Page 22 (1/2)

She looked up at hiht out by all the other blue tones in the room

“I don’t know I mean, I could sell it furnished or I could have an estate sale first I suppose cleaning theood either way”

“I thought you hadn’t decided what you were doing with the house”

“I’er over her lips “I think I’d like to keep as inal as I can, you know? No matter what I decide Come look at this”

She showed hiain with a four-poster, and then a third with more ing on the wall She hadn’t ed the true character of the pieces, but he could see what she meant It was rare to find such fine craftsmanship in furniture anymore It had lasted because it was made to last

The last bedroom had a smaller room joined to it, and there was no furniture inside at all “It’s like a nursery,” she said, standing in the doorway “A door fro it to that bedroom, too Would a nanny or nurse have stayed in that room, do you think? Were the Fosters that rich?”

“Jed was,” To in it And Elijah probably was, too Have you checked out the attic yet? I’m sure it had to have been servant’s quarters”

She smiled sheepishly “I’ve been too chicken What if there are ?”

Tohed as they ot a rodent or bat proble to be a problem down here” He stopped in front of a plain door by the back hall—the only door left unopened “Want o first?”

At her nod, he opened the door, revealing narrow steps leading the way up into the third floor The hallway at the top of the stairs was di pitch-black Tom went carefully, but he was pleased to discover the top level was as sound as the rest of the house The wood floors were dull and it was all rather plain and spartan, but he didn’t see any evidence of dry rot or bats As for the et in the pest control man to take care of that, the sooner the better

Taking in the layout, he saw that the top floor was made up of five smaller rooms and a cramped bathroom that everyone would share

“Coet you”

He heard her steps following behind and smelled the fresh scent of her shaht up here!”

“More s than you’d expect,” he replied “I’d say this was definitely servant’s quarters And probably where a lot of the girls stayed when Marian ran her home”

“People keepMarian’s ‘work’”