Good-bye, My Lady - Part III

Lady paused at the entrance of the Duke of Newsprint (her late father) estate, which now was her possession. It was the place of her youth and brought many fond and foreboding memories all at the same time.

As Lady entered the estate she recognized the familiar places where she had always seen her father. His favorite chair at the window overlooking the garden and the comfortable lounge he enjoyed in the main hall. Curiously as she passed through the remainder of the house it appeared that it hadn’t been occupied in years. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust. A shudder ran through her as she realized that nothing in the lower and upper levels of the house had been touched since her mother died many years earlier. Her mother’s favorite book even laid on the table just as it was on the day she died. All of her clothing still hung on the racks. Lady knew her father was an eccentric old man with many strange habits but she never expected this.

The task at hand was to clear out the old estate. Saving the valuable and discarding the old and useless. Lady contacted a good friend of hers named Britania to help her with the work for it was a very great task. Larger than even she had expected since her mother had left explicit instructions before she died: “Turn out every pocket in every garment and sort through every pile or bundle you find because there are hidden treasures inside.” These instructions turned out to be true, for her mother had buried most of her treasured possessions in the middle of worthless items.

Days passed as Lady and Britania cleared and cleaned one room at a time starting with the level occupied by the Duke. As time progressed they separated with Lady taking the upper level and Britania taking the lower level. Late one afternoon Lady screamed hysterically, ran from the estate, and collapsed on the lawn. Britania not knowing what was happening followed closely and tried to comfort Lady, however, Lady was inconsolable and would not return to the estate. Britania sent a messenger to get me at my friend’s estate where I was living at the time since I had lost my estate to a warring faction of a neighboring providence.

Later that evening I arrived and inquired of Lady: “What happened at the estate today?” Still quivering from the event she related to me the story about her older brother’s tragic death and how it had changed her life forever. The Lady said: “My brother died when I was twelve years old. He was the most important person to me in my life at the time because he was my protector and was the only person I felt who truly loved me. When he died I died with him.” I said: “What does that have to do with the estate today?” She said: “While cleaning the upper level I found the shirt he was wearing when he died. My mother had saved it all these years. Seeing it brought back the memory of his death and the intense pain of the emotions of which I have never been able to control. I am never going back to that estate.”

Several days went by as I consoled the Lady. Over time Lady realized that she needed to offer the estate to someone who could give it the care it required. She had acquired the estate where she resided years earlier and had no need of the second estate. During our conversation she offered me the estate for a sum of coin that I couldn’t refuse. I agreed to buy the estate only if she would help me clean all the property out of it. She eagerly agreed.

The two of us returned to clear the estate, however, it was a very traumatic ordeal for the Lady. For many items were found belonging to her brother at the time of his death which I promptly discarded. Each item found hurt Lady very badly and sent her into very severe emotional convulsions which I had to comfort her through. I thought it very odd that Lady’s mother would keep such items, especially in the manner in which they were stored; each in a different location of the estate. As time went on the reasons would be revealed but for now it remained a mystery.

At the beginning of the new year the estate was ready so I proceeded to purchase it from the Lady. As I first entered the estate as my estate; I looked at Lady and thanked her for being so generous to me by offering it at such a fair price. She said: “It is worth it to keep you near.” I thought this an odd statement but many things about the Lady are odd.

As My Lady bid me farewell she turned to the estate and said: “Good-bye My Lady for I will visit you soon.