by Carl East
The Haunting of Annabelle
Published by Carl East
At Smashwords
Copyright 2012- Carl East
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Edited by Bev Harrison
www.bevharrosproofreading.weebly.com.au
Chapter 1
Annabelle returned the cordless phone to its charger on the office desk. Gazing at the framed magazine covers that lined the walls of the room, she slowly headed for the door, pausing only to turn off the desk lamp. Wandering into the kitchen still dressed in workout clothes she headed directly to the refrigerator. There was a bottle of white wine in there and she was pouring a glass even if it was only 11:30 in the morning. She needed it after the telephone call she just had with her agent. Her mind was racing even though she knew this day had been coming.
The requests from designers that simply had to have her face and body gracing their haute couture had been steadily declining in the past couple of years. Instead of being the pivotal model in a photo shoot or on the designer’s runway, the offers were dwindling down to being an extra, or perhaps the finishing touch to the group that were being used for the major promotions. It hadn’t been a surprise when her agent called with the latest news that there were still no requests for the upcoming Fashion Week in New York. They discussed a few options, one being for them to contact some of the more loyal designers who were still using her on a sporadic basis even after twenty years had passed.
She couldn’t seem to put her head around the thought of her agent calling them. She advised him to hold off until she had time to review their discussion. It wasn’t as if she was unaware of the passing of time. Taking a turn around the kitchen while sipping wine didn’t help to calm down the agitation, so she kept moving to the patio doors and out onto the small terrace that graced her condominium. Watching as the city air streamed over her tiny garden of roses, she reasoned that even though a person kept in shape, kept current with the new designers and still had plenty of contacts in the industry it didn’t stop time. When twenty years go by you had to face facts. Time doesn’t stop just because you want it to. It was time to move on to the plans she’d been putting into place these past five years.
Money wasn’t going to be a problem. She’d had a level head from the start and began investing and saving during her years of modeling. Perhaps it was time to start a business, an investment that she had total control over. Through the years, carefully selected opportunities, along with investments in land and property, added to her wealth and on most projects, she had turned over a nice profit. Maybe it was time to expand from doing it on a part-time basis to a full-time one.
Pinching off a dead rose, she walked back in and went through the kitchen for a refill and a salad, and then back to the office where the computer sat silent. Flipping the switch and rolling up her sleeves to the elbows, the review of emails came first. Junk mail had now graduated to spam, and one by one she deleted them off until she caught sight of an email alert from a property broker she’d dealt with on a sporadic basis in the past.
The e-mail was about a property in upstate New York that would be coming on to the market. The attached pictures showed a handsome estate surrounded by woodland with forests and a mountain in the distance. The agency was suggesting the possibility of it being utilized as a country home or perhaps a bed-and-breakfast if one had the inclination. Pondering on the other details listed, it definitely seemed like an opportune time to set up an appointment for a walk-through.
Calling her former contact, they spent several minutes catching up and then arranged for a viewing of the property. The appointment was scheduled for the following weekend and arrangements were made to have her met at the railroad station. This was definitely turning out to be an improvement over the morning phone call. The idea of a bed-and-breakfast appealed to Annabelle. It was definitely something she could invest in, and the complexity of having to make improvements to the property was something she needed right now.
The days passed so quickly, that when an offer for a spot on the runway came from a new designer, she graciously declined. Perhaps if she wasn’t so available it would increase her appearance value. Playing a little hard to get never hurt anyone and besides, what did she have to lose? Shrugging her shoulders, she switched gears to concentrate on packing a suitcase for the weekend real estate trip. She needed to include her workout clothes, a pair of good walking shoes and a few mix-and-match pieces that would go from day to night. Might as well check to see what the area had to offer if she was going to purchase real estate there. Years of heading out to last minute shoots made the packing a snap, the only thing left was her cosmetic and toiletries case.
Chapter 2
The train platforms were crowded with people heading out of the city to homes or vacation spots. Her destination was announced, and she noticed while boarding that there appeared to be a fair amount of people with carry-on bags heading out for the weekend. Heading to her reserved seat, she spent the time reviewing her notes on what she had found out about the town so far. Several banks, restaurants, small theater groups and a lake nearby were obvious pluses. The town already had riding stables and sailing docks on the lake. She reviewed the information on a small resort that offered skiing in the winter. What they didn’t have was an upscale bed-and-breakfast for the young trendsetters that loved to be catered for. The time passed quickly and when she checked her watch, she realized the distance they’d travelled from the city. Probably the main reason why the town still had opportunities available—the train arrived just as the evening lights were coming on in the quaint streets.
As promised, a cab was standing by with the local driver holding up a homemade sign with her name on it. He hurried to take her piece of luggage, and said arrangements had been made for her to stay at a local hotel, which turned out to be a quaint mom and pop organization. The old Victorian House had flowers on the path leading up to a wide classic front porch with assorted rocking chairs, seats and tables that invited guests to relax. The couple that greeted her at the front desk still used the classic sign-in book, but the operation was updated to handle several credit cards. A room off the entrance had been converted to a seating area and was prepared for cool nights with a fireplace ready to be lit. Comfortable chairs were scattered around and several bookcases lined the far wall.
Her bag was promptly carried up to a room that faced out to the front of the home, and looking down, she saw people strolling the storefronts under the old style streetlights. The room was more than comfortable, if a little small, and it had a bathroom with shower stall. Everything was as neat as a pin. She was grateful for the offer of a light meal when she finished unpacking. The couple offered country breakfasts and family style meals, which were included in the room’s price. If enough notice was given, they even packed picnic lunches for those hiking or going to the lake.
Settling down later that night, she was eager to walk through the property she was considering. Her last thought as she drifted off to sleep was the softness of the pillow she was resting on and she dreamed of color swatches and bedding accessories.
Chapter 3
The singing of birds woke her up earlier than usual. The absence of city sounds like the familiar taxicab horns blaring made the sounds of birds almost surrealistic. Her eyelids were coaxed open by the light
streaming through the front windows, and suddenly an aroma reached her nose, and her brain kicked in. I definitely smell coffee, was her next thought as she pushed her feet into her slippers and headed for the bathroom.
She tidied the room and headed down the stairs to the smells of bacon cooking and bread toasting, and as she rounded the corner past the front desk, she heard the clink of silverware on plates. The oak dining room table was set for twelve and had a vase of cheery flowers placed in the center. Along the wall stood a sideboard loaded with covered platters, and lifting the lids was like Christmas morning. Crisp bacon, savory sausage, and fluffy pancakes had been prepared and toast stands were at the ready. Jars of homemade preserves were lined up in a row along with pitchers of orange juice and milk, and a basket of fresh assorted fruit sat nearby. She heard steps coming from a connecting room and the owners smiled when they saw her surprised expression. Mary asked how she wanted her eggs cooked and Annabelle could only respond “eggs too?” They laughed when she told them her customary breakfast was a protein shake and a fresh orange.
“Well, it’s never too late to start living,” Mary replied.
Not taking no for an answer, and with a shake of her head, she headed back to make Annabelle one scrambled egg ,and passed her husband bringing out the fresh brewed coffee and assorted toast for the stands.
Footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs and soon they were joined by the other visitors staying at the hotel. Annabelle realized that the major draw of the establishment was the couples’ outgoing friendliness and delight in providing for their guests, and she made a mental note to remember that customers came in all shapes and sizes and that she’d have to be on her toes to meet their expectations too.
Breakfast was wonderful, she’d have to watch or she’d put on weight staying here, she thought as she went up to her room. Checking the notes, she verified that the cab would be arriving in a few minutes to take her out to the property. She was looking forward to seeing the building and assessing its potential as she stepped out onto the porch to wait.
Chapter 4
She sighted the cab coming down the street, and made a note to herself that having a car to pick up the guests at the train station could be part of the upscale atmosphere she intended to create, if the property met her expectations. Sliding into the rear seat, she mused that if this opportunity proved lucrative, she might eventually expand her ideas to another property.
The ride to the estate took about fifteen minutes and as they passed out of town and into the nearby countryside, she enjoyed the multitude of trees lining the road and the open spaces that surrounded the homes they passed. She noticed from a sign on the road that they appeared to be heading to the ski resort in the distance. The cab began to slow down as it approached a freshly paved road that was offset by low stone walls. Attached to the stone pillars at the entrance was a large black wrought iron gate, which opened to the sides. The driveway stretched through a shaded wooded acreage, until the trees parted to reveal a broad expanse of lawn that framed the house on the sloped hill.
Her breath caught at the sight of burgundy bricks highlighted by stunning white pillars at the front of the home, which appeared to be four stories in height. A multitude of chimneys on the massive roof gave the appearance of sentries, while the white-trimmed windows reflected the morning light. The landscaped areas around the front of the house were adorned with blooming pink and white azaleas that sat in beds of deep brown mulch. The occasional red bud trees with their airy limbs contained purple pink blossoms, and carefully placed white dogwoods were planted in front to offset their partners. The cab stopped at the bottom steps that lead to the wide double doors adorned with brass knockers, and while she sat there taking it all in, the doors opened to two gentlemen.
The gray haired older man remained at the top as a slightly younger man came down the steps.
“Annabelle Lee, I presume?” he said, as he helped her out of the car.
“Yes,” she replied, holding out her hand.
“I’m Edward Davis, the local real estate agent, and I’ve been requested to give you a tour of the home and show you the surrounding grounds. May I introduce you to the owner,” he said as they walked up the steps to the imposing figure that awaited them.
His eyes were a shock of blue against the gray-white hair as Edward introduced her.
“Mr. Andrews, this is Miss Annabelle Lee.”
She offered her hand and he took it and held on, as his eyes seem to search hers, for what she did not know. She smiled tentatively, wondering if he really did intend to sell the estate. With a quick nod, as if coming to some internal assessment he said, “Call me John,” and released her hand to turn back to the open doors.
Chapter 5
Annabelle admired the large white doors as she passed through and paused to take in the deeply carved panels on its front. You don’t see workmanship like this anymore, she thought. The modern age may have gained something in its unique designs, but work like this was becoming a lost art. She turned to find both men watching her as she paused at the threshold and she smiled.
“The doors are beautiful, I particularly like the detail of the carvings,” said Annabelle.
As she moved forward to join the men in the entryway, she looked down to see a creamy white floor that appeared to have streaks of yellow or gold through it. She quickly looked up, “Is that marble?” she exclaimed.
Both men turned back, but John replied, “Yes, it is.”
Edward smiled and went into real estate mode and began explaining that when the house was being built, the original owners were involved with every aspect of the estate’s development. They had personally selected Italian marble for the entire home.
“You will find that it was used for the entrance, kitchens and bathroom floors. The fireplaces and other fixtures in the house such as the work tables in the kitchens, counter spaces, vanities in the bathrooms, etc. were all laid with various shades and designs.”
“It’s quite stunning,” she replied, “And this floor is in excellent condition from what I can see.”
She walked over the floor admiring how the light from the windows reflected off the gold specks in the marble. Her eyes were drawn to the grand staircase and the mahogany balustrades that were on each rising step. From her view, she could see that the staircase split as it arrived at the first landing. She tried to keep her excitement in check when Edward continued with the tour.
They made their way to the first room left of the entrance, and as they entered through the double doors, she saw that it must have been a formal sitting room. Although the room was empty, it did contain a beautiful onyx colored marble fireplace. The fire screen in front was a combination of black wrought iron and shiny brass. The ceiling and moldings were freshly painted white, along with the wood frames surrounding the windows. Blue painters tape was still present and it appeared that the walls had been prepped for painting, as their color was off-white.
The end of the room contained a set of pocket doors, which opened into another room of a slightly larger size with the same features. Except this room had an elegant crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and the fireplace in here was a deep rose with streaks of gold running through it. The double doors at the end of the room led to a large connecting hallway. She could already picture using one room as a lounge for guests and perhaps the other as a dining room.
In the hallway directly across, was a set of matching doors that opened into what appeared to be the transition area off the main kitchen. The room was lined on each side with cabinets running along the top and bottom of the room. The marble counter space on each side was pure white. A large service table ran down the center of the room and someone had installed work lights above the table. Opening the doors, she saw shelves and pullout drawers of every size imaginable. Her previous assessment appeared to be correct. She could picture linens, dinnerware, flatware, and other things necessary for the setting of dinner tables and some of the larg
er cabinets could well hold the coffee urns and buffet serving trays. Like the previous rooms, it still had the blue painters tape and the primer on the open wall spaces. She could imagine a cozy seating spot off to the one side while the other side could contain a desk and filing area. The ceiling was again painted white.
Through the archway, she could see into the kitchen and headed there next. Her inspection revealed an appealing mix of modern appliances along with traditional wood cabinets and a long work island spanning its center. The kitchen was equipped with an extra-large double sink and she was amazed to see the professional size refrigerator, double ovens and cook tops, along with the industrial size dishwasher. There at the end of the long room she saw a set of doors, which opened to a walk-in pantry lined with shelving and a dry goods area. The upright freezer tucked in the corner would be ideal for her plans. They must have entertained on a regular basis in the past she thought, as the appliances appeared new.
The men followed her silently, except when Edward pointed out the pantry or answered some of her inquires. John followed silently, his blue eyes occasionally following her gestures, but he made no comments. Edward pointed to the other set of doors, which led out of the kitchen into the intersecting hallway. It appeared that the first floor of the house was connected with a series of hallways, which ran alongside, and behind the grand stairs to the other rooms. She saw doors leading out towards the back of the house, but the group continued on to another room. The rooms on the other side of the house mirrored those she had already seen and as she waited to enter, she had the feeling that something slid down the length of her hair. Putting her hand up to check she found nothing. Brushing the end of her shoulder off, she focused on the next area.