Kit leaves me standing in the foyer, where two separate staircases sweep up in different directions. After a few seconds, he emerges from the entrance to the library and takes my hand.
“I’ll be in the kitchen,” Susan says. “I’ll have a nice dinner ready for you when you get back.”
“Very kind of you, Susan,” Kit says. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it, young master. Off you go.”
Kit squeezes my hand and gestures at the staircases. “North or south?”
“Ah… north, I guess.”
“The royal suite. Let’s go.”
I keep my hand firmly wrapped around Kit’s as we head up the stairs. The size of the place has me feeling a little intimidated, and it feels good to have him close.
Kit leads me up past the first landing to the second level. The suite is massive, with its own parlor, living room, bathroom, and a gigantic bedroom. Standing at the massive window on the east side, I have an incredible view of the lake and the mountains beyond it.
“This place is amazing, Kit,” I gush.
“Yeah. The suites are incredibly luxurious. At the other end of the floor is a section of guest rooms, and the top level is an attic. It’s jammed wall to wall with junk that’s been stored for the last hundred or so years. It would take decades to go through it.”
“The view is beautiful.”
“It is. Grandmother loved it.”
There is a hint of anger in his voice, though, and I turn around to see a dark look on his face.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“I’m sorry. I was just remembering things from when I was a kid. My grandparents never appreciated the beauty of this place. The views, the architecture—they were completely oblivious to it.”
I frown. “That sucks.”
He shrugs. “It’s what they were like. Did you want to stay up here?”
I turn and look out the window again, a little shiver trickling down my spine. “It’s… nice. But I don’t think I could sleep in here. It’s so big, I kinda feel like a bug on a picnic blanket.”
Kit laughs softly. “I know what you mean. I usually sleep in the study or the library.”
“Let’s go check those out,” I suggest, going over to take his hand. “I think that sounds like a great idea.”
Kit leads me back to the landing and down the stairs. To the left of the main staircase is a wide archway where Kit disappeared with our bags earlier. We go through it.
I pause so suddenly in the doorway, Kit drops my hand. I look up and around, my jaw hanging open as I stare like a struck deer in a snowstorm.
“I’ve never seen so many fucking books!” I exclaim, gazing at the stacks and stacks of shelves, all of them stretching almost to the ceiling.
“Yeah,” he chuckles. “It’s my favorite room, although the study is high on my list, too. Did you want to have a look?”
“I’m not much of a reader,” I admit. “It might be why I’m so overwhelmed by this.”
Kit chuckles softly. “Don’t worry. There’s a TV in the study.”
“Good. I can’t survive without my action flicks.”
“Did you want to take a walk outside?”
“Sure,” I answer, following Kit back down the hallway. He’s picked up his pace a little, and I have to trot to keep up.
