page84 (1/2)

Her jaw dropped

“That was a joke”

“Mean” She glared at him “I didn’t realize you had an evil streak”

“Yes, Ms Malloy I do believe we’d already settled that” The lazy reminder in his tone sent flares up and down her spine

The road ahead was canopied by dozens and dozens of Southern live oak trees, blocking the sun and sky,by their size, they had to be hundreds of years old It created privacy and mystique, a separation from her ordinary world

The asphalt twisted and turned, and not long after they enificent plantation home stood in the distance “Oh my God”

“It’s spectacular, isn’t it?”

The white ho black shutters, a porch across the front with tall white rocking chairs The second-floor gallery was adorned with black wrought-iron railing The ho feature, though, were the ten Grecian-style columns, complete with curlicues at the top of each “Easy to see why it’s called the Parthenon”

“The plantation was once called One Hundred Oaks The original oas Ian, a second-generation British gentleman He spared no expense with the architecture Construction took over eight years because his wife, Julie, continually asked for changes froed her every whim”

“Smart man”

He grinned in response “Agreed I think history has proven her intuition correct The home is timeless She had many innovations in the house After Mr and Mrs Kirby passed, none of their children had an interest in the property, so they sold it off Forty or fifty years later, it changed hands again When the owner could no longer afford the upkeep, the Zetas purchased the house and lands Descendants of members who contributed more than ten thousand dollars now pay substantially reduced dues”

“When was that?”

“Around eighteen seventy”