After laying the knocker back on the door, the next guest took a step back, waiting for a response.
It was just approaching noon, and the sun cast a warm glow on her long blonde hair.
Her mask was a dark turquoise, a mixture of greens and blues threading through like the Aurora Borealis. Half of the mask was covered with a dense flock of extravagant bird feathers.
A woman opened the door. "Hello. You're... Shona, correct? The ornithologist?"
"Why yes, and who would you be?"
"My name is Willow. I work here in Muirhouse Mansion as Sir Jonathan's butler."
Shona nodded, intrigued. "Where are the other guests?"
"They're currently in the dining room, care to join them?"
The pair made their way to the dining room, where a group of people were sitting talking around a long table. They all looked up as Shona arrived.
"Um, hello," she experimented.
"Greetings, Shona! I'm Sir Jonathan, and these are the other guests you'll be staying with. Why doesn't everyone go around and introduce themselves?"
"I'm Isla. I'm the CEO of Solvent Enterprises."
"Uh, I'm... Cl- Estella! Cloud! That's... my full first name, yeah. You can call me Stella!" Her response triggered some looks of confusion from the other guests, clearly not used to this behaviour.
The man sitting beside Stella smirked and cast her a knowing look. "I'm Archie, professional tennis player."
"And is that your full first name, Archie Professional Tennis Player?" joked Shona. Stella turned visibly red, making Archie and Isla laugh.
"I'm Shona. I'm an ornithologist."
"Orni... what?" said Isla.
"It means I study birds."
"Hm, how interesting."
Their conversation was cut short, however, by the entrance of the fifth guest at this Masquerade.
YOU ARE READING
The Masquerade
Mystery / ThrillerSix guests are invited to Muirhouse Mansion for a Masquerade Ball, where the owner is harbouring a dangerous secret. Storyline is a retelling of Karl Jacobs' 'Tales From The SMP' episode on YouTube under the same name. I do not own anything to do wi...
