Page 30 of Perfect Three

ChapterFourteen

Trying to appear calmand composed, Lucy opened the door.The two men before her smiled warmly, and Jack handed over an enormous bunch of roses.

“Hi, Lucy.Seb figured a bunch of flowers might make you see us as normal.”He grinned at her when she stepped aside to let him in.

Sebastian followed.“Hello, Lucy.I didn’t actually say that.”

“Hi...”Her voice strained as she continued, “Thanks for the roses.”

Sebastian grinned, then he looked past her to the grand central staircase.It was the first thing guests saw when they entered through the huge front door.“This looks like such an amazing house!The front staircase leading the way up onto the veranda is fantastic and that staircase!”He pointed.“That’s just ...wow.”

“Um ...I’ll give you the two-dollar tour later.”

“Two dollars?Gee, that’s cheap.”

Nervously, Lucy led the way down the hall toward the back parlor.She gestured for the men to sit while she went into the kitchen to put the roses in a vase.Wasting time, she arranged the flowers over and over.Finally carrying the vase, she came back into the room and put it on the mantelpiece.She knew she fiddled as she moved the vase back and forth.

Two hands touched her shoulders, turning her around.

“Relax, Lucy.You know us ...well, know us a little.Come sit down.”Sebastian led her to one of the sofas and pushed her down onto it.He walked over to the window and looked out.“Have you lived here long, Lucy?”

“Um ...I grew up here as a child, then moved out when I married.I came back when Mom got ill.The house has been in the family since 1899.”She took a deep breath.“Originally, it belonged to my great-great-grandparents who bought it with money from their English ancestors.My grandfather inherited the house as the oldest son.Then when my father, who was an only child, married Mum, they moved in.Both took care of my grandparents until their deaths.”

“It’s huge.We could see it’s two-story and made from brick and sandstone.It’s still got the slate roof too.”

“The covered veranda goes around three sides and another around three sides of the second floor as well.Over the years, the land’s been sold off to provide money for maintenance and now less than half a hectare surrounds it.”

Oh heavens, listen to me!I’m rambling.Argh!

“That makes sense.These old places need a lot of attention.”

“The main house was built as a stock farm in 1881.”

Sebastian looked around the room then said, “Doesn’t look like a stock farmhouse, too rich looking.”

“I agree, but apparently its original owner wanted a grand mansion to show off his wealth but died about seventeen years later.He wanted it to look opulent and rich, hence all the woodwork and fancy ceilings.You’ll see all the intricate plaster work with ceiling roses, the oak grained woodwork, stained glass windows, and marble tiles throughout the house.”

Calm down!You’re still waffling on.

Sebastian gave a whistle as he turned back to the others.“Wow!That makes sense.I must say it looks lovely.I love these old buildings, but they can be a money-pit.”

“Yep, the upkeep is the worst.Fortunately, my parents did a lot of major work on it.I just keep my fingers crossed that nothing breaks.”

“That’s for sure.Ask Jack what it was like when we were renovating the coach house.”

Jack shook his head.“I don’t want to be reminded, Seb.”He looked at Lucy.“The roof had to be replaced, so did the wiring and the plumbing, as well as the renovations inside that we wanted.”

“This house was re-wired about twenty years ago, so I don’t have that worry, and the plumbing was done at the same time so those big expenses are off my list.But the roof ...argh.”

“What about the roof?”

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