The Sweethearts of Truffle Manor - Chapter Four

Valentine Serial 2016

The Sweethearts of Truffle Manor

Chapter Four

JillKemerer

The audacity of that man! And what did he mean, he owned the house? Adette pivoted, only to hiss in pain. She crumpled to the bottom step of the once grand staircase.

            “Chambermaid…weakest play…what does he know? The lunatic…” she muttered, fumbling with her skirts to uncover her ankle. Didn’t look swollen.

            “Let’s see what you've got.” He pocketed the ring and knelt before her, taking her foot into his hands and removing her shoe. He had a tender touch for such a large, muscular man. The pain vanished as his fingers caressed her ankle. “Doesn’t seem broken. You probably just twisted it.”

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

            “So you’re a doctor now, too.” She flipped her skirt over her pretty red shoe. Whoever this guy was, he didn’t seem to be a criminal. And it wasn’t his fault she’d spent the past three hours in a panic over her grandmother…and her life.

            Bit parts in off-off Broadway plays had been her only acting accomplishments in five years. Dare she admit, even to herself, she was disillusioned with the city? That she craved a less cutthroat life? Here in Rose Lake? Maybe even on Candy Lane.

            Those baby blues twinkled as she clutched the rail and hauled herself to her feet, keeping her weight off the troublesome foot.

            “Since you clearly are not putting your degree to use here tonight.” She channeled her inner queen, a role she'd mastered last summer in Kingdom of the Wretched Koalas. A dubious choice on her part, but he didn't have to know that. "What are you doing in Truffle Manor?”

            He leaned close, his face inches from her. Her heartbeat accelerated so quickly she almost brought her hand to her chest. 

            “Something isn’t adding up.” He tapped his chin. “If you are who you claim to be, you’d know why I’m here. Which makes me wonder…You must have been in a big hurry if you didn’t even change your costume after your starring performance. Why didn’t you go straight to Nougat Peak to visit your beloved grandmother?”