*ON HOLD* Cora Crawley had another brother. Her brother married and had a beautiful daughter named Evelyn Levinson. When a mysterious fire burns the Levinson home, 6-year-old Evelyn was the only survivor. Cora takes in her orphaned niece - and this...
Evelyn stepped into the Andover house, water dripping off the curls framing her flushed cheeks. The old, oak floorboards creaked under her feet and even more so when Grant pushed in beside her, closing the door and locking it behind him. Evelyn glanced back at the lock and clasped her hands together in front of her, chewing on her lip. She startled herself a bit when she glanced to her right to see a fairly large gold framed mirror. She remembered seeing the mirror the first time they visited the house, but, in the dark hall, the reflection was a bit too spooky.
Grant placed his hand on her lower back as her eyes darted to his face. His expression was gentle and sincere. "Are you alright?"
She nodded. "Yeah...just cold."
He smiled. "Well, it's 'cause you're all wet. Why don't we take this coat off and I'll light the fire in the sitting room so we can get started? Hm?"
"No, it's ok. It'll dry."
"I insist. It'll make you sick."
"I -"
"Evelyn..." he spoke softly yet warningly. "We don't want you getting sick."
He stepped behind her and tucked his fingers under her coat collar, pulling it off her shoulders and making sure to brush her collarbones as he did. Her body tensed and her breathing hitched.
"Why're you so stiff? It's only me." He spoke into her ear.
"The storms just made me anxious, I guess."
"Don't like storms?"
"I do...I just don't prefer to be out in them."
He nodded and circled around her again. "Well, we're not in it anymore. You're safe now."
She raised a brow. "Am I?"
Grant's soft expression faltered for a moment until he chuckled. "Of course you are. Now, let me go light the fire to warm us up."
He strode through the doorway down the hall as Evelyn could hear him moving the fireplace tools around, more than likely to move the wood. Evelyn, not wanting him out of sight too long, followed. She padded into the sitting room, the distinct sound of her heels echoing through the empty house. The sitting room was as open and beautiful as she remembered; except now there were a few boxes of papers and some jewelry boxes in the center of the room. She figured these were the lists of assets and few physical items he could bring.
She watched him get the fire going as he stoked it several times. The room now filled with a bit of light amid the pitch-black sky. Suddenly, a crack of lightning seemingly shook the house as Evelyn jumped and grabbed her chest. Grant chuckled.
