continued from Under The Bridge DowntownIsabella was driving the stately car up the driveway to the Penbrook Mansion, with Helena and Ransom sitting in the back. Helena had filled the silence on the entire forty minute trip, chatting about certain artists she\'d met and what they\'d talked about, as well as the exhibitions she\'d seen and set up lately. If Ransom read between the lines, he\'d figure that she was a collector, and that she not only added to her own personal collection but also found things for other people.
At no point did she touch him, though her hands flitted about while she talked, demonstrating mutely and gesticulating grandly. She was quite animated, opposite to the woman who silently drove them to their destination.
Isabella parked in front of the large building, in front of the stairs that led to the giant front door and got out. Helena followed suit after declaring happily to Ransom how exciting this would be. The two women headed for the stairs but waited at the bottom of them for Ransom to catch up.
The butler answered the door with a great deal more personality than was stereotypical. He was dressed in a casual summer suit
sans tie, and was requested to show them around the mansion by Helena. She was afforded a deep nod of acquiescence, as though she was the madam of the place, and the three of them toured the ground floor with Helena constantly prompting Ransom for what he thought (after being introduced and spoken to as though he was Eric). Even though the butler had all their names, he mostly ignored Isabella and Ransom in favour of speaking with Helena rather flamboyantly and excitedly, mimicking her body language as though he were the same character.
Throughout the entire tour, they didn\'t see a single person, though every fireplace was well stocked and roaring with a hearty fire, all the flowers in vases were fresh, and there wasn\'t a speck of dust anywhere. The mansion did have a lived in feel, rather than presenting a facade, though it was difficult for the tourers to figure out how. The butler would open a door with a flourish, inviting the threesome to wander around within, and Helena would chatter about any standout art pieces within the room, while Isabella hung back near the door with her arms folded and looking more like a bodyguard than a friend.
"How many rooms are there?" Helena asked finally as they began to explore the east wing.
"Miss Helena," the butler said warmly, who Helena had constantly referred to as \'dear\' and so Ransom had never got his name. "The mansion has twenty bedrooms, a dozen with access to their own private bathrooms, the rest share a bathroom between two rooms," he said proudly, "so is it any wonder there are four sitting rooms, two libraries, a music room, an crafts room, four dens, four dining rooms, a massive kitchen (though that\'s in the basement), a ballroom, a great hall, the foyer and several bathrooms on the ground floor?" He smirked. "There are a few more rooms than that, also, for I haven\'t mentioned the conservatory, the courtyard-"
But they never found out what else he hadn\'t mentioned for he was interrupted by Isabella, who hadn\'t once spoken throughout their tour and so it was likely her flat tone and no-nonsense expression that had halted him mid-speech.
"A simple number would\'ve been fine."
The butler had two spots of rosy colour upon his cheeks and looked conflicted about replying when Helena\'s merry and tinkling laughter drew his gaze to her and he smiled as though nothing had happened.
"Thirty eight," he replied, and then, without looking at any of them, he turned to the closest doors and turned the knob, pushing it open (and all of the doors had oiled hinges thereby preventing any squeaking or clumsy shuddering) so the door swung smoothing inward, revealing the latest room. Without waiting for anyone else, as she\'d done so previously upon every room shown her, Helena swept in while Isabella hung back with the intention of going in last, her gaze finding Ransom so she could watch the artist follow her mistress.