Oh, I only arrived last night. I haven't had the chance to explore yet," I said, my voice faltering slightly.
Mrs. Alcott, ever the gracious host, asked Victor to give me a grand tour of the estate while she and Mr. Alcott went into town. "You will stay for the gathering, won't you, Victor? You know how Aunt Greta gets when you're away too long. She's been dying to see you."
Victor kissed his mother's cheek. "Of course, Mother," he said, walking over to pull out her chair. "You know I could never say no to you."
As Mr. Alcott joined us at the table, I finished my food in silence, watching Mrs. Alcott fuss over Victor's tie and hair. Victor caught my eye and rolled his, clearly trying to fight her hands off. "I have a few things to attend to in town with Mr. Groves later this evening, but I'll be back soon."
Victor turned to me, offering his arm. "Are you ready, Doctor?"
I stood, wiping my mouth and nodding gratefully to the Alcotts for breakfast. Taking his arm, I followed him out the door and onto the steps, where Victor pointed to an arched iron gate, engraved with the words .
"We can start in the garden," he said, a hint of pride in his voice. "My great-great-grandfather designed it as a maze to protect the greenhouse from thieves."
We walked through the lush garden as Victor spoke about the estate's long history, its roots stretching back centuries. "Do you like roses, Doctor?" he asked as we came upon an array of colorful blooms—blue, pink, yellow, and white.
"Please, call me Ayana," I replied, slightly embarrassed by the formality. "I haven't quite gotten used to the title just yet. The roses are beautiful, though."
Victor's charm was undeniable, but I still didn't fully trust him. Maybe that was why I couldn't shake the unease that seemed to bubble under the surface. But I didn't want to stir any trouble with the Alcotts—at least not this early on.
I let go of Victor's arm to get a closer look at the roses. Their thorns were large and intimidating, wrapping around some of the plants like protective shells. The paths through the maze were growing narrower, and I had to squeeze closer to Victor to keep my skirt from catching on the thorny branches.
We continued, and I sighed when my skirt got stuck again. I tore it free, frustration bubbling inside me.
Eventually, we came to a clearing with a gazebo made of intertwining red roses. In the center was a small metal table with two chairs—perfect for tea. Victor gestured for me to sit down and watched me a moment before speaking.
"Please, don't take this the wrong way, Ayana," he said, his voice serious, "but I hope your intentions here are purely to help my parents. They're elderly, and my father's been ill this year. I just want to make sure you're here for the right reasons. We've had our share of disappointments. With me gone so often, I can't always keep an eye out for the bad apples."
His gaze was intense, and for a moment, I couldn't find the words to respond.
"Victor, I assure you," I said finally, "I'm here to help. I have no interest in taking advantage of your family."
He studied me for a moment, his eyes flicking to my face and back to the garden. Then he nodded slowly. "Well, in that case, I hope we can be friends. I can see you have a good heart. My mother is already very fond of you. My father, though—he's a little more difficult to win over."
I nodded, making a mental note to be transparent with Victor about his parents' health. I would show them that I was a reliable employee, if they allowed me to.
Victor offered me his arm again as we made our way down a flight of stone steps toward a courtyard with a large water fountain. To the left, the greenhouse loomed large.
As we approached, I struggled to keep up, stumbling on the gravel path as my shoes kicked up rocks. Victor noticed and reached out, grabbing my hand to steady me.
"What kind of shoes are those?" he asked with a teasing smile. "They don't look too comfortable."
I laughed, glancing down at my shoes, which were a bit impractical for this walk. "I usually wear heels to look more professional, but I thought these might be more appropriate for a walk in the garden."
He smiled down at me, and for a moment, I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement. It had been a long time since I'd had a man pay attention to me like this.
I pushed the thought away. This was ridiculous. I was here for work, nothing more.
The greenhouse was spectacular—thick green vines hung from the ceiling, and pots of every kind of plant covered the walls. Victor watched me as I wandered around, peering into the various pots.
"This is a four-hundred-year-old Bonsai tree," he said, standing next to a small tree. "It's valued at over 1.1 million dollars. My mother's most prized plant. I've grown rather attached to it over the years."
I didn't know what to say. I couldn't wait to tell Janet about the Bonsai tree that was worth more than my life.
After we left the greenhouse, Victor showed me the guest house, though it was under renovation. "Maybe another time," he said, his voice casual.
When we returned to the main house, Mr. and Mrs. Alcott had gone into town. Mrs. Corpt was preparing lunch.
"How about we explore the library, Ayana?" Victor suggested.
We entered the library, and I caught a maintenance boy watching me from across the room. I wasn't sure why, but he seemed uncomfortable.
Victor pulled down a dusty old book from a shelf. "We have over twelve thousand books here," he said. "Some of them date back to before we were even born." He held up an original copy of the Gutenberg Bible and offered it to me.
I hesitated. "Thank you, but I think I'll pass. I have a way of breaking things I touch."
Victor chuckled. "I'll hold it for you, then." He opened the book and began reading aloud, though the words seemed unfamiliar to me.
Victor left shortly after to make a phone call to Mr. Groves. I went upstairs to my room, where Theo was whining at the door, eager to be let out.
As I took him outside, I saw the maintenance boy again. He gave me a nervous glance but didn't approach. "Hello!" I called out.
He turned to look at me, but he hesitated before taking a step toward me. "Do you need help with something, Miss?"
I shook my head and walked over to him. "This is Theo. He's a little troublemaker, but he'd like to say hello."
The boy knelt down to pet Theo, but when Theo jumped up to lick his face, he pulled back, startled. "Does he bite?"
I laughed. "No, he just gets excited."
At that moment, the door to the house creaked open, and the boy shot a fearful glance toward it. Without a word, he stood up and quickly retreated down the path, running toward the backyard. Confused, I returned inside, closing the door behind me.
I put Theo back in my room and went to dinner, where I found Victor and a man I hadn't met before. "Ayana, this is James Cleffield. He's an old friend of mine," Victor introduced.
James shook my hand but didn't say much. The two of them spent the evening reminiscing about college days, their conversation flowing easily, but I didn't feel quite at ease.
After dinner, I went upstairs to bed, but a feeling of dread washed over me. What if the nightmares returned? What if I hurt myself again?
I took my time getting ready for bed, wishing Theo would settle down as I washed my face and lit the candle by my bedside. The house creaked in the silence, and no matter how tightly I wrapped myself in the sheets, the shadows in the corners of the room seemed to linger, waiting.