Nine Steps to Sara (2 page)

A crunch of gravel alerted them as the car pulled onto the private road.  “This is it, we’re almost there,” Sara breathed in excitement, wondering if she should wake Jack or let him keep sleeping.  As they drew closer to the hulking shadow of the building, she decided to go with the latter; for the moment there was nothing to see.  The house was completely dark, no signs of life to be found as they approached. 

“Are you sure you have the right place?” Joanie frowned, leaning forward with a squint that couldn’t penetrate the darkness. 

“This is
Darling
Park
right enough,” the driver spoke, the lilt of his accent reminding Sara of the brief wink she’d seen in the mirror.  “Don’t worry; I’m sure they’re about somewhere.  Hold on a tic
k
, I’ll get things sorted out.  I’ll leave the engine running to keep the car warm
for you
.”
  Before either of them could so much as blink, he was out the driver’s side door
,
bounding into the fog that closed ranks behind him, enveloping him into the velvet murkiness. 

“See, I told you it wouldn’t be like in the movies,” Sara’s voice fell to a whisper as she focused her attention on the
driveway
.

“Sure it is; it’s just the type of movie where we get murdered in our beds before sunrise,” Joanie replied sourly and Sara gave her a playful shove. 

It was pretty creepy out there, the fog encasing them in a cocoon of silver mist, completely obscuring the house from view.  She got
the
sense it was big, bigger than she’d thought, but that was about it. 
“At least we’re warm enough.”  No sooner had she made the pronouncement, than the fates intervened
;
the car engine dying with a sputter.  “I’m sure he’ll be back in a minute,” Sara added, unsure which one of them she was trying to convince more. 

“This is stupid; why don’t we get out and go up to the front door?” Joanie muttered, unbuckling her seat belt. 

“
Fine
,” Sara nodded, preparing to do the same.  All at once, the mist swirled higher,
cloaking
the car
in darkness.  Sara shivered as the temperature plummeted, her breath visible in the sudden chill.  “On second thought…”

Joanie pulled up the fur collar of her coat, bringing her hands up to blow on them.  “Did I say murdered in our
beds
?”

“It’s just fog,” the words full of false bravado, Sara
leaned
against the window, desperate to find anything in the swirling fog to give her a point of reference.  They could be completely cast adrift at sea for all she could
tell;
even the hulking shadow of the house was
entirely
hidden
. 
Another shiver went through Sara as her fingertips pressed against the frigid glass; the sudden crunch of gravel the only warning before the door flew open and she nearly tumbled out
,
if not for the strong arms of the driver. 

“Careful, my Lady,” he smiled, restoring her balance.  Behind him, she could make out the
entry
of the house and then the fog seemed to dissipate, the porch lights dispelling the gloom with warm, yellow light.

“T
hanks… I mean, sorry
…
for falling all over you like that.  We thought you’d left us,” Sara offered a sheepish grin,
releasing her death grip on his arms and
busying herself with picking up Jack
who still slept the sleep of the innocent.

“
Would you like me to take him for you
?”

“
Oh, no, I’ve got
him
, thanks
,” she flashed him a quick smile as she scooted out
of
the back seat, Joanie h
ot on her heels. 

A
matronly
woman
with iron gray hair pulled back into a bun
in a
severe
black
dress
hovered by the door, peering at them with interest.  “
You’re
early;
we weren’t expecting you for another hour
.”

“
I’m sorry…
” Sara’s teeth caught at her bottom lip, “
we didn’t mean to be a bother
…”
 

“Heavens, don’t apologize, my Lady,” she
chuckled
.  “I wasn’t blaming you in the slightest
,
”
h
er eyes lit upon the driver who deposited the first of the bags in the hallway
.

“
The train’s come early.  I tried to call…
” he started to explain, but she waved him off. 

“
The phones are a bit spotty every now and again.  Come in,
come in,
you must be cold to the bone
,” she waved them deeper into the entryway that stretched at least thirty feet high before a grand wooden staircase
stained a rich mahogany
. 

The wallpaper was a little faded and the furnishings old fashioned, but there was no mistaking the grandeur of the home.  An alternating pattern of honey yellow and dark brown marble tiles decorated the entry floor in a mosaic pattern picked up in the crystal chandelier that hung above.  If a few tiles were weathered and cracked, it was still more impressive than anything Sara had seen outside of the silver screen
,
and it was polished to a high sheen. 

The air felt wrong to Sara, a bit musty with disuse perhaps, but it was warmer than the chill outside. 
Next to the woman, a man stood at the door
in a pair of gray trousers and a worn
cardigan with leather patches on the elbows
, his weathered face split into a welcoming smile. 

“Thomas close the door, you’re letting all the heat out,”
the old woman
chided him gently
,
and he rushed to do her bidding
, closing the door on the driver
who still struggled with the
last of the bags
by the car
. 
 

“I’m Mrs. Poole, the housekeeper.  My husband and I are the only regular staff for
Darling
Park
at present
.  Thomas,
hurry
get a fire going
in the parlor while I get them some tea.
” 

“Right-o, we’ll have you warmed up inside and out in no time,” he grinned, revealing a flash of store bought teeth, but Sara called him back, not wanting them to go to too much trouble on her behalf. 

“
That’s not necessary
,
”
she shifted her hold on Jack, his head lolling against her shoulder. 
More than anything she was a little tired, and the worst of the chill had already worn off.
  “It’s sweet of you, really, but I think all we want to do is get some rest.  Oh, t
his is my friend, Joanie and
I’m S
a
ra Bailey, or Darling.”  Not used to using her maiden name again, it sounded strange to her ears.

“
Of course you are, you’re the spitting image of Lady Margaret, isn’t she?
” Mrs. Poole replied and Thomas nodded sagely.

“
Indeed she is.
”
 

“
Who’s Lady Margaret?
” Joanie asked, suddenly finding her voice after spending the last few minutes gawking at the size of the foyer. 

“That would be her ladyship’s grandmother, a few generations removed, of course,” Thomas replied genially
,
and it was odd for Sara to think she had a common ancestry with the Lady of the house.  Of course, now
she
was the Lady of the house…

The door opened and the driver deposited the rest of the bags with a thud that echoed in the open space.  A frown knit Mrs. Poole’s brows together at the unceremonious interruption, but she smoothed her expression before turning to Sara.  “
Would you like me to have Will take the young master up? 
There’s a proper
fire laid out
for him in preparation.”

“
Oh no, I can do it
,” Sara shook her head.  “Just point me in the right direction, I’m used to it.”

Another flutter of distress went through Mrs. Poole and the young chauffeur stepped up.  “Of course you are, but yo
u’ll be
knackered
after your
long journey,” he held his
arms wide to take Jack from her
.  “D
on’t worry, my
L
ady, I'll take care of him like he was my own
.”

Sara hesitated, her arms still curved protectively around her young son’s body.  The driver, or Will as Mrs. Poole had called him, waited patiently, his grey-blue eyes snapping with his own private amusement. 
He was cuter than she’d first thought, or maybe it was the
earnest
way he smiled at her
, as if he understood how strange it all was for her
.

“Let him take Jack for chrissakes, Sara,” Joanie nudged her.  “It’s just upstairs, it’s not like he’s gonna disappear and never come back.”
 

She’d been about to give in anyway, but now she felt like she was being a big, fat ignoramus for objecting in the first place.  “
Okay, that’d be nice, thanks.”
  The transfer was easily made, and in a few seconds Sara watched him disappear up the stairs with her son. 

“
Will you be wanting anything
then if not a cup of tea?
” Mrs. Poole commanded her attention once more.  “
I could have something light for you to eat very quickly.
”
 

All these people ready to jump if she gave the word…
A
fter years in the service industry it felt surreal to be catered to.  “
To be honest, my time
zones are a little wonky right now
,
so I’m not all that hungry.  Joanie, what about you?” Sara replied
,
since they seemed to be addressing everything to her as if Joanie didn’t exist. 

“No, I’m good.  I just need to visit the loo,” she winked at Mrs. Poole, who drew in a sharp breath behind her hand and Sara thought she might have heard an ‘oh dear’ slip out, but she couldn’t be sure.