The entire estate was built around the premise of family and good times. He hadn’t yet seen the inside, but it would be the shit considering the outside. Drake saw Phoe laughing with a few of his brothers. Chance was next to Phoe. He dropped a kiss on Phoe’s head and then with a squeeze went to get some food when Mrs Ames rang the gong three times. Chance inclined his head in Drakes direction and grinned. It was shaping up to be a good day.
Chapter Five.
“Can we look around the house?” Marsha said to me two hours later. We were sitting around the swimming pool watching HQ against security in a water polo game. HQ were winning. I’m sure they were cheating, but I kept quiet.
“Of course!” I exclaimed, “You don’t have to ask, do you want a guided tour or a wander on your own?”
“Love a guided one. That way I don’t stick my nose where it’s not wanted.” Marsha replied with a grin.
“There’s not much off limits, Silvie are you interested in a tour?” I asked the other woman who shot to her feet instantly. Silvie was everything Apache had claimed. She was a lovely woman.
“Where you going?” Fish asked, reaching out for his wife’s hand. Romantically, I thought, he snagged it to him and kissed her knuckles. I felt my heart melt at Rage’s brusque sergeant of arms. Marsha laughed and kissed her man.
“Phoe’s going to give a tour of the house.” She smiled.
“I’m up for that.” He said getting to his feet, calling out to Texas and Axel, who joined our huddle. When I looked back, Rage stood behind me.
“Hey wait, we haven’t had a tour yet.” Bear shouted from the bushes.
“Snooze you lose!” Silvie shouted back at him. Bear flipped her the bird, and she chuckled.
“We’ll watch the kids and take a second tour.” Chance called out, and I nodded.
An arm slipped around my waist and I grinned at Silvie who was bouncing in her boots. Silvie was so sweet, I genuinely liked the woman already, she was younger than me but full of life. There was a quiet pain in her eyes when she looked at one of Drake’s brothers, Apache, I wondered what the story was. But I didn’t know her well enough I ruefully admitted, to ask her outright.
I took them through the kitchen and down into the basement first, it was huge, the size of the house and then it extended further back beyond it. The entrance was done up to resemble a cinema, red carpeting and posters on the wall, hotdog machines and popcorn carts and a candy counter.
Silvie loved it and so did Marsha and a couple of the guys made awed noises. I opened the first door to the man cave Micah had designed. The older boys had decorated it in dark tones with dark furniture. A multitude of spotlights had been put in to brighten it up, if they wished. Micah and Carmine had the biggest flat screen TV they could find, with games consoles and a soft drink fridge filled to the brim.
There was their own food fridge which Mrs Ames kept well stocked, a pool table and other paraphernalia guys think they needed. Arcade games were stacked along one wall and large black leather sofas were spread around the TV space. Although the older teens had decorated it, all the boys had access to this room.
“Nice.” Texas said with approval in his voice. Leading them out to the door opposite, it opened to the cinema which could seat one hundred and fifty people. Further on down the cinema themed hallway was the bowling alley combined with a jungle gym for the smaller kids.
Finally, at the end was a large indoor heated swimming pool, with a sauna and hot tub. I showed them the gym the boys had insisted on having installed. There was a weight room and a dojo as Micah practised ju-jitsu holding a black belt, third dan.
We went back upstairs, and they peered into the wine cellar off the kitchen. I waved them into the informal dining room, whose doors folded back to make it part of the kitchen. Next room up was the male study and then the female study and then into the first of the lounges, this one I called the family lounge. Large beckoning sofas surrounded a huge fireplace, bevelled glass windows looked out over the gardens. It was the one we used the most.
Through the doors and into the formal lounge which I used for entertaining people. Adjoining that was my Pride and Prejudice morning room, which overlooked the drive. Nerves kicked in around a few of their comments, such as ‘I know she said she was rich but fuckin’ hell!’ All in all though their admiration was honest and although a couple proclaimed to be jealous, it was good-hearted comments.
Silvie began commenting on my décor and I was nervous at first. While the family lounge was modern, the rest of the house was decorated in keeping with the age of the building, eighteenth century regency. Soon enough, I understood her remarks were complementary and so were the comments being uttered by everyone.
We walked across the large entrance hall that was a room in itself and held a piano and a large ornate harp. Intricately wooden curved stairs soared up both sides of the hall and met in the middle, creating a musician’s parlour. The next room was a kid’s toy room, neatly stacked away but filled with toys. I showed them the large room which had been converted into study cubicles for the teenagers.
Axel and Texas both fell in love with my third favourite room, the smoking room. A bar in one corner, fully stocked, a second pool table and the walls were panelled in dark wood. The room reeked of old-fashioned opulence.
Next up was the music room which I assured them, was sound proofed. Harley on the drums was loud! Christian was louder and Cody could make a guitar scream for mercy. I led them into my pride and joy, my second most favourite room in the house. Built along the full length of the east side of the Hall was my library.
“Shit.” Marsha exclaimed her mouth open in awe. “This is awesome.” It was. I loved this room, it had been one of the hardest to restore but well worth it. Floor to ceiling with wooden panels and shelves covering most of the walls. Restored sliding ladders. Decorated in dark green leather Chesterfield sofas and heavy Edwardian desks, the library offered comfort and peacefulness. Two marble fireplaces had been restored and took up a large amount of space.
There were two huge stained-glass windows at either end of the room taking up three quarters of their respective walls. One depicted a George and the Dragon scene and the other King Arthur. The windows were framed with heavy wooden shutters that folded back. Old-fashioned green reading lamps were dotted around on the desks and around each fireplace were three huge armchairs facing them. In the middle of the big room were intricately carved free-standing bookcases lined up in rows.
“No books?” Slick asked me. With a sigh, I pointed to a far corner and we could see a wall of boxes facing us.
“There were hardly any books here when I moved in, those that were left was tragically badly damaged. Preservation is important, I sent them away for restoration if possible, but a good many were just pulp. The ceiling leaked terribly in here and did so much damage.” I made a disappointed moue with my mouth and continued.
“The windows underwent a major restoration as most of the glass was broken. The shutters are original on the inside but the outside ones had fallen down and rotted away. We had new ones made up in the correct style. The bonus is I get to put my choice of books in this magnificent library. Each letter of the alphabet has three columns of shelves to it. Someone loved this once.” And I loved it now. That’s what mattered.
“I’d move a bed in here Phoe and never move out.” Slick said with a grin as he gazed upon the shelves with a large brass Z scrolled on a plaque above them. I understood his feeling.
“Don’t think I could ever fill three floor to ceiling columns of shelves with authors beginning with Z.” I joked, and he rolled his eyes at me.
I led them down a hallway at the end of the library and into what I called the glass ballroom. The ballroom ran adjacent to the library and the full length of the house again and had cost a whack to restore. The ceiling slanted downwards in a ninety-degree angle, with stained glass panels in a variety of images. This right here was my most favourite room in the Hall.
Two extremely large, original candelabrum chandeliers hung from the ceiling. The three external walls were glass and wooden beams. Big glass windows, gleaming in the sun, went from floor to ceiling. The wooden floor we’d managed to restore, and it shone in the low lighting.
“Sadly most of this was horrendously damaged, the ballroom took a massive effort to restore.” Awed silence fell, looking around I saw stunned expressions on their faces.
“Close your eyes, I can just see ladies in their ballgowns here. This is awesome. Think it’s my favourite yet.” Silvie said craning her neck and looking at the images. I grabbed her hand and dragged her to the floor and laid down on it with her. Now she got the full experience. Silvie’s soft gasp let me know how much she appreciated it.
“Oh my god, Marsha get down here.” Asses hit the floor and long legs covered in jeans popped into view, as most of the brothers did the same.
“Envisioning this when there’s snow on the ground.” Marsha whispered.
“Vandals smashed numerous panels. Luckily, we found the original designs in a folder in a sideboard. The plan for the repairs went easier than you could imagine. Water damage had ruined a few designs, so I had an artist design new panels to go with the originals.” I told them, my eyes on the twisted rose vine panel with its bright red flowers.
“The dragon’s ace.” Drake said, and I jumped as I realised he was laying by my side.
“The phoenix is out of the world.” Apache said from Silvie’s side.
“Love the mermaid panel.” Silvie whispered.
“Can’t take my eyes off the knight on his charger.” Marsha said pointing out another panel. I felt movement at my side and Drakes hand slipped into mine and squeezed. I hesitated for a few seconds and then I squeezed back. Drake tugged on my hand and pulled me closer. I allowed him a few moments and then pushed up.
“Shall we continue with the tour or lay here dreaming?” I teased them.
“Fuckin’ lay here all day watching the sun play over them.” Texas replied, but he got to his feet and we left the room. I showed them three out of the four towers, I didn’t intrude on Alberts realm. They loved the boys tower. The bottom level a living room, second level a games room and bar (soft drinks) and third and fourth levels their bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms.
“Who lives here?” Blaze asked.
“In here we have Micah, Carmine, Tye and Harley. They could’ve had bedrooms in the main part of the house but they are older now and so deserve their own space.” Blaze nodded. Jodie’s and Serenity’s tower were much laid out the same. But the fourth floor was a dressing room/makeup room and the girlie paraphernalia they thought they needed.
The third tower was set up as a second jungle gym for the kids on the bottom level. The first level I had my stuff set up and Marsha and Silvie gave a gasp.
“Phoe, you make candles and soaps?” Marsha asked touching wax.
“Yeah, bath bombs and bath oils and you get the idea. I enjoy making stuff and they’re easy. Definitely a relaxing hobby to have.” I replied.
“I want to try someday.” Marsha hinted at me. I smiled at her, she was nice, Fish’s wife and genuine.
“Anytime you want to try, give me a shout, you’d be welcome.” Marsha squealed and Fish rolled his eyes at me and muttered, ‘Here we go!” The next level made the girls go crazy as they surveyed my stained-glass making equipment.
“Did you make those panels?” Mac asked me. Vigorously, I shook my head.
“No, that skill is beyond me.” Mac smiled at me.
“Don’t think much is beyond you.” Grunts of agreement followed his statement. I ducked my head embarrassed. The final floor was my parlour, it was set in a nineteen thirties style Chinese parlour. The parlour was authentically decorated, taking tea up here and looking out over the Black Hills, was a calming experience.
“Love this.” Silvie said.
“When the kids are in bed, I bring a book and just sit and gaze at the scene in front of me. So relaxing.” She nodded in agreement.
I took them back down and showed them the boring rooms, the linen room, china room and the silver room where the tableware was kept. Everyone poked heads into a large dark room that was empty and made suggestions. I’d been researching what the room was used for when the Hall was designed. Then I showed them my display room. I hesitated before doing so and Drake noticed. He gave me a warm smile, and I opened the door.
“Wow.” Drake said. The room was filled with glass display cabinets, wall to wall. Each cabinet was filled with ornamental plates of mythical creatures and fairies and elves. Shelves held ornaments of mythical creatures.
“Love this dragon.” Rock grunted point to a big black dragon with its wings spread aggressively.
“Lovin’ this woman.” Lex spoke from the corner where he was looking at my huge free-standing red dragon lamp. The lamp came up to my waist and held an orb in its jaws, which was the lamp.
“This is crazy.” Silvie said staring at my two cabinets of fairies.
“A lot is Tudor Mint and Enchantica items.” I said walking forward to my pewter dragons and figurines.
“Stunning.” Marsha whispered looking at my dark angel that crouched with obsidian wings.
“I like them.” I said shrugging. No one ever saw this. I was shy showing my collection to people.
“What’s upstairs?” Texas asked.
“Bedrooms, above the library is the long portrait gallery.”
“Portrait gallery?” Marsha said.
“Yeah, I got restorers in doing them. The family left them there and I’m having them restored and researched, seems wrong to have them removed. To me it feels right to have them here and labelled up properly, they built this home and now I share it because of them.
Researchers discovered, that the last of the family died here, leaving the lawyers to search for an heir. They found a distant one who left the Hall to go to wrack and ruin. The heir had no interest, sadly it had taken so long to find an heir, the decay had begun in earnest. The heir had no interest in restoring the Hall. So keeping the portraits feels right to me.” Saying that last out loud sounded ridiculous and sentimental but Drake interrupted that.
“Called respect.” Drake grunted from looking at my emerald green dragon that had wings spread and claws up and its maw open.
“Can we see it?” Marsha asked, I nodded and took them up. Briefly, I showed them the bedrooms as we passed and then I took them through the gallery. Silvie was in heaven as she took in the straw-woven flooring that I’d had repaired. Only one I’d ever seen similar was at Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire back in England.
Most of the portraits hung on walls still, but the window’s shutters were closed protecting them from further damage. One corner was given over to the restorers. Their equipment was left around and we peered at the painting of a woman wearing a huge ornate ballgown, that was being restored.
“One day I’ll know each and every history of the portraits. I have researchers working for me.” I shyly said. Drake nodded.
“I’d want to know who was hanging on my walls too.”
“Many of these are so old. I believe that the family who built this were direct descendants of an aristocratic English family. Lots of paintings such as these exist at historic homes in England. Researchers will track back the family ties, I think this may have belonged to a dishonoured son or a second son. Could even be an heir who left his stately home in England.”
Marsha gazed at the tapestries that hung full length on the walls and I told her they were being repaired as well. A few empty spaces were open where the most desperately damaged had been sent away for repair. Marsha commented on that she’d noticed the other tapestries hanging in the hallways and downstairs on the ground floor. I told her those had been restored and preserved.
On the third floor, I gave them brief looks into the guest bedrooms. There was a second long gallery above the first floor one, that held models of old-fashioned sailing ships kept in glass cabinets.
Of course the ships were far more up the men’s street than portraits and tapestries. The second gallery was more a museum with other works of art placed haphazardly.
“Private?” Silvie asked when I didn’t open two doors that we passed by and she cocked her head at me. I blushed and eyebrows shot up.
“Ah that kind of private.” She giggled, and I heard a few manly chuckles.
“No, no! Those are my Halloween rooms and Christmas rooms.” The word Halloween hadn’t even left my mouth and Silvie was through the doors. Squeals came from the room making everyone file in behind her.
“Shit you like Halloween?” Slick asked laughing as he looked around at my decorations.
“I go mad.” Slick nodded still laughing.
“Can’t wait to see this place at Halloween.” Apache grinned.
“Fish, Fish come see this!” Marsha called from across the hallway where she’d found the Christmas room.
“Like Christmas too?” Drake asked as he sauntered past me. The dratted man grinned at me.
“Halloween is my holiday. Christmas is the kids.”
“Attic not used?” Drake asked me as we descended the stairs.
“No, it’s creepy. I’ve only been in it twice. It’s full of trunks that possibly have treasures in but I can’t go there alone.”
“Can ride up next weekend and we can take a look around?” Drake offered. Unsure what to say, I paused. Drake’s eyes softened, and I gave him a nod.
World War three met us outside as the kids and security team, had teamed up against Hellfire and HQ. Blasting the hell out of each other with water guns, hoses and bombs, the kids were winning. Forced to duck from a water bomb, I escaped and proceeded to show Hellfire around as Rage took their place.
Rage of the Phoenix Page 10
