The Mystery at Harrowdale Manor: Chapter 11
Even before breakfast, Elena and Tobias gathered everyone in the living room for the big reveal.
It dismayed everyone to hear of what Niles had done and his arrest. Then Elena described the wonderful treasure they had found. Those present listened with rapt attention.
"Lastly, we found this," Elena extracted the letter. "It reads:
My dearest Elena,
If you are reading this then I have passed on, and you've found my treasure trove. I entrust it to you now. Keep it safe from enemy hands. Above all watch out for that fiend Niles. He would seek to rob you of it, but I know you'll keep it safe.
Know always, my love, that you are and have always been my greatest treasure.
Captain Mason Harrowdale.
Niles tried to kill me so he could find Mason's will and destroy it to keep his secret safe. He would've taken the treasure too if he had gotten his hands on it."
"How awful!" Rose gasped.
"This letter wasn't the only document in the chest," Elena went on, "but we found the will as well. It leaves the entire estate to me."
No one was surprised over this outcome, but they were pleased that Elena was all right. Still, there was one other matter Tobias was dying to clear up.
"Now, Adelaide, Elena told me something terrible about you that's been torturing me since I heard it," the young man turned to his wife.
"Oh?" Adelaide's brow furrowed. "What could that be?"
"She told me you met a man in the garden in secret late at night," Tobias accused. Everyone else gasped and stared at Tobias's wife. "How could you?" Tobias demanded.
To the surprise of all present, Adelaide giggled, getting to her feet. "Is that all?" she asked playfully.
"Is that all?!" Tobias was taken aback. "What do you mean 'is that all'? I should think that would be quite sufficient."
Adelaide smiled sweetly. "Tobias, darling, it's not at all what you think," she told him softly. "That man was the town's leather worker. Silas, honey, do you have it?"
The boy stepped forward, holding out a beautifully handcrafted belt and pouch to his father. Tobias looked on in surprise.
"Did you forget that your birthday was coming up?" Adelaide teased. "I didn't want to have to sneak around, but I knew in a house full of people I'd have to get creative to keep the secret. I had no idea Elena had seen me. So, do you like it?"
"I love it," Tobias turned with a big grin and took his wife in his arms, while she wrapped hers around his neck. "But I love you even more. It's a wonderful gift. Thank you."
"You're welcome," Adelaide smiled back. "And, please, don't doubt me. I love you far too much to do anything like what you were suggesting, okay?"
"Sure," Tobias consented, kissing her.
"Elena, I owe you an apology," Tobias turned to his sister-in-law then. "I've been harsh and unfair with you. Mason loved you, trusted you, and you'll be a good choice to lead the business."
"That's sweet of you to say, Tobias, but we both know it's not true," Elena contradicted him with a sad smile. "You have the better head for business and have been running it just fine since Mason died. So, if you're up for it, I'd rather you ran things, and just report to me how it's all going. Is that agreeable?"
"Are you serious?" Tobias asked in surprise.
"Completely," Elena assured him.
"In that case I accept," Tobias agreed readily. "And from now on I promise to do everything I can to help you in Mason's absence. If you need anything, just come to me."
"I will," Elena promised.
The End.
But, of course, the main characters in the cast had to take a bow when the final curtain came down. It was a long process to get here, but I enjoyed taking all these pictures. Writing the story was a bit more of a challenge, but I like to write so I pushed myself to the end. Our next mystery is intended to take place with BJDs on a trip we're planning. In the meantime it'll be good to get back to regular posts for a few days.
~SilverStar-Burst
It dismayed everyone to hear of what Niles had done and his arrest. Then Elena described the wonderful treasure they had found. Those present listened with rapt attention.
"Lastly, we found this," Elena extracted the letter. "It reads:
My dearest Elena,
If you are reading this then I have passed on, and you've found my treasure trove. I entrust it to you now. Keep it safe from enemy hands. Above all watch out for that fiend Niles. He would seek to rob you of it, but I know you'll keep it safe.
Know always, my love, that you are and have always been my greatest treasure.
Captain Mason Harrowdale.
Niles tried to kill me so he could find Mason's will and destroy it to keep his secret safe. He would've taken the treasure too if he had gotten his hands on it."
"How awful!" Rose gasped.
"This letter wasn't the only document in the chest," Elena went on, "but we found the will as well. It leaves the entire estate to me."
No one was surprised over this outcome, but they were pleased that Elena was all right. Still, there was one other matter Tobias was dying to clear up.
"Now, Adelaide, Elena told me something terrible about you that's been torturing me since I heard it," the young man turned to his wife.
"Oh?" Adelaide's brow furrowed. "What could that be?"
"She told me you met a man in the garden in secret late at night," Tobias accused. Everyone else gasped and stared at Tobias's wife. "How could you?" Tobias demanded.
To the surprise of all present, Adelaide giggled, getting to her feet. "Is that all?" she asked playfully.
"Is that all?!" Tobias was taken aback. "What do you mean 'is that all'? I should think that would be quite sufficient."
Adelaide smiled sweetly. "Tobias, darling, it's not at all what you think," she told him softly. "That man was the town's leather worker. Silas, honey, do you have it?"
The boy stepped forward, holding out a beautifully handcrafted belt and pouch to his father. Tobias looked on in surprise.
"Did you forget that your birthday was coming up?" Adelaide teased. "I didn't want to have to sneak around, but I knew in a house full of people I'd have to get creative to keep the secret. I had no idea Elena had seen me. So, do you like it?"
"I love it," Tobias turned with a big grin and took his wife in his arms, while she wrapped hers around his neck. "But I love you even more. It's a wonderful gift. Thank you."
"You're welcome," Adelaide smiled back. "And, please, don't doubt me. I love you far too much to do anything like what you were suggesting, okay?"
"Sure," Tobias consented, kissing her.
"Elena, I owe you an apology," Tobias turned to his sister-in-law then. "I've been harsh and unfair with you. Mason loved you, trusted you, and you'll be a good choice to lead the business."
"That's sweet of you to say, Tobias, but we both know it's not true," Elena contradicted him with a sad smile. "You have the better head for business and have been running it just fine since Mason died. So, if you're up for it, I'd rather you ran things, and just report to me how it's all going. Is that agreeable?"
"Are you serious?" Tobias asked in surprise.
"Completely," Elena assured him.
"In that case I accept," Tobias agreed readily. "And from now on I promise to do everything I can to help you in Mason's absence. If you need anything, just come to me."
"I will," Elena promised.
The End.
But, of course, the main characters in the cast had to take a bow when the final curtain came down. It was a long process to get here, but I enjoyed taking all these pictures. Writing the story was a bit more of a challenge, but I like to write so I pushed myself to the end. Our next mystery is intended to take place with BJDs on a trip we're planning. In the meantime it'll be good to get back to regular posts for a few days.
~SilverStar-Burst
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