Page 4 of The Ghost of Ellwood
Built in 1887, this beautiful Queen-Anne styled manor has 6 bedrooms and 2 full baths. A three story staircase is there to greet you in the foyer, and with over 11,000 SF of living space, there’s room for the whole family. 6 original fireplaces with the mantels are still intact, as well as the original carpentry and stained glass details. The manor is a bit of a fixer-upper cosmetically, but it’s move-in ready! Contact for more details.
A picture of the manor had been attached, and as I stared at the arched doorway, multitude of windows, and the gorgeous property it sat on, the nervous energy from earlier spread farther through my body. A tingle spread from my neck, down my arms, and to the tips of my fingers.
It was magnetic.
Without giving it a second’s thought, I sent an email to the real estate agent. The asking price seemed too low for what a manor of that caliber should’ve cost, which led me to believe there might have been more than cosmetic issues.
The agent responded twenty minutes later.
Good afternoon!
Thank you for your interest in Blackwell Manor! There are no major issues with the home, other than a need of fresh paint on the outside. Some sections of the floor need to be replaced, mainly in the second story and the attic, and some of the wallpaper is peeled. All of the appliances work; electric, water, heating and air, though you may want to update the bathrooms—if you prefer a more modern look. Any other renovations are purely up to the buyer! Let me know if you want to set up a time to view the property.
-Caroline Humphries
Even with the needed repairs, the cost was still too low. I had seen some Victorian houses with far more issues and less square feet going for upwards of five-hundred thousand dollars. And this one was only going for a hundred and a quarter.
Maybe it had been on the market for so long that the owner was just ready to sell it, so they cut the price. Whatever the reason, I was interested.
Veryinterested.
Although it was way too large for one person, it had a charm that drew me in. I could renovate it to my heart’s content, turn a room into my office, build my own library like I’d always wanted. The four acres of land were appealing as well. That meant no close neighbors—at least not house-to-house like my current one. I wouldn’t be smack-dab in the center of the city.
Victorian houses had intrigued me for many years and had appeared in several of my novels. Living in one would be…different.
Maybe it was the kind of different I needed to pull me out of my slump.
So, I made the spontaneous decision to email the real estate agent and make an offer. It took a few days to run it by the owner, but my offer was accepted, and we moved onto the next phase. With the contract underway, I then proceeded to list my house for sale.
And for the first time in months, I was genuinely excited for what lay ahead.
Chapter Two
Seeing Blackwell Manor in person was like being lost in the woods and stepping out into a sunny clearing.
The pictures didn’t do it justice. No photo could capture the atmosphere; the gentle swaying of the trees or the scent of pine, firewood, and crisp leaves carried by the wind. They hadn’t captured the essence of the house, the sheer magnificence of the structure, and the way the light bounced off the windows.
Even with areas of the dark green paint having faded and the yard in need of work, no other place in my life had ever given me such a sense of peace. Of home.
And I hadn’t even stepped a foot inside yet.
“Excited?” Caroline Humphries asked after she got out of her car and joined me by mine.
She came to give me the keys, show me around, and answer any questions. The owner hadn’t wanted anything to do with the house and had refused to come onto the property after we signed the papers.
Strange, but whatever.
“A little bit,” I answered, scanning the tall trees in the front yard, the many windows of the manor, and the curving architecture. The leaves rustled as the wind blew. “It’s so quiet.”
“Yes. It is.” Caroline adjusted her round-framed glasses, seeming unsettled for some reason. Her eyes darted to the house before she turned to me with a smile. “But the quiet is perfect for your work, right? I must say, Mr. Cross, I’m a big fan. I’m eager for your next book. No one writes horror and suspense quite like you.”
I almost asked her what she thought of my last two books but decided against it. No reason to ruin my good mood.
“Thank you for your support, Ms. Humphries. I—”
“Caroline, please,” she said, tucking her dark hair behind her ear.
“Well, I appreciate you reading, Caroline.” My attention shifted to the house. “Is there anything else I should know about the place?”
