In the previous chapter, the Hunter twins learnt that Lady Jane wasn’t their real mother. After the first shock, Janey wants to know more about her real mother.

Much cc was used in this story; too many creations to mention all the creators but the one I really have to mention is CycloneSue for her fabulous castle.

*****

It was a nice and sunny autumn day when Jane woke up. She was humming while preparing breakfast and afterwards she ordered a taxi to go to the castle. “Aren’t you coming with me?” she asked her brother but Val said: “No, I’d rather not; I prefer to have a look around in town if I can find a job.”

He admired his sister for her courage. He wasn’t in a hurry to find a job but he was not sure of himself if he could resist the first time going back to the castle; all the memories that would come back to him. He used to be ‘his mother’s boy’ and he thought bitterly ‘and she wasn’t even my mother but she loved us dearly and brought us up’.

Jane knew by intuition what her brother was afraid of and she didn’t mind going alone. She told the taxi driver to drive her first of all to the store to buy some electronics and afterwards to the castle.

When she arrived at the castle, she sat down and looked around. Everything was the same as when they left 5 years ago but now she looked at it as a young adult and she understood that it would be a pity to modernize it completely.

Of course, they had to modernize the bathrooms; the kitchen and they had to get electricity because they always had used candles. Candles are very romantic according to the moment but electricity was the first thing needed. That same day she had fire alarms installed and a telephone line.

Then she had a look around. She went into the room that used to be their parent’s bedroom. There were some places in the castle they were not allowed to enter. Their parent’s bedroom was one of these places. She admired the big painting on the wall above the bed but further on there was nothing of interest; not even in the closet. She turned her head once or twice; she felt a bit guilty being there and left the room quickly.

When standing on the landing she remembered that they never had been allowed to go to the castle roof because mother had said it was dangerous for children; they could have an accident. Anyway Lady Jane always had been exaggerating caring the children. She didn’t even want them to go on the balcony.

As prohibition always tickles curiosity Jane opened the door to the balcony. Oh…, this is a nice place to be! She breathed deeply and the autumn air filled her lungs.

Enjoying the view from here she looked up and thought that the view from the castle’s roof had to be even better. She stepped back because she thought she saw something. Then she noticed that there really was something that looked like wood.

She went inside and standing next to the stairs she hesitated. It’s not easy to forget a lifelong prohibition but she knew that it was nonsense. The balcony surely would have been dangerous when they were just children but not when you’re grown-up. That must be the same with the castle roof.

So she went upstairs and what she saw there was a painter’s easel. She wondered who of her parents would have had that hobby.

Then she noticed that there was another door to a room that she never had seen. She was quite sure that Val wouldn’t know about it either. She tried to open the door but it was locked.

She noticed that there were 2 windows on the far side of the room and went there. Hey, these were not stain glass windows! She could look through them and what she saw made her mouth fall open in awe.

It was furnished and had bright colored walls. There was electric light. It was the only place in the castle where she would feel at home.

She ran downstairs right away and called her brother. “Val? Guess what! I found something interesting. Could you come over? Yes…, pick up Sean as well. Perhaps he knows something more than we do.

She was exited while preparing lunch for all of them.

She hardly couldn’t wait and went often to the balustrade looking down to see if her brother and Sean arrived already.

The moment she heard a taxi she ran down and welcomed her brother and the old man. “I’ve prepared something for lunch” she said. Sean said: “Well put it into the refrigerator because I was eating when your brother arrived and he already had lunch with me.” So Jane went upstairs to the kitchen to put the lunch into the fridge.

When she came down she saw that the old man and Sean sat at the chess table to play a match if though nothing had happened. She sat down looking at them wondering why they took so long.

Certain moment she lost her patience; stood up and asked her brother: “Val? Can’t you wait with that until I’ve shown you what I found?” He answered: ”Hey sis, where’s the fire?” Sean said: “I think that it’s not a funny remark considering the circumstances! Come on Valdemar, let’s see what your sister has found.” She said that they had to go to the roof and Val looked a bit difficult when he heard that. “Don’t you remember that mother prohibited us to go there?”“Oh Val please, we’re not children anymore!” and she walked very resolutely to the stairs. Valdemar looked at Sean saying: “It seems that I don’t have much of a choice with such a bossy sister.” Sean couldn’t help smiling. The men followed her.

They were not able to open the door either.

Sean said: “Let’s sit down here and I can tell you something that I remember now. I know that Lady Jane wanted to prepare something in case your real mother wanted to stay in the castle during her pregnancy but I’m not sure if she really used it.

I remember that the girl had stated that she didn’t want to live in the castle because she found it depressing and she didn’t want to be observed all of the time.” Jane said: ”Then I must take after her; I would feel the same about that.” Valdemar laughed and said: ”It explains a lot. Do you remember that we always thought that you were different and we wondered how that was possible? Here we’ve got the answer.”

“But we still cannot go inside *sigh* I suppose I have to go again downtown tomorrow to find some master key.”
“I don’t know if that is possible with this door but you can give it a try.” Sean said. They sat there on the roof talking until late.

Val said that they should go home now and come back tomorrow but Jane wanted to stay in the castle and she would sleep in her old bed. “Oh Jane, don’t make me stay here please!” implored Valdemar but Jane said: ”Don’t worry; no problem at all. I am not afraid.”. Sean laughed and said: “Yes Jane, you are really very special; I think as well that you take after your real mother although I didn’t get to know her well.”

They said good-bye and Jane was left alone. It was cold in the castle and she lit the stove enjoying the sound of the wood being consumed by the fire.

It was late. She ate what she had prepared for lunch and prepared to go to bed.

It had been an eventful day and she was tired but she didn’t sleep very well; waking up every now and then. She had forgotten the peculiar night noises of the castle. Finally she fell asleep.

To be continued…