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April 14, 2023 - 8:15PM
One of the few sizable lounge rooms on the ground floor had been converted into Daniel’s office, or new home away from home. The majority of the previous furniture had been removed and stored on the third story, the round tables and stuffed settees, the elaborate tapestries and chests of game boards. What remained was the stocked bar chart, two armchairs and a fine bear skin rug that made Daniel feel just a pinch more royal. With the new addition of the large wooden desk and many filing cabinets, the office space would do nicely. He did feel like the king of his castle here.
Daniel had draped his blazer over one of the armchairs that sat in front of his desk, before sitting behind his desk. On top of his desk, a tabletop calendar that mirrored the one on his laptop and the one on his cellphone, with neat handwritten notes on what, who, when in each little date square. His open laptop was beside it, and a binder of building plan copies was beside that. On the opposite corner of the large desk, was his sketchbook. It was closed, but a lovingly crafted drawing of a renovated Montgomery Manor face waited just behind that front cover.
His phone was in hand immediately, the number for his pal Larry with the company’s insurance on speed dial. He kept it casual and lowkey as he explained the situation to Larry, and that they’d be needing to handle an emergency room bill. Larry argued that the man was at fault obviously, but Daniel preferred to just pacify any problems before they became problems. With that settled, he sighed and drooped back into his chair. His belly was full, his body tired, but his mind raced.
Every new day was like Christmas to him since obtaining the title to Montgomery Manor. Every new day filled with new sights and adventures, goals achieved and new ones discovered. In his chair, his left leg bounced restlessly.
April 14, 2023 - 8:15PM
One of the few sizable lounge rooms on the ground floor had been converted into Daniel’s office, or new home away from home. The majority of the previous furniture had been removed and stored on the third story, the round tables and stuffed settees, the elaborate tapestries and chests of game boards. What remained was the stocked bar chart, two armchairs and a fine bear skin rug that made Daniel feel just a pinch more royal. With the new addition of the large wooden desk and many filing cabinets, the office space would do nicely. He did feel like the king of his castle here.
Daniel had draped his blazer over one of the armchairs that sat in front of his desk, before sitting behind his desk. On top of his desk, a tabletop calendar that mirrored the one on his laptop and the one on his cellphone, with neat handwritten notes on what, who, when in each little date square. His open laptop was beside it, and a binder of building plan copies was beside that. On the opposite corner of the large desk, was his sketchbook. It was closed, but a lovingly crafted drawing of a renovated Montgomery Manor face waited just behind that front cover.
His phone was in hand immediately, the number for his pal Larry with the company’s insurance on speed dial. He kept it casual and lowkey as he explained the situation to Larry, and that they’d be needing to handle an emergency room bill. Larry argued that the man was at fault obviously, but Daniel preferred to just pacify any problems before they became problems. With that settled, he sighed and drooped back into his chair. His belly was full, his body tired, but his mind raced.
Every new day was like Christmas to him since obtaining the title to Montgomery Manor. Every new day filled with new sights and adventures, goals achieved and new ones discovered. In his chair, his left leg bounced restlessly.
After what felt like forever, trying to figure out where the hell the office was, after wandering through so many halls and passageways only to end up right back where he started, Ciel had finally reached Daniel's office. He knocked on the door, and proceeded to yank on the ends of his jacket in attempts of smoothing out the wrinkles and making it look neater. "It's Ciel." He noted, so Daniel would know it was him at the door.
The dinner earlier was a bit refreshing, until the startling, bloody accident with the man and the knife.
But that accident made Ciel wonder more and more about this place.
Accidents happen, yes..
But accidents happening here specifically, made Ciel feel queasy.
It didn't feel right, something was off, and Ciel didn't like it.
The dinner earlier was a bit refreshing, until the startling, bloody accident with the man and the knife.
But that accident made Ciel wonder more and more about this place.
Accidents happen, yes..
But accidents happening here specifically, made Ciel feel queasy.
It didn't feel right, something was off, and Ciel didn't like it.
“Ah, come in, man!” Daniel welcomed warmly. He went to the bar cart as Ciel entered the room, to carefully sweep up two glasses by their stems in one hand and a bottle of fine brandy in the other. He brought the items to his desk and called for Ciel, “make yourself at home. Brandy?”
He set the glasses up right on his desk and poured a splash into one of them. “Okay, tell me what you think of it.” His delighted, chocolate eyes lifted to Ciel. They were bright, shining with thrill. “Tell me what you really think of the manor so far. I know we’ve only just begun, but I’d like to hear your first impressions,” he prompted eagerly.
He set the glasses up right on his desk and poured a splash into one of them. “Okay, tell me what you think of it.” His delighted, chocolate eyes lifted to Ciel. They were bright, shining with thrill. “Tell me what you really think of the manor so far. I know we’ve only just begun, but I’d like to hear your first impressions,” he prompted eagerly.
He stepped in, looking around the room, and turned his head to Daniel when he spoke up again.
Ciel shook his head. "No thank you, I appreciate the offer." He held his hand up gently as to say no. Then crossed his arms, putting a small smirk on his face at Daniel's excitement, but when he was asked the question, it faded. "Well, it is a lovely manor, other than it needing some *ahem* TLC. But, it feels off to me." Ciel furrowed his brow. "Maybe it's just the thoughts of the past events that happened here, mixed with the man and the.. knife incident, but Daniel, don't you feel it too? Something doesn't feel right." He lowered his voice upon speaking of it, as if someone was listening. No one was, not that Ciel knew of, but how was he really supposed to know. Maybe the house was listening.
He glanced at the bar cart, looking at the glass. He tapped his foot gently before speaking up again. "Actually, on second thoughts, pour me a bit of Brandy."
"Not a lot though, rather keep my wits about me. And I've already had a glass of wine back at the dinner." He winked, though you couldn't tell due to the eye patch, so it appeared more as a blink than anything.
Ciel shook his head. "No thank you, I appreciate the offer." He held his hand up gently as to say no. Then crossed his arms, putting a small smirk on his face at Daniel's excitement, but when he was asked the question, it faded. "Well, it is a lovely manor, other than it needing some *ahem* TLC. But, it feels off to me." Ciel furrowed his brow. "Maybe it's just the thoughts of the past events that happened here, mixed with the man and the.. knife incident, but Daniel, don't you feel it too? Something doesn't feel right." He lowered his voice upon speaking of it, as if someone was listening. No one was, not that Ciel knew of, but how was he really supposed to know. Maybe the house was listening.
He glanced at the bar cart, looking at the glass. He tapped his foot gently before speaking up again. "Actually, on second thoughts, pour me a bit of Brandy."
"Not a lot though, rather keep my wits about me. And I've already had a glass of wine back at the dinner." He winked, though you couldn't tell due to the eye patch, so it appeared more as a blink than anything.
A flash of shadow crossed Daniel’s features. It was gone before the emotion could be exactly pinpointed. He nodded somberly, thoughtfully.
“Montgomery Manor’s past is… hard to shake.” He sighed, pouring a splash into Ciel’s glass once he relented. Then he sat in his chair opposite the desk from Ciel. He picked up his glass, twirling the amber liquid inside. “I won’t deny that it does feel like a looming obstacle to hurdle… How do we go about undoing decades of bad rumors? It’s a stink difficult to air out, you know? As for tonight’s accident,” he scoffed, but mostly from disappointment rather than ridicule. “I suppose we’ll have to be more careful with our alcohol and our weaponry. We can’t have more incidents like that getting out, that's the exact thing we’re trying to re-write!”
He took a swig, rolled it over his tongue and exhaled a hiss of breath.
“I’ve got to admit though, the challenge of recreating this place’s reputation is incredibly tempting to me. I mean, when you peel away the news articles and campfire stories, this place is a gold mine. It used to be a place of high society, and I’d like to bring it back to its roots. It deserves that, don’t you think?”
“Montgomery Manor’s past is… hard to shake.” He sighed, pouring a splash into Ciel’s glass once he relented. Then he sat in his chair opposite the desk from Ciel. He picked up his glass, twirling the amber liquid inside. “I won’t deny that it does feel like a looming obstacle to hurdle… How do we go about undoing decades of bad rumors? It’s a stink difficult to air out, you know? As for tonight’s accident,” he scoffed, but mostly from disappointment rather than ridicule. “I suppose we’ll have to be more careful with our alcohol and our weaponry. We can’t have more incidents like that getting out, that's the exact thing we’re trying to re-write!”
He took a swig, rolled it over his tongue and exhaled a hiss of breath.
“I’ve got to admit though, the challenge of recreating this place’s reputation is incredibly tempting to me. I mean, when you peel away the news articles and campfire stories, this place is a gold mine. It used to be a place of high society, and I’d like to bring it back to its roots. It deserves that, don’t you think?”
Ciel took the glass that was poured for him, and looked inside it as he listened to Daniel. Before his twirled it around and took a sip from it. "I'm afraid rumors do have their way of popping up despite years passing since they were created."
"I agree that we'll have to be more aware with the alcohol, silverware and weaponry. Because like you said, the more incidents like that, the more those disgusting rumors will crawl out from the hellish grave they were tried to buried in." Ciel murmured, taking another sip of the Brandy. Ciel put on a smirk, "All this money and time will certainly pay off when it's up and running. It definitely deserves it." He agreed to the gold mine comment.
"I agree that we'll have to be more aware with the alcohol, silverware and weaponry. Because like you said, the more incidents like that, the more those disgusting rumors will crawl out from the hellish grave they were tried to buried in." Ciel murmured, taking another sip of the Brandy. Ciel put on a smirk, "All this money and time will certainly pay off when it's up and running. It definitely deserves it." He agreed to the gold mine comment.
Daniel seemed satisfied with Ciel’s agreement and he leisurely took another sip of the brandy.
“I think we can make the rumors work for us, actually. I mean, people are twisted - it’s just our nature to be grotesquely curious. People will come just to see the fabled Hell House,” he leaned forward in his chair and grinned. “But they’ll stay, because of what else we’ve made it to be!”
“What do you suppose you’ll have done first when you organize housekeeping?” Daniel asked, his tone amicable.
“I think we can make the rumors work for us, actually. I mean, people are twisted - it’s just our nature to be grotesquely curious. People will come just to see the fabled Hell House,” he leaned forward in his chair and grinned. “But they’ll stay, because of what else we’ve made it to be!”
“What do you suppose you’ll have done first when you organize housekeeping?” Daniel asked, his tone amicable.
Ciel smirked. "Like a haunted house? A tourist attraction? Clever man you are, Fischer." He said, swirling the Brandy around the glass.
"I'm not sure about that. Perhaps I'll sit down and write to my fiancee, Elizabeth. And tell her of the accomplishments we would have done by then, fixing this place up." Ciel said. "She is always interested in what I'm up to."
"I'm not sure about that. Perhaps I'll sit down and write to my fiancee, Elizabeth. And tell her of the accomplishments we would have done by then, fixing this place up." Ciel said. "She is always interested in what I'm up to."
“Oh, I don’t know that I would lean too heavily into the haunted house theme. I’m not trying to be Universal Studios here, but I’m just saying we could view the gossip and rumors as free advertising.” Daniel corrected and sipped back the lash of the dark liquid in his glass.
“I didn’t know you were engaged!” He said pleasantly. “Why don’t you invited the to-be Mrs. out for a visit once we’ve got the place a little more spruced up? Maybe once we’ve got some spa amenities?” Daniel suggested with a wink.
“I didn’t know you were engaged!” He said pleasantly. “Why don’t you invited the to-be Mrs. out for a visit once we’ve got the place a little more spruced up? Maybe once we’ve got some spa amenities?” Daniel suggested with a wink.
Ciel tapped his fingers on the Brandy glass, holding the glass with both hands now. "Ah, that would work too. People are often fascinated by historical things and gossip."
The boy's face tinted a bit red upon the comment, a bit embarrassed it seemed. "Oh. Yes, I must have forgot to mention her in our past talks."
"That's a good idea, she'd enjoy some time at the spa, or just time spent with me. She's such a sweetheart." Ciel smiled a bit, it was small, but genuine, a rare sight.
The boy's face tinted a bit red upon the comment, a bit embarrassed it seemed. "Oh. Yes, I must have forgot to mention her in our past talks."
"That's a good idea, she'd enjoy some time at the spa, or just time spent with me. She's such a sweetheart." Ciel smiled a bit, it was small, but genuine, a rare sight.
“I look forward to meeting her,” Daniel said with care. “Let me know when the right time comes, I’ll have a plane ticket made for her.” He smiled. That’s exactly what he wanted this place to be, a place to bring the family to relax and feel like royalty. Gardens and playgrounds for children to run amuck in, bar lounges and spas for parents to unwind in. It would be nothing short of marvelous.
The cellphone on Daniel’s desk began to ring. The screen displayed the caller ID to be ‘Sebastian Quint’.
“Ah, that must be our emergency room call,” he sighed softly and set his glass down. “I’d better take this, see how the mans doing…” Daniel appeared a degree forlorn, but reached for the phone regardless. “I will have our current housekeeping staff rally in the morning to meet you in the lobby, and I’ll let you take it from there. Please, let me know if there’s anything you might need in the meantime.”
The cellphone on Daniel’s desk began to ring. The screen displayed the caller ID to be ‘Sebastian Quint’.
“Ah, that must be our emergency room call,” he sighed softly and set his glass down. “I’d better take this, see how the mans doing…” Daniel appeared a degree forlorn, but reached for the phone regardless. “I will have our current housekeeping staff rally in the morning to meet you in the lobby, and I’ll let you take it from there. Please, let me know if there’s anything you might need in the meantime.”
Ciel took the last sip of Brandy and set the glass down on the cart. He stood up, "Well, with that call, I shall take my leave and head to my room. Don't want to interfere."
He glanced over at the door, "I'll make notes to remind myself in the morning to meet them if I just so happen to forget."
"I don't need anything at the moment." Ciel took a few steps, but stopped before heading to the door.
"Well, a chocolate cake would be nice, but I'm sure you mean more along the lines of business rather than sweets." Ciel snickered. It was unclear whether it was a joke or not, especially considering the boy's sweet tooth.
He glanced over at the door, "I'll make notes to remind myself in the morning to meet them if I just so happen to forget."
"I don't need anything at the moment." Ciel took a few steps, but stopped before heading to the door.
"Well, a chocolate cake would be nice, but I'm sure you mean more along the lines of business rather than sweets." Ciel snickered. It was unclear whether it was a joke or not, especially considering the boy's sweet tooth.
Daniel smiled after Ciel, looking amused. He shrugged suggestively and quirked an eyebrow. “I mean, you never know what you can find in the kitchen. The meal got interrupted before they could serve the main dessert course… Who knows, maybe they haven’t put it up yet.”
He winked and lifted a hand in a farewell gesture as Ciel took his leave and Daniel answered his cellphone with a, “Hello! This is Daniel.”
Out in the hall, things were still. Things were quiet. The din of the dinner hour faded, most everyone having split ways for the evening.
He winked and lifted a hand in a farewell gesture as Ciel took his leave and Daniel answered his cellphone with a, “Hello! This is Daniel.”
Out in the hall, things were still. Things were quiet. The din of the dinner hour faded, most everyone having split ways for the evening.
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