Cheshire Grounds pt. 1
Les looked behind him, and all he saw was the road leading away from the house. The taxi was long gone, but still he couldn't will his feet to move. It was like they were rooted in place, something was holding him back from taking the next step forward. It really was that first one that was the hardest. After he manged to get himself moving he, soon found himself at the strong oak front door of the Cheshire Manor.
Les took a deep breath, sighed, and knocked three times.
It was only a moment later that the door creaked open and Les was greeted by the smiling face of Ms. Weatherworth. She was the manor's house keeper. "Well hello there. You must be Leslie." He smile broadened as she opened the door, inviting him inside. "Arriving a bit late, are we?"
"Umm, yes. Sorry." How long had he been standing at the end of the drive? He was sure it wasn't all that long. "And please, call me Les."
"Okay, Leslie. Come." She smiled sweetly, "Mr. Cheshire is waiting." She lead him off through what seemed like a maze of halls, until they came to a privet library.
"Mind the cat." Ms. Weatherworth said before wandering off into the halls. Les looked around, but could see no sign of a cat, but he did stop Mr. Cheshire sitting in chair, slowly smoking an old fashioned pipe.
"Sweet lady, but doesn't quite have her wits about her." Mr. Cheshire said from his chair, looking out the nearby window. "We haven't had a cat in nearly ten years now."
"Sir. My name is Les, you hired me to-"
"You see that?" Mr. Cheshire didn't let him finish, still looking out the window, now point out to an obviously overgrown and uncared for yard. Perhaps yards isn't the right word for what lay behind the house. In its best condition, it would take an hour or two to walk across. This was more of a mansion of a garden than it was a yard, irregardless of its current condition.
"Yes, sir."
"Well? Do you think you can handle that?" He puffed on his pipe again.
"Yes, sir. I have every confidence that I will be able to manage your grounds."
"Good." Mr. Cheshire turned to Les for the first time. "We haven't been able to keep a grounds keeper for more than a season, or two at best."
"Oh there you are, deary!" Ms. Weatherworth had returned. "I have put your things in your room, and made it up just the way you used to like. It's good to be back, isn't it?"
Les still wasn't sure what to think of the old lady, but at least she was kind enough. "It's nice to be here, yes." He turned to Mr. Cheshire. "If I may have your leave?"
A nod was all he got in response, and Les followed Ms. Weatherworth out of the library.
"I hope hiring him wasn't a mistake." He took another slow drag on his pipe.
Les took a deep breath, sighed, and knocked three times.
It was only a moment later that the door creaked open and Les was greeted by the smiling face of Ms. Weatherworth. She was the manor's house keeper. "Well hello there. You must be Leslie." He smile broadened as she opened the door, inviting him inside. "Arriving a bit late, are we?"
"Umm, yes. Sorry." How long had he been standing at the end of the drive? He was sure it wasn't all that long. "And please, call me Les."
"Okay, Leslie. Come." She smiled sweetly, "Mr. Cheshire is waiting." She lead him off through what seemed like a maze of halls, until they came to a privet library.
"Mind the cat." Ms. Weatherworth said before wandering off into the halls. Les looked around, but could see no sign of a cat, but he did stop Mr. Cheshire sitting in chair, slowly smoking an old fashioned pipe.
"Sweet lady, but doesn't quite have her wits about her." Mr. Cheshire said from his chair, looking out the nearby window. "We haven't had a cat in nearly ten years now."
"Sir. My name is Les, you hired me to-"
"You see that?" Mr. Cheshire didn't let him finish, still looking out the window, now point out to an obviously overgrown and uncared for yard. Perhaps yards isn't the right word for what lay behind the house. In its best condition, it would take an hour or two to walk across. This was more of a mansion of a garden than it was a yard, irregardless of its current condition.
"Yes, sir."
"Well? Do you think you can handle that?" He puffed on his pipe again.
"Yes, sir. I have every confidence that I will be able to manage your grounds."
"Good." Mr. Cheshire turned to Les for the first time. "We haven't been able to keep a grounds keeper for more than a season, or two at best."
"Oh there you are, deary!" Ms. Weatherworth had returned. "I have put your things in your room, and made it up just the way you used to like. It's good to be back, isn't it?"
Les still wasn't sure what to think of the old lady, but at least she was kind enough. "It's nice to be here, yes." He turned to Mr. Cheshire. "If I may have your leave?"
A nod was all he got in response, and Les followed Ms. Weatherworth out of the library.
"I hope hiring him wasn't a mistake." He took another slow drag on his pipe.