Victorian Mist

VICTORIAN MIST

By Vickey Solem

Copyright 2017 Vickey Solem

Smashwords Edition, License Note

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person please purchase and additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Prologue

Ryleigh tossed the last suitcase into the trunk of her violet metal flake mustang convertible and walked back into the house for a final walk through to be sure she had not missed anything. She opened cabinets, drawers and looked in all the closets. Once she was sure she had gotten everything, she locked up the house, put the keys in the lock box her realtor had provided and got into her car. Before she started the car she took a last look at the house that had been her home for the last 10 years.

She took a few moments to remember the day she and Jake had move into the house. She could still feel the happiness they shared that day as they began their new life together. She thought of their first anniversary when they had gone to the shelter to pick out a puppy, which ended up being Roxie a six month old German Sheppard. Jake had wanted a smaller dog, but when he saw Ryleigh and Roxie together, he told Ryleigh that he knew they had found their puppy. She had been with them for seven fun years and then had died in her sleep one night. The vet said she had a tumor close to her heart and it had just grown so big that it had cut off the blood flow into her heart. Ryleigh had never wanted to replace her. The memory of that loss was still painful.

She thought about the Christmas Jake had surprised her with a trip to a Victorian town for the holidays; they had stayed in a rustic cabin that had been decorated in a quaint yesteryear fashion. The only really modern amenity was the large two person hot tub. It had been a magical time that had brought them closer together.

She remembered the time they pitched the tent in the back yard during a rain storm to be sure the tent did not leak and had stayed in it the entire weekend. They had such an easy relationship, able to talk or not talk and feel totally comfortable with each other. It was rare to find, and they both had appreciated that fact right from the beginning. Both had parents that had divorced when they were young and having had to watch their parents battle had taught them both the importance of honesty, putting the other person first and compromise.

The house held so many good memories, but the really bad ones at the end were just too much for Ryleigh to bear. She needed to get away from the memories, good and bad. She needed a new start, a new life; there was no salvaging anything from this one.

Jake had gotten sick a little over a year before. It came out of nowhere. One day they were hiking in the forest preserve and the next he was in tremendous pain and being rushed to the ER in an ambulance.

Ryleigh thought it must be his appendix, but it turned out that Jake had stomach cancer. The cancer had already spread too far for any hope of survival.

Jake took all treatments and fought to stay with Ryleigh as hard as he could. In the end, Jake had died at home in Ryleigh’s arms with their family and friends around for support.

Ryleigh had never before known the kind of pain, mental, emotional, and even physical, that weighed on her over the next few months. She went through the motions of getting up and going to work, cleaning the house, and going to church with her sister Rayna.

Her friends and family came over to cheer her up and she became very good at playing happy. But deep inside she had so much pain contained that it felt like it was eating her alive.

She had lost enough weight that Rayna had started making her dinner, bringing it over and watching her eat. Ryleigh told her it was not necessary to watch her, that she was just so busy with work she would sometimes forget to eat, but Rayna would just smiled gently and nod. She knew Ryleigh too well. So Ryleigh’s life had become one of going through the motions of living.

After months of smiling all day and crying all night Ryleigh knew she could not take this life anymore. She thought about suicide but it scared her too much. She was raised in a somewhat Christian home and believed in God, but did not really understand Him at all. She was 12 when her family had stopped going to church, so she did not know much about the hereafter, but she did believe one existed. Going to church with Rayna did not help because while she was physically there, her mind was numb. Suicide had a creepy feel and she got the feeling that if you offed yourself, the creepiness would be much worse. She decided suicide was not an option.

She thought about how being at the office hurt less than being at home. In fact being anywhere else hurt less, but for some reason she had become a homebody. She supposed it had to do with feeling closer to Jake to be near his clothes, pictures, cologne, and all the other things he had used and touched. She realized she had not dealt with losing him; she had been wallowing in it.

What would she have wanted Jake to do if it had been her? Would she want him to wallow? To be honest, she guessed she would want him to for a while, but then rebound and get back to living. She knew that was what Jake would want her to do, also.

So she packed up Jake’s things and gave them to a charity. Not everything, there were some things she put in a box for some day in the future when it would not hurt so much, just his clothes and things that others could use. She knew he would like that.

Ryleigh had decided she wanted to do something different with her life. She had not been sure what, but she knew it had to be in a brand new place with no connections to her past. A place she would not have memories of Jake. And she believed she found the perfect solution.

Now she had a destination and a plan and felt very sure of where she was headed. So Ryleigh started the car, put it in gear and headed towards the freeway and her future.

Chapter One

Washington was not a random pick for Ryleigh. She had visited a friend in her college years and had fallen in love with the state. But she and Jake had been too rooted in Indiana to move. They had been born and raised in Indiana and all their family and friends were in Indiana. Now those ties were not strong enough to hold her anymore. She was excited about her future for the first time in what seemed a lifetime.

She had put in job applications in all the large towns outside of Seattle but she had gotten an offer for an interview as manager of a bed and breakfast in a small town called Angel Falls that was the most intriguing. She googled Angel Falls, Washington and the images that came up were so beautiful she knew she wanted to live there. She had flown out west for the initial interview and the owner, Gladys Stubine, had liked her so much she offered Ryleigh the job on the spot. Everything felt so right about the direction her life was taking now. Even her family and friends could see the difference in her and were very supportive.

Even though the drive was a long one, three days on the road, she looked forward to it. She would stop each night when she was too tired to keep going and only in smaller towns with chain hotels, feeling safer that way.

The drive was very relaxing and kept her interest with the changing scenery. She loved driving and this was a perfect way to see the country. Her excitement kept growing as she moved closer to her destination.

On the third day when she crossed into Washington the excitement was almost overwhelming. This was her new home; this beautiful state. A smile spread across her face and no matter how she tried to stop smiling, she could not. A soft laugh escaped her mouth and she turned on one of her favorite feel good CDs. She began to sing along with the songs.

It was midday by the time she reached the Victorian Mist B&B. It was a beautiful massive Victorian mansion that had been turned into an inn and being a short way down river, it had a magnificent view of the top of a magnificent water fall. There was a large newer building attached to the right of the main building nestled in large pine trees which had windows almost all the way around. A short hall way full of windows as well connected the two buildings. She knew it was the kitchen and dining area as she could see many table tops and chair backs. They looked more like the era of the inn.

Ryleigh parked in front of the office, grabbed her purse, and went in to find a friendly looking older man checking out some guests.

Ahh, you must be Ryleigh, Mitch Stubine, he said coming around the desk to shake her hand once the guests turned to leave.

Hi Mr. Stubine, it’s good to meet you, Ryleigh said smiling as she returned his hearty handshake.

Please, call me Mitch. My wife has had nothing but good things to say about you. I trust my wife totally. She is the best judge of character I have ever known. She says she can see in the eyes what kind of person someone is… that ‘the eyes are the window to the soul’ thing… he smiled as he crossed his arm and peered into her eyes. Yes, you have kind eyes. Although I have been taken in a few times, but never once my wife, he smiled again and turned around motioning her to follow him.

This is your new home, he said unlocking a door behind the check in desk. It led to a large elegant apartment with Victorian furnishings that delighted Ryleigh. We hope you like the era, although we could store these things and you can decorate as you wish. However we ask that you don’t paint or carpet without approval from us…

No! I love everything about this apartment... she said as she wandered from room to room admiring everything she saw. Even the bathroom had a claw foot bathtub. I love the Victorian era! Things were so classy and elegant. There has never been another time when beauty has been so present.

Perfect, Mitch said as he clapped his hands together. "It helps tremendously to have someone who appreciates that! My wife has done it again!’

Ryleigh smiled at him. He was a nice man and certainly seemed to admire his wife. Things felt very good. Ryleigh knew she had made the right decision in taking the job.

Mitch showed Ryleigh the office in her apartment which was furnished in Victorian décor but also had a computer and fax machine. Mitch explained everything Ryleigh needed to know. How she would manage the front desk clerks as far as shifts, reviews, raises – approved by himself and his wife, of course – maintenance on the building and grounds, customer satisfaction, and their advertising. It was a lot of work, but they were paying her a good sum of money and giving her a free apartment with all utilities included to take care of it all. It was more than a fair deal for Ryleigh. It was a dream job; the job of a lifetime.

OK, well, I will take my leave now. If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call. Our home phone number is the one right here, he said pointing to a piece of paper at the left top corner of the little bulletin board in the office. We don’t own cell phones, so if we don’t answer, just leave us a message and we’ll either call you back or stop by, Mitch said shaking Ryleigh’s hand again and then put his other hand on hers. Looking into her eyes he said, I’m so happy you have joined our family here at Victorian Mist, Ryleigh. I’m sure it will be a long and happy partnership.

Ryleigh smiled and squeezed his hand slightly, I’m very happy, too.

Mitch reached into his jean jacket pocket and pulled out two key rings, one with two keys on it for her apartment and the other with keys to all the rooms in the inn. Then Mitch went back out to the front desk to help any new customers that may come along.

Ryleigh went out to her car and proceeded to carry in her suitcases and boxes in through the kitchen door. She took her Jake box and put it on the top shelf in the bedroom armoire. Then she began unpacking.

As she put her clothes on hangers and hung them in the other side of the armoire, she thought her clothes looked too urban, too modern to be in the armoire. Much of the clothing was corporate work clothes, too stiff and just not right for the area. She knew she needed to go shopping and get some local clothing. She decided to send all the executive clothing to Rayna, knowing she could put them to better use. They were the same size and had the same taste in just about everything.

Once she was done unpacking and then repacking most of her executive type clothes she took a shower and put on a soft teal sweater and a pair of jeans. Now she was ready to have a look around town and see what people in the area wore before she stopped at a few shops for some new clothes.

She was happy to see that the clothes she had kept out were in style in Angel Falls and she loved about everything she saw others wearing. She knew that shopping was going to be fun. And three hours later she was back at her new apartment with some beautiful dresses that were more in style with the B&B. She loved them all. She had never been a real dress person, but her new dresses just fit the B&B ambiance so perfectly. And they were by far more to her liking than the corporate dresses and dress suits she had owned and saw other women wearing at her old job in Indiana.

When she had put away all her new clothing, she put on her pajamas – a much worn, too large tee shirt, a pair of soft stretch cotton capris and her slipper socks. She made herself a cup of tea and sat down in the living room. No TV… wait! There was another armoire, maybe… yes, when she opened it there was a 40 inch flat screen with a remote lying next to it. The Stubines thought of everything.

Ryleigh returned to her chair and turned on the evening news. As she watched she realized that things were not too different than back in Indiana, still all the bad things, maybe not as much, but some. However most of the pictures and videos had beautiful backgrounds and there were more interesting and calming stories than back home. It was more relaxing here. Not as frantically paced. She could deal with that. And since she did not have a set time to get up and work, she could go to bed when she was tired, not when she had to. So far so good; in fact it was all very good.

She felt the arm of the overstuffed chair she sat in and loved the velvety feel. It was a dark maroon with chunky dark scrolled cherry wood capping the front ends of the arms; beautiful and comfortable. She pulled her feet up and rested them on the left side of the chair. The chair was actually big enough for two people to sit in, but not big enough to be called a love seat.

The large round table next to the chair on her right was an incredibly shiny dark mahogany. The scrolled edging had so much detail and the white marble top with silver veins was so stark a difference from the dark wood that she could have looked at it for hours without getting bored.

The lamp had a slightly tarnished brass base with an off white glass shade that had a beautiful large maroon rose and dark green leaves painted on it and white and maroon beads on small strings hanging all the way around the shade.

Each thing she looked at was delicate and intricate while at the same time durable. So much time and effort had been put into each piece it was evident by the finished product. People of the Victorian era had really had pride in their craftsmanship. It showed in everything.

Ryleigh’s attention was caught by a movie that was coming on. It was an old favorite of hers, a comedy that in her opinion went way beyond funny. She spent the next two hours laughing and wiping her eyes. Then she turned in for the best night sleep she had had in a very long time in the soft, large four poster canopied bed.

The next morning Ryleigh was awakened at 6 am by the phone. She hopped out of bed and ran to the office.

Victorian Mist Bed and Breakfast, how can I help you, she asked in as much of a professional voice as she could manage while half asleep.

Well, you can start by telling me everything, Rayna said and then giggled.

Ray, you know its 6 am here, Ryleigh said and let out a matching giggle.

Opps! I forgot about time zones and all! Want me to call back later, she asked, clear disappointment in her voice.

No, I’m up now. But why’d you call on the B&B phone rather than calling my cell, Ryleigh asked curiously.

"I wanted to hear how you answer the phone there. And you sounded very professional for being half