The Aldens unpacked the trunk of the car. Violet kept her eyes on her belongings, not the castle. If only the fog would go away.
But now that they were closer, the castle seemed a little less scary.
Grandfather put his arm around Violet. “You know this castle was built as a home when the first Drummonds came back from their honeymoon in Germany. The first William Drummond built it for his bride — not to keep out armies or dragons.”
This made Violet feel a little better. “The stained glass windows make pretty patterns,” she noticed.
Jessie and Violet stared at a particularly beautiful round window right over the entrance. “That one is the prettiest,” Jessie said. “There’s a face painted in the center. See.”
“Oh no!” Violet screamed suddenly. “It’s a real face. Look! Look!”
The Aldens looked up to where Violet was pointing. All they saw was the face of a young knight painted on the central piece of the stained glass.
Violet looked again. “Maybe I’m just a little tired. The fog and mist make everything look so strange.”
A beautiful carved stone porch encircled the ground level of the castle. The Aldens went up the steps to ring the bell.
“Try that funny-looking door knocker, Benny,” Henry said, giving his brother a boost.
Benny rapped the lion’s head door knocker three times.
After the third bang, a huge oak door creaked opened. A long shadow stood there.
“Who’re you?” the shadow barked.
The Aldens took a closer look. The shadow was actually a man about Mr. Alden’s age but tall, thin, and gruff. The light behind him in the huge hallway had made him seem like a shadow.
Before the Aldens could answer, Carrie Bell came to greet her friends. “Why James, you made it at last!” the smiling older woman said. “I’m sorry you had such a poor day to travel. Our old lake road can be a real challenge in the fog.”
“Well, it seems to be clearing now.” Mr. Alden turned back to the man. “How do you do, sir? I am James Alden, and these are my grandchildren, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny.”
These words seemed to frighten the man. Without saying a thing, he disappeared down a dark hall.
“Oh, Mr. Tooner, come back and meet the Aldens,” Carrie called out.
But the man didn’t even slow down.
Carrie lowered her voice. “Don’t mind poor Mr. Tooner. He’s been the caretaker here for many years, just like his father before him. He’s very worried about Drummond Castle becoming a museum after it’s restored. He does a wonderful job caring for the castle, but he needs help. That’s what we’re all here for.” Carrie turned to Benny. “I heard you make the lion on the door knocker growl, Benny! Now watch this.”
Carried gathered the Aldens’ umbrellas and stuck them inside the mouth of a ferocious-looking lion statue. “How do you like that?” Carrie asked.
Benny laughed at how silly the lion looked with a mouthful of umbrellas. “He doesn’t look nearly so mean now!”
Even Violet had to laugh. She just wished that the big humps of furniture covered with white dust sheets looked as silly as that lion. She half expected some of them to start moving around the room!
Carrie took Violet by the hand. “All the furniture downstairs has been covered up since William Drummond III died last year. With all of you here to help out, we can make this big old place look homier very soon. Now come upstairs to your rooms.”
The Aldens followed Carrie up a winding staircase at the back of the castle. “I know this musty old place looks a bit gloomy today, but you children have a wonderful experience ahead of you. There are so many imaginative objects here like that silly door knocker and the umbrella stand. This castle is full of surprises.”
Carrie led the Aldens down a hall off the first landing. She pushed open a heavy wooden door. “This will be your room, James.”
Inside the huge room was a canopy bed and a fireplace, tall enough to stand in. Over in the corner stood a suit of armor.
Carrie lifted up Benny. “Raise the front of this armor headpiece.” she said.
Benny moved the metal flap, and gasped. Then he laughed. “Somebody put a picture of a boy’s face under the helmet!” he told everyone.
Sure enough, a faded drawing of a smiling boy about Benny’s age peeked out from under the armor headpiece.
“I knew you’d like that!” Carrie said. “I think the first Mr. Drummond put it in there as a joke for his boys. He tried to liven up Drummond Castle with some of the furnishings. There are quite a few playful touches all around the castle. You’ll see.”
“I hope there are some funny things in our rooms. Can we go see them now?” Benny asked.
The children and Watch climbed some more narrow stairs. At the top of the tower were two bright little rooms with windows all around.
“Oh,” Violet breathed. The first rays of sunlight they’d seen all day poured into the rooms. “It is so pretty up here.” She sounded relieved. “Why there’s even a fancy dog bed for Watch. Here Watch!”
Watch liked the dog bed very much. He curled himself up on the red velvet cushion and promptly fell asleep.
“All he needs is a gold crown on his head!” Jessie laughed.
Carrie laughed, too. “The first Drummond family designed this tower and all the furniture in it for their children. As you can see, they didn’t forget the family dog either. Here’s your bed, Benny. You might have to wear a crown, too!”
Benny bounced himself on a bed with a wonderful headboard of carved animals. The matching bed next to it was for Henry.
“I like these fancy wardrobes,” Jessie called out from the room the girls would be using. “There are drawers and shelves for every little thing.”
“These are the nicest rooms in the castle,” Carrie told the children. “I’m very glad you like them. Sometimes I bring some of my paperwork up here because of the view. The sunlight is always changing.”
“It sure is,” Benny said. “When we were driving to the castle a light was shining in that other tower across the way. Now it’s in this one. Are there bedrooms in that tower, too?”
Carrie shook her head. “Why, no. The people at the Drummond Foundation said that the other tower is always closed off. I gather it suffered damage many years ago.”
“But I saw a light up there through Grandfather’s binoculars,” Benny insisted. “Grandfather says I have sharp eyes.”
“I’m sure you do, Benny,” Carrie said with a smile. “But the sunlight plays funny tricks up this high, especially with the fog. Maybe you were looking at these rooms while I was getting them ready.”
Benny scratched his head. “I don’t think so.”
Carrie gave Benny a little pat on the shoulder. “Well, this castle even fools me sometimes, and I’ve been here two weeks. I’m forever finding things that seem to be one thing, then they’re another.”
After Carrie left, the children unpacked their bags. They put their clothes away in the tidy wardrobe compartments. But the whole time Benny Alden was thinking about the light across the way. He had seen it there, he just knew he had. |