CHAPTER 4 – WELL, THAT’S CONFUSING

The inside of the house matched the grandeur of the outside. Delightfully glossy wood panels enclosed most of the room, although not to the point of suffocation. A stairway ran up to a second floor of the house, curving around a giant glass chandelier. Along the side of the stairway, paintings of family members and beautiful landscapes were artfully positioned.

‘Hello Martha,’ Eldridge greeted the elder lady coming through a side door towards them.

Elvie had an instant impression of freshly cooked scones in the oven, such was the gentle roundness of the ladies’ cheeks. She stood around five and a half feet tall and shuffled towards them with a purpose. With wire brush grey hair and steeled eyes, she intimidated and welcomed at the same time.

‘Good day, Sir. You haven’t been waiting long have you? It’s always hard to hear your unnaturally quiet car arrive home.’

‘No, no. Not at all. I’d like you to meet Ms Elvie Harper. She’ll be visiting with us for a little while.’ He turned to Elvie. ‘This is Mrs Thistle, she’s my head maid and a delightful lady to boot. She’ll take you to a room to warm yourself, and I’ll meet you in the parlour for tea afterwards. Something to nibble on as well Mrs Thistle?’ He raised an eyebrow in question.

‘Easily done, Sir. Sweetcakes from this morn need just be warmed.’

‘Fantastic. I’ll meet you soon.’ He swept up the stairwell.

‘Come with me.’ Mrs Thistle turned and walked through a doorway towards the back of the home. ‘The guest quarters reside at the rear, although some are also upstairs.’ She gently opened a set of double doors that led through a library filled from wall to floor with books. Beyond that room lay a giant dining area, but Mrs Thistle turned to the left, through another set of doors and onto the long hallway of a wing. They walked all the way to the end before the old lady stopped to unlock the final door with a key.

‘This’ll be your room. Make sure you treat it well,’ she said sternly.

‘It’s such a huge house.’ Elvie uttered.

The woman turned her critical gaze on Elvie. ‘It’s a lovely house run by a lovely man. You should be remembering this at all times. Mr Eldridge has had enough of his share of troubles without you causing any more.’

‘Of course, Ma’am.’ Elvie replied.

Mrs Thistle's cheeks hinted at a blush at her words. ‘Don’t be saying ma’am to me as I’m not of noble blood. You’ll call me Mrs Thistle. Everybody does and it’s more than enough. Now come on, I’m getting old and grumpier as I go – so don’t pay much mind to my nattering. Do well by Mr Eldridge and you’ll do well by me. Understand?’

Elvie didn’t, but she nodded like she did and followed Mrs Thistle into the room.

By any measure the room was spacious. A sitting area, a bedroom, and what looked to be a new bathroom through a side door. Matching wood panelling adorned the walls of the home, with pictures hung across a top rail. Elvie didn’t recognise any, but she cared little for art. Soft carpet cushioned each footstep, and if the look of the bed was anything to go by, she would sleep comfortably at night.

‘It’s amazing!’ Having a sitting room and bathroom exceeded the normal standards of a thirteen year old.

Mrs Thistle smiled. ‘Good. Now, I’m going to give you some time to freshen up, while I find you some bandages for those cuts, and some clean clothes to wear. Unless I miss my guess, you’re not carrying any extra?’

Elvie blushed and nodded.

‘I’ll see what I can find. But for now, use the washroom to clean up. If you would like to read, there are some books on the table. Then we’ll see what we can do about food as you sup with Mr Eldridge.’

Elvie spent all of two minutes washing her face. She’d never been one to care about her looks. Dirt on her face just meant she’d had a good day. After a few minutes, she searched the room for things of interest, but as Mrs Thistle pointed out to her, the only interesting things were the books beneath the windowsill.

She took up one and read the title of ‘Blare’s History of Magic’, before leafing randomly to a page.

“The Great Houses are the pillars of magic throughout England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Study and modern interpretation, has seen the development of the magician’s craft within each of the Great Houses.

Each magician controls one main aspect, or branch of magic associated with a type of tree. The Houses are, when displayed in a circular fashion: Rowan, Alder, Hazel, Beech, Birch, Apple, Elm, Fir, Oak, Elder, Ash, Willow, Blackthorn, Yew, Holly and Hawthorn. Why the Houses occur in this sequence is unknown, but what is known, is magician’s access their main house of magic, and the house to either side. For example, a practitioner of the Great House of Hazel also draws from the Houses of Alder and Beech.”

Elvie skipped to the diagram at the end (reproduced as text)

Title: The Great Houses

Hazel

Beech

Birch

Apple

Elm

Fir

Oak

Elder

Ash

Willow

Blackthorn

Yew

Holly (black)

Hawthorn

Rowan

Alder

(circles to Hazel again)

‘Well, that’s confusing,’ she said to herself. She put the book down, and drew and opened another at random.

‘Temis Frosthands was the fourth son of the Earl of Badwick, renowned for his short temper and ability with a jousting lance. He was a fine practitioner of Holly, able to encase his hands or any weapon he held, in a thick layer of ice. This strengthened his fighting capabilities and rumour has it he was beaten only once in a duel, by Freyer Kallinovic, the fabled German jouster.

Temis Frosthands discovered, or rediscovered, the lost skill of soul travelling, however, he took these secrets to his grave. Legends speak of…’

Her mind switched off as she lost herself in the stories, hoping to distract from the question burning a hole in her mind.

How do I get home?