The rain had almost stopped when the black university shuttle pulled up before an immense pair of wrought-iron gates.
Etched onto the balustrade was the following inscription:
VALECROFT ESTATE
Established 1648
The gates themselves were almost twenty feet in height, and two heavily armed guards approached the incoming vehicle.
One checked the numberplate while the other peered towards the rear seat of the car.
The moment his eyes locked onto Sam, he snapped a sharp salute.
The gates were already opening by the time the shuttle came to a halt.
A mile-long stretch of private road lay ahead, flanked by ancient oaks.
Fountains stood at either end, with trimmed gardens and marble statues imported from Italy, standing across a private lake that gleamed beneath the evening skies.
Beyond that, and set in the far distance, the mansion first came into view.
It was no ordinary house, or even a palace.
This was a fortified estate, built upon centuries of accumulated power and prestige.
Gothic buildings stood in the distance, with huge modern glass wings rising from the grounds.
The building itself held over one hundred and fifty rooms, four floors of which were dedicated to the main family, with two additional floors buried deep underground.
Even the clock tower that towered over the manor was a marvel, housing hundreds of acres of private land within its grounds.
Most people assumed it to be a tourist attraction, but the truth was, there were still people living within these walls.
The shuttle came to a halt at the main entrance.
Sam was about to get out when a chauffeur hurried over to open the door for him,”Welcome home, Young Master.”Thank you, James.”
James was an elderly man who had served the Valecroft family for twenty-eight years, and still managed to find it in himself to fuss over Sam every single evening, despite his protests.
Inside the building, the opulence continued to amaze.
An enormous marble staircase stretched up to the first floor, where golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling, with oil paintings of past family members gazing down silently at the guests in their halls.
A number of maids bowed to Sam as he arrived.
“Welcome home, Young Master.”
He gave them all a polite nod in return.
“Good evening.”
They didn’t treat him like a celebrity.
After all, he was no longer the mysterious and aloof heir to the Valecroft estate that they had only seen in magazines or television.
Sam had grown up in this house, and to these people, he was just another member of the family, albeit one who had gone away to school.
To his right, near the staircase, the butler of the estate shut a leather-bound book cover and turned to face Sam.
Edmund Hawthorne.
A tall, well-dressed man of around sixty-four with an air of quiet authority about him.
“Good evening, Young Master.”Good evening, Edmund.”
“Your father returned thirty minutes ago.”
“Mother is in the east garden.”
Sam raised an eyebrow.
“…Again?”
Edmund adjusted his glasses as he responded.
“She tried to teach the pastry chefs a lesson in creative cooking.”
“I see.”
“The kitchen did not take kindly to the idea,”
Sam chuckled slightly, before adding.
“I shall pay a visit to the survivors later in the week.”
Even Edmund Hawthorne allowed himself a small smile as he replied.
“They’d appreciate that.”
As the pair walked along the hallway, the true scale of the estate began to reveal itself.
Sam could see housekeepers tending to a number of centuries-old furnishings, with gardeners discussing the upcoming maintenance to the grounds.
Inside the administrative wing, a number of clerks went over the financial records, ensuring everything was in order, while security personnel shifted quietly from post to post, making sure that the Valecroft Estate remained secure.
The mansion, with all of its wealth and luxury, was far more than just the home of one family.
It was an entire operation, with hundreds of people working tirelessly to keep everything running smoothly.
Many of them had been here for decades, or even centuries, serving the direct descendants of the estate’s founding family.
Near the west wing, the sound of a familiar voice soon floated across the hallway.
“HE’S HOME!”
The next moment, a flash of silvery hair shot past Sam.
He took a step to the side to avoid being knocked down.
“…Missed,”
Leon Valecroft landed unceremoniously on one of the larger sofas.
“…One day…”
He groaned dramatically as he saw Sam’s expression.
“I’m going to get you.”
Sam gave him a long look as he replied.
“I’ll prepare.”
“You always prepare!”
“I know.”
Before Leon could retort, another voice joined the conversation.
“You failed again?”
Iris stepped forward, carrying a bowl of fresh strawberries with her.
She narrowed her eyes at her brother before shooting a glance at Sam and then back again.
Leon gestured broadly at her with one hand, before saying,”Don’t encourage him!”I’m encouraging reality.”
She popped another berry into her mouth before finally speaking.
Sam looked at the bowl in her hands.
“Weren’t you banned from the kitchen?”
“I negotiated.”
“You stole them.”
“…Negotiated.”
The three siblings shared a glance, before any of them spoke.
For a brief, if fleeting moment, the vast mansion, the staff, the wealth and privilege seemed to dissolve away, leaving only three siblings.
Three brothers and sisters who spent countless hours together, teasing each other and getting into trouble.
It could have been any normal family, if the vast wealth and status hadn’t surrounded them.
But all good things must come to an end, and that was when Edmund’s voice echoed once more down the hallway.
“Young Master.”
Sam turned to face the older man.
“The envelope you brought home…”
“I took the liberty of examining the external paper.”
Sam’s expression darkened slightly as he listened to the reply.
“And?”
Edmund hesitated, before finally saying.
“…None of our scanners seem to be able to trace the material.”
For the first time since arriving at the estate, Sam’s smile vanished.
He reached into his coat pocket, fingers brushing against the edge of the envelope.
It was gone.
A heavy silence fell over the room.
Leon frowned.
“…Sam?”
Sam looked at the great doors at the end of the hallway.
They still stood closed, guarded by uniformed soldiers.
No one had come or gone since he had arrived, and yet somehow…
The envelope was no longer where he had left it.
Something had disappeared…
Inside the safest estate in England.
End of Chapter 6
TO BE CONTINUED…..