Authors Note: Thanks to NightMistCrystal for your review here is more as you requested, I hope you enjoy it.
As I said before all reviews are appreciated positive, negative, indifferent whatever I love them all.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and my four characters.
They entered through the back door and as they walked through the house, Beth pointed out rooms as they passed: kitchen, dining room, lounge, study, parlour, cloakroom, library, pool, gym, dance studio, and many more unused rooms. Eventually they reached the hall, it had high ceilings and many old painting on the cream and wood panelled walls, and its centre piece was a great mahogany staircase which the group walked up.
The mallrats were shocked at the grandness of the house and how it was so clean and tidy as such a thing was rare nowadays. On the 2nd floor was a chemistry lab, computer room, 2 bathrooms, 2 conference rooms, a second library, small cinema, playroom, a yoga room, outdoor terrace and 10 bedrooms 4 of which belonged to the occupants. Most of the ten bedrooms had en-suites and balconies along with four poster beds.
There were several small staircases and 1 major staircase to each floor and most of the decoration followed a traditional upper class route which was warm and formal. On the second floor were a further seven bedrooms, many store rooms and junk rooms and two more bathrooms. There were also many empty rooms and balconies.
To the attic there was no large staircase but a small winding set of steps. on this floor were 5 bedrooms that had been redecorated and with added balconies, many of the box rooms were full of dirt and grime covering the unknown treasures that had not been seen for years, and there was 1 single bathroom.
"What do you think?" Beth asked after they had assembled in the large lounge. Michael lit a fire as the twilight deepened and the group made themselves comfortable on the cream patterned sofas, and thick blue shag pile carpets.
"Its heaven!" Mouse exclaimed sitting on the floor next to the fire.
"It's unbelievable" Gel said in agreement as the four residents grinned with pride.
"Can any of you cook?" Beth asked,
"I can sort of" Salene volunteered modestly,
"Me too" Ruby said.
"Would you mind helping me with dinner then?" Beth asked. The pair agreed
"Anyone else want to help?" Alicia asked standing up, she was joined by Mouse Trudy and Darryl, who went into the kitchen with Alicia while Beth, Salene and Ruby went to collect supplies form the larder.
"Wow" Salene said as she saw the array of food, as well as tinned foods there were many nuts berries, fruit, vegetables, jams, pickled beetroot, pickled onions and many more foods she hadn't seen in years. "Where did you get all this food?" Salene asked
"We grow most of it and Beth goes foraging every once in a while, though she hasn't been for years," Alicia answered
"How do you get eggs, honey and milk?" Ruby asked
"We have chickens and a goat in the old stable." Beth explained
"And Michael keeps bees around the side of the house." Alicia added.
"So what are we making?" Mouse asked as they joined the group in the kitchen.
"Well who can make what?" Beth asked for suggestions.
"I can make bread and soup" Salene volunteered.
"I'm good at fry ups and pancakes" Ruby answered.
"I can cook most tinned things" Trudy shrugged smiling,
"I can fetch and carry." Darryl said and Mouse agreed.
"So bread and soup to start, fried bread eggs and stir-fry for the main course, and pancakes and fruit salad for dessert."
"Great!" said Darryl enthusiastically "Lets do it!"
For the next hour the kitchen was in chaos. May came in and was making bread while Salene chopped vegetables and mouse stirred the soup. Ruby cut up and older loaf of bread and started to fry it before frying the eggs. Beth instructed Darryl and Alicia on how to make stir fry and Trudy mixed the batter for pancakes with periodic help from mouse.
Eventually Alicia was instructed to light the candles in the dining room and ruby and Darryl fetched cutlery and crockery from a dresser in another. Luckily the dining room like every other room in the house was huge, its walls were wood panelled and a large 30-seater table was in the centre of the room.
The large pan of soup was placed on a side table at one end and three large steaming loaves of bread were placed next to it. Salene and May served the party with the starter and they all sat down to eat. Everyone commented on how fabulous the food was and Salene was much praised.
"Can I have seconds?" Sammy asked after he had finished his soup in record time.
"Not yet there are two more courses." Ruby laughed.
The stir fry and fried eggs were brought out next and Beth served the group. Again the meal met much praise and flattery and again people asked for seconds and were told to wait till after pudding.
Ruby then spent half and hour making pancakes. There were stacks placed down the table along with pots of honey, lemon juice, jam, berries and apple sauce. Everyone had four pancakes each before Ruby was exhausted. The group who had not cooked; washed and wiped up and then they all met in the lounge area.
Michael brought in a large box of candles and candlesticks and everyone was given one of each.
"You may each have whatever rooms you like except the first two on the right and left on the second floor as they are ours." Beth explained as the candles were lit. Mouse walked over to Lottie
"Can I share a room with you?" she asked quietly and Lottie nodded. "Can we share a room?" Mouse asked Salene referring to herself and Lottie.
"Sure" Salene said smiling at the girls.
The group walked up the stairs and then along the corridor breaking away as they each choose their rooms. Beth walked with the group until they all had rooms and then returned to her own room, exhausted after the days arrivals.