I wanted to introduce the house where Shirley lives with her father. I know the story teller point-of-view changes suddenly; I noticed it later but didn't bother to change it. Sorry :)
The Greenhouse
At exactly 9.00 AM Jenny rode her bike through the gates of Holmes estate. The long drive way had large oak trees running beside it on both sides. It was some 500 metres long, and ended in front of a massive stone house. The front yard was big enough to have room for 3 cars, but right now there was none.
Coming to a stop she left her bike leaning against one of the stone pillars. She went to the door and rang the bell. After four minutes she ran the bell again, and some minutes after she rang again. Nobody came. Sighing in frustration, she started thinking that Shirley had forgot their appointment. Sure, they had decided on this day two weeks ago, but it was so unlike Shirley to forgot things.
Jenny took a step to the nearest window and peeked inside. She didn't see anyone, nor did anything see alarming to her. Returning to the door she put her hand to the doorknob and turned it. To her surprise, the door opened and revealed a spacious lobby. It was a beautiful place, for it seemed that everything had been just recently brought here. She could smell the scent of fresh flowers on the table near her.
Long and wide staircase lead up to the second level of the big house. Jenny was quite sure there was a big attic as well, because she had seen a line of small windows up there when she had come.
"Shirley?" she yelled and closed the door behind her. No answer came. "Shirley?" she yelled again. Everything seemed quiet. A little annoyed, she went to library room. Opening the door she could literally feel the scent of old books swishing past her when she came in. The huge room's walls were covered in rows of books, and the rows went all the way up to meet the ceiling. The room itself was at least 8 metres in height. She went over to the middle of the room, where she thought she might find Shirley curled up on the sofa. She wasn't there. On to the next room then..
After library she went to the kitchen, then to the basement where the shooting area / gunroom was, after that to the laboratory room and finally she stepped on to Shirley's own room. Jenny had always envied Shirley's room, for it was very spacious and comfortable. The whole floor of the room was covered in an oriental red Persian carpet. There was her trophy cabinet with glass doors (filled with cups and medals, plus some honour papers), which was there only because her father wanted it to be (I once hear him say to Shirley that "You must be able to see the things you have achieved, in order to pursue new achievements"). Her computer corner, her laptop on her Victorian era bed, the long closet for clothes on the end of the room.. Everything seemed perfectly normal. Including the fact that the room was in disorder, as usual. Papers, books, jewellery, clothes, make-up things, CDs, photographs... Everything looked to be in the wrong place. But for her the room was perfect. Although when you saw her you wouldn't believe she liked living in the middle of that mess.
This is where the point-of-view changes..
Smiling and shaking my head merrily, I started downstairs once again. I heard it when I was walking along the main corridor; a distant melody, which seemed to come from the outside. Slowing my pace, I crept slowly and used the sound as my guide. Soon I was standing in front of massive doors, which I hadn't seen before. The doors were made from red oak, and the job was beautifully done. Biting her lip in anxiety she opened the doors and was met by something she wouldn't have dared to even dream of.
The enormous size of the greenhouse was the first thing that struck me. A wide, stone, staircase lead down to the ground floor of this beautiful house which walls were made entirely of glass panels. I could see the metal strings that opened and closed the big panels above the greenhouse. Right now they were closed. The warm humid air had hit my face when I had come inside. I could feel the small drops of moisture on my face.
And the plants and flowers and trees then! I think I have never seen such a beautiful place, beside the London Botanic garden. And think that this huge greenhouse is behind the Holmes' estate main building! I am not quite sure, but there must have been at least a hundred different floras' there. I could hear the soft music better now.
"Shirley?" I enquired my friend. From somewhere I could hear the muffled sound of my friend. "Jenny"
"Yes, it's me. Did you forget that we were supposed to meet today?" I asked her, concerned that she wasn't all that well after all.
Then I finally saw her. She emerged from the green lush of the greenhouse, onto a path that was done to snake around the floor. My friend smiled at me brightly. "No, of course not. Why do you think I left the door open for you?" she answered to me and turned on her heels "Come with me. I want you to see something", and after that she briskly started walking along the path.
I quickly hopped down the stairs, taking two steps at a time, and rushed after my friend.