Grand Old Mansion

An old house stood at the end of the lane. Although “house” was the wrong word to describe it. It was a mansion. When someone first comes upon its great expanse, it fills the vision, and one has to crane the neck to see either of the wings. The wings of the mansion stretch far into the grove of trees, though it is no longer a grove. It is overgrown, what might be called a jungle, though having none of those exotics species peculiar to it.

A group of adolescent boys shuffled in the grass, their eyes trained on the manse. “Do you suppose someone lives in there?” the youngest one asked. “Perhaps, perhaps not.” The one who answered him had a glint in his eye. “But they say a lady lives here, a ghost. And if you come upon her when she is not aware of you, she will attack you and chain you up in her cellar.”

“Pshaw!” interjected a third boy. “I don’t believe that story. Ghosts aren’t real, and they can’t hurt you at all. They are like mists that you can wave away.”

“What makes you think they aren’t real, Samuel? My father saw her with his own eyes! She wore all black, and had a veil over her face, and her hands were whiter than the clouds in the sky!” The second boy pointed up.

“Because it says in the-” Samuel began, but he was interrupted by his companion.

“I know your father is a clergyman, but you do go on and on with it!”

Samuel harrumphed, crossing his arms. “Still, I’m not scared. There is no one living in that house!”

The glint returned brighter in his friend’s eye. “Then enter the house.”

The astonishment on Samuel’s face was evident to his friend, because he repeated, “Go on, Sam! Enter the house if you aren’t scared!”

“That would be trespassing. I will not.” Samuel was adamant.

“Then you are a c-o-w-a-r-d! A great big one!” his friend sang out. He began taunting Samuel, and the youngest of threesome joined. “Coward! Coward! A scared puss!”

“I’m not a coward!” Samuel yelled, shoving his friends away.

The name-caller grinned. “Then enter the house, and stay there until we leave for supper. If not, then you truly are a coward. You would dare call yourself a man!”

Samuel grit his teeth. “I will, Hezekiah, if you do not tell my father.” He did not relish the idea of going to bed without his supper.

Hezekiah grinned. “As sure as my heart is beating within my chest, I swear to never say a word.” He made a fist over his heart. Samuel nodded, then bounded to the mansion.

Strange, thought Samuel. The door is not locked. It swung open with an ease that belied its age. Though he left the door open, it shut behind him, as of its own volition. He felt uneasy being alone in such a place. In truth, he was not frightened at the myths surrounding the house, but one could never be too sure in unfamiliar territory.

He checked his pocket watch. He had three hours to spend there before he had to leave for supper. No matter. He was sure there was plenty to discover in such an old house. However, he would have to take care that he did not lose his way.

The first thing that surprised Samuel was the lack of dust. Every corner of the mansion looked as if someone had been there recently. The floor was polished, the furniture dusted. The place was in pristine condition. There was a grand staircase that opened onto the first floor. Samuel decided to try his luck up the stairs.

Samuel began opening doors along the second floor. A bedroom, then a powder room, a few more bedrooms. After fourteen doors, he noticed that the floors were dipping in a gentle decline as he walked further down. And the ceilings of each bedroom grew higher and higher, then the furnishings grew larger and larger, until it felt as if he were in a giant’s house.

In one room the bed rose ten metres before one could climb up on it. On the doors the height of the doorhandle did not change, however, so Samuel was still able to peer into each room. He came to the last door in the expansive hall, his mind whirling at what he was seeing. Then, he turned the knob to the door, vowing to turn back once he saw what was in there.

His eyes widened beyond what he thought was possible. The room was not a bedroom. It was a hall of chess pieces. Chess pieces so large and wide that they stood well over twenty metres, and the ceiling rose higher. His eyes roved over the hall, the black and white checkered floors, the windows that reached the magnificent ceiling.

Then he saw it. No, it was a woman. He took in a deep breath before attempting to shut the door and run. Only the door would not shut, so he ran. “Hello!” he heard her call. He ran even harder, not knowing why he ran, but that it was bad to be there. His feet suddenly froze, though his arms waved frantically. Then all of him froze. He was fastened in a running position, but he could not move. Samuel heard the light tapping of female footsteps behind him. Inwardly he shuddered.

“It has been so long since I have had the delight of a visitor!” a young, dainty voice exclaimed. “Though you should not have run, sir. I am very kind to my guests. I suppose you might be famished, more so after dashing away in such a manner. Might I get your name, sir?”

Samuel’s tongue was loosened. “Please, miss, I meant no harm. It was a dare! Please let me go, and I shall be much obliged!” His voice took on a tone of fear. How had this woman stopped him without touching him?

“I shall let you go, presently, only give me your name and let me give you some victuals.”

“S-samuel,” he stuttered.

“I am pleased to meet you, Sir Samuel. My name is Mira.” She held out her hand for him to take. It was pure white. “I suppose I should unfreeze you, but I don’t want you to run.”

“I won’t run, upon my word,” Samuel promised. Instantly he felt his body release. True to what he said, Samuel took the lady’s hand and bowed, touching it to his lips. He noticed that she wore a black dress and veil, true to the description Hezekiah gave. It slightly unnerved him.

The lady motioned for Samuel to follow. Instead of going up, the way he had come, they went down a hall directly across from them, which he had not noticed on his way through the mansion.

Samuel was not sure it was a real person he was following, until he recalled that he had held her hand. Her hand had been small in his, but as solid as the hand of a true human.

Soon, they entered a drawing room, the scene brightly set by colourful divans and settees, a large Persian rug, and vases of flowers upon every table. The lady clapped her hands, summoning her servants. “I’ve a guest now, bring refreshments!” Turning to Samuel, her voice smiled under her veil. “Take a seat, good sir. My friends shall bring us tea shortly.”

Samuel hesitantly sat down, but did not regret it. Invisible servants brought refreshments. Either that, or the dumbwaiter and the teapot were their own beings.

They spent the next hour talking about the weather, the rooms, the mansion, until they came upon the subject of the house’s origins.

“How did this place come to be here?” Samuel asked.

Mira’s shoulders dropped. Her voice became darker. “I do not know if you will believe me, Sir Samuel. Humans quite usually do not believe our stories.”

The tone of Mira’s voice caused his interest to pique. “I shan’t laugh, if that’s what you believe I will do, miss.”

“If you have said so, then I shall tell you. This house was built in another realm, that of Havenlea. Its essence was connected with earth, then transported here. While you see out the window the earth, I see the streets of Attria, the capital of Havenlea. This house is the Banishment House. I have been banished here, and so dwell in isolation.”

“There is another world, then?” Samuel was not certain he could believe her report.

“A realm, yes. I can see that you are skeptic. But it is true, otherwise this house would not be here, and neither would the magic that comes with it.”

“Magic?” Samuel was not sure he could believe what his ears were hearing.

“Yes. Would you like to see more of the house? I can show it all to you.” Mira’s head tilted to one side, daring Samuel to accept.

“If I have time, Miss. I must be home for supper.”

“No matter, good Sir. You have yet another hour.”

Samuel nodded his assent.

Mira took him to a different wing of the house, and they passed the entry in doing so. Each room she showed him became further and further from human expectation. The room of mirrors that reflected the contents of your soul, not your face. The library, whose books were living, flew about the room, sorting themselves out. The enclosed garden, with plants that grew faster than the sun could rise. Every room presented its magic to Samuel. He became more and more convinced at each passing minute that what Mira had said was real.

At last, they returned to the drawing room to finish their tea. “We have not yet seen the full expanse of the mansion, but I am afraid that there is not time enough to show you all.” Mira’s back was to Samuel, while she faced the window.

“Miss… Mira. You have said you were banished. What did you mean by it?”

The light in Mira’s tone disappeared as she turned to look at him, though he could not see her face. “My parents think I am an unsuitable heir. I am too gentle, too kind to the people of Havenlea. Therefore I have been banished. Until… until my execution.” Her last words were said so faintly that Samuel strained to hear them.

“Execution? You are an heir? To what?” Samuel was not certain on how to respond.

“What I am an heir to does not matter if I am not to live to inherit it.” Her voice forced a happier pitch. “Now, would you like more tea? Or should I send you on your way?”

Samuel shook his head. “No, thank you, Miss. I must be going now.”

They silently walked to the entry. They stopped before the door.

“You will come back, won’t you? I hope I have not scared you. I quite enjoyed our visit and would be sorry to have our acquaintance end so soon.” Mira’s voice was creased with worry, while she held a concerned frown behind her veil.

“I will come back to visit you as often as I am able.” Samuel bowed. He was about to leave the door when Mira stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. Her voice held mirth and humor. “And do remember to leave the manse as if running for your life. Though I shan’t be surprised if that’s what you truly feel.” She laughed.

Samuel grinned back at her, then fled the mansion as if wild geese were chasing him. Behind the door, Mira laughed until her breath stole away, leaving the last wisps of gladness to echo through the halls, to die back into loneliness.

Samuel came back to see his friends lounging in boredom at the edge of the forest. “At last, our hero is back!” Hezekiah had a wicked grin on his face. “What did you see there, my friend?”

“Nothing worth noting, though the furnishings are near ancient. The house creaks with every step you take.” Samuel was still looking for his breath, since he ran all the way from the door. He doubled over, with his hands on his knees.

Hezekiah and Peter began guffawing, then laughing, then wheezing and gasping. Samuel was confused. “What is the matter, fellows?”

Hezekiah laughed harder, until he was kneeling on the ground, clutching his sides. “Oh, you…must…be…wrong…in…the head!” He was wheezing in between breaths.

Samuel looked back at the way he came, at the mansion, still standing, with trees pressing up its sides. He turned back to his friends. “I do not understand what you mean.”

“Should I be the one to tell him, or you, Peter?” Hezekiah was brushing tears from his eyes.

Peter snorted. “Sam, you realize that the mansion does not exist?”

Samuel’s face paled. When he turned around, the grand building was gone.