Chapter 3
Laura stepped over the threshold and gasped. The forlorn, dusty staircase she'd first encountered eight months ago was now gleaming with a new layer of varnish and the walls sparkled with a fresh coat of paint. Above her head, a simple light fixture hung, brightening up the entire entryway.
"It looks completely different in here. It feels different." Laura raised on her toes to peer down the hallway.
"Let's check out this floor first, shall we?" Remington swept his hand out.
Laura sauntered slowly down the hall. Every door was open, revealing more freshly painted walls and rooms filled with different types of furniture. One larger room appeared to be a classroom, while another contained bookshelves filled floor to ceiling with books. Another room was set up to be an office and another contained a few small couches and overstuffed chairs.
"Looks wonderful," she gushed with a smile.
Remington tugged on his ear. "I suppose. Let's head up to the next level where the dormitory rooms are."
As they climbed the stairs, Laura's mind began whirling. "How is this going to work? I mean, I know the boys will be invited to come but what will you do once they are here? What about their families?"
Remington nodded, paused, and leaned against the stark white wall behind him. "Lady Catherine and I have discussed that in great lengths. We have on staff a member of Child Protective Services as well as a family officer from Scotland Yard. We've also employed the services of a psychologist. First, we need to see if these boys are on the missing or endangered child reports. If they are, we find out why. Are they runaways of their own accord or has abuse driven them from their families?" He shifted slightly and folded his arms protectively across his chest. "Once the boys are here, we are going to encourage them to stay. Give them a reason to find pride in being here. Teach them the skills they will need to survive into adulthood."
"And if they want to leave?" Laura asked. She reached out and stroked her husband's arms lovingly.
"They are free to go anytime. The rooms on the second floor will be for the temporary residents. The boys who aren't comfortable with our accommodations or who just needed a reprieve from their families, and will return to them sooner rather than later. The rooms on the third and fourth will be for the boys who choose to stay for a length of time. They'll each have their own room, a place they can claim as their own." Remington scrubbed his face with one hand as he glanced down the hall.
"What about Daniel's room?" Laura asked softly.
"I had Drew pack everything up and ship it back to LA. It should be there when we arrive home," Remington admitted with a tug of his ear.
Laura found his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "That was a good idea. And don't worry. It'll work, Rem. Once the boys are here, they'll see what you're trying to do, and they'll embrace everything you have to offer. You'll see."
"We can only hope, Laura. Let's continue our tour and I'll fill you in on some other goodies." Remington pushed away from the wall and slowly they wandered down the hallway.
Laura smiled as they passed each room. She couldn't help noticing a brightly colored quilt on each bed, reminding her of the one she had as a child.
"We commissioned unique spreads to be made for each room, which the boys can then take with them when they move on. And in each room, there is a backpack filled with toiletries. Lady Catherine's idea," Remington supplied with a toothy grin.
"They're beautiful. It's a nice touch." Laura returned his grin as she continued through the halls. They made their way to the top floor where Remington guided her through the classrooms, the kitchen, and finally into the ballroom. She stood in the middle of the room, held her hands up, and declared, "I think everything looks perfect."
Remington sunk down onto one of the couches and shook his head. "Looks can be deceiving, love. Something just feels missing."
"I think I know what it is," Laura said as she lowered herself beside him.
"And what's that?" Remington sighed.
"Energy," she said with a nod.
"Energy? There's plenty of energy. Michael and George even made sure to have those solar panels things installed on the roof to defray the cost. How can you say it's missing energy?" Remington waved his hands toward the vaulted ceiling above them.
Laura shook her head. "Not that kind of energy. People's energy… it's missing the people… the boys… think of what it's like at Frances' house when the kids are all there, running around. There's a certain kind of energy that can be felt. I never noticed it before last weekend. I'm noticing a lot of things I didn't pick up on before."
The corner of Remington's mouth twitched upward. "So you're saying we're not missing anything other than the boys the foundation has been designed for?"
"Exactly." Laura puckered her lips and leaned to the side. Remington met her halfway for a chaste kiss before she reached up and cradled his chin with her hand. "If we're all done here, we should head back to the hotel. I promised Mildred I would let her know if there's anything she can do. Since things have slowed down because of the holidays, I think she and Bernice are conspiring with Frances and my mother to put together a baby shower."
Remington stood and offered his hand to Laura. "A baby shower? You would think, with all the gifts they've already purchased at Christmas for our babe, there wouldn't be anything left to get."
"Ah, that's where you're wrong, Mr. Steele. According to Frances, we haven't even scratched the surface of what we're going to need for the baby," Laura laughed as they slowly descended the stairs.
"I guess we better get started on the nursery then. Have you made a decision yet on the theme?"
Laura shook her head. "No. I thought I wanted to try some sort of circus theme but then I thought that was too girly. Then I was thinking clowns, but clowns can be scary to young children and now I don't know what to do."
"I'm sure you'll think of something, Laura. You always do." Together, they descended the last flight of stairs and arrived at the entrance. "One more week and the door will be open for business, so to speak. Drew Wrigley is our 24-7 caretaker. When he is not in residence, William Davis is his second in command."
"Mr. Steele!" a man's voice drifted down the hall. Startled, Laura clutched at her chest as a tall man stepped out of one of the doorways and headed toward them.