Whythwood Manor
The drive up the mountain pass took longer than she thought. Light snow was starting to fall and she was thankful for her foresight in having a few pallets of wood delivered before she arrived. The car was silent as her two kittens slept in their carrier on the back seat. "This will be perfect" she assured herself as the voice of the navigation system tell her to turn in on the next road.
She was forced to stop at the huge looming iron gates, realizing she forgot about them and nearly slammed into it. Silently cursing herself for being so careless she checked on the furballs but they we're still fast asleep. Taking a deep breath she opened the car door and was blasted by icy wind as she struggled to open the gate. The storm is here to stay an its going to be bad.
Back in her car she blasted the heat to try and defrost her fingers before making the final mile journey to the Manor.
Stopping nearly on a skid she gasped at the beautiful house in front of her. A fairytale house. With towers and stainglass windows and ivy covering most of the outside wall. Home.
Whythwood Manor was build in 1815 by the mysterious widower who nobody ever met. The house was build and furnished and maintained but was only lived in 10 years after it was build. It changed hands many times and eventually lay vacant for years before it was put on auction. Angelique was the lucky buyer because ink two other bid which was strange... But it home now. Hers.
Angelique moved the pet carrier into the foyer before dashing back and forth to get the rest of her boxes. The moving company was there already and she noticed neat piles of boxes in the rooms.
First task was setting up the litter box and feed Tom and Jerry. After inhaling the kibble they we're in exploring mode. Taking a bottle of wine and a sandwich out of the cooler she went to the lounge. Everything in this house exuded an air of time gone by. Old books and ancient wood permiated every fiber of the place.
After lighting a fire and having eaten her meal she filled her glass and went exploring. Glass in hand.
She could not shake the feeling of being watched and decided it must be due to the painting on the wall. It will have to come down. Tomorrow she thinks to herself as she finds her way to the master bedroom and fell asleep in minutes.
Something woke her. Her cats were on her bed snarling and hissing. Tails puffed and ears flat. Silly goofballs. She shushed them and went back to sleep. Nothing was there. They were hissing at the empty chair.
The white snowy morning light outside streamed in through the shutters. Stretching she called Tom and Jerry but they refused to enter. They stood outside the door. Still puffed up and hissing. Strange. Writing it off as new surroundings anxiety she made her way to the kitchen. Halfway down the stairs she paused, feeling somehow like being watched.
Eating breakfast she looked up and marveled at how much snow had fallen. No going anywhere for a while. She checked supplies just to make sure. Food situation no problem.
After hours of unpacking and moving things around she decided to take a nap on the sofa. A deep sleep from which she jolted awake in full panic. A voice. Still echoes in her head. GO NOW. LEAVE. Angelique quickly scanned the house but all rooms were empty... When she got to the landing of the first floor she heard a crash of the front door slamming open. In full panic the ran and shut the door and quickly scanned for footprints. None. Snow prestine. Must have been a gust of wind she tried to tell herself, even if it was dead calm outside. She must have not locked the door.
