Chapter 55: Le Grande Tour

~ Esther Barcelworth set her tea cup back on the cart and picked up her portfolio.

"I'd like your help with a little project of sorts."

"What kind of project?" asked Andrew. She gave him a strange little half-smile.

"Don't worry. Nothing that you all won't enjoy." Jaden just barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes.

"I'd prefer to be the judge of that," he murmured.

"Would you care to describe the task for us Ms. Barcelworth?" asked Takyle, politely. Esther rose from her chair.

"I'll show it to you if you wish."

"That would be fantastic," pronounced Andrew, tossing back the rest of his tea and standing to set his cup back on the tea tray. "Let's have a look see." Esther Bacelworth's lips tightened almost imperceptibly.

"So charming," she murmured, turning to the doors. "To begin with I'll take you for a tour of the house and grounds." She impatiently waived the maid out of her way without ever making eye contact with the girl.

"Like you might do to a stray dog," thought Jaden. He was just liking this lady less and less with every minute he was around her. And his estimation hadn't been that high to begin with.

He returned his own basically untouched cup to the tray with a clatter and hurried after his team mates. Just outside of the drawing room Esther stopped and began to talk about a painting in the great hall that they had entered via. As she droned on about a revolution or something to her captive audience of Andrew and Takyle, who were both doing a damn good impression of interest, Jaden took a look at the so called itinerary that he'd been given.

Down one margin were times, next to which, in elegant script, were written the various things they were supposed to partake in. All seemed to have one thing in common; the descriptions were impressively vague. Jaden folded up the paper and tucked it into the interior pocket of his coat. Esther finished her lecture on the painting and turned to walk into the next room. Andrew looked back over his shoulder, caught Jaden's eye, and mimed shooting himself in the head. Jaden quickly stifled a snicker and followed everyone else through the large sliding oak doors.

"This is the library," announced Esther, unnecessarily. Every one of the walls of the room was completely lined with shelves, sliding ladders attached in order to reach the volumes nearer the ceilings which had to be at least 12 feet high. The room looked quite similar to the drawing room, only it housed many more books and a lot less other stuff. It had the same large fireplace against the wall opposite the door, and similar wingback chairs, except that these were scattered all about the room, accompanied by lamps and small sidetables. Jaden gazed up at the shelves in awe. There were hundreds of books, thousands of them. A person could read for decades and not get through them all.

Esther was telling them something about the fireplace, and how the mantle was historic. Jaden ignored her and pulled a book off of a shelf near him. It was entitled 'Perspectives' and, opening it to the middle, Jaden discovered that it was a book of poetry. Nihilistic poetry apparently.

"Do you enjoy Vanderbeerge?" Esther queried, interrupting Jaden's thoughts.

"I've never heard of him, but uh, I do like some poetry now and again." Jaden answered, replacing the book on the shelf. Despite Esther's civil tone, he definitely got the feeling that she'd rather he didn't touch anything.

"You've never heard of her. Wanda Vanderbeerge," Esther corrected. Jaden smiled sweetly.

"Ah well, I'll have to remember that name and as soon as I get home I'll check my local public library and see if they have any of her work."

"Yes, you do that." Esther turned on her heel and lead briskly on to the next highpoint of the tour. Jaden was fairly sure that he'd seen her wince a little when he'd mentioned the public library in connection with the venerated Vanderbeerge. ~