Nancy Drew and The Mystery Of The Ghost Maiden

Chapter Three

The wind felt heavenly to the girls as it played and teased their stylish locks, causing them to giggle randomly. The trio of teens had spent the last hour on the road riding around in Nancy's periwinkle blue, 1959 model Nash Metropolitan convertible. "I love your car Nancy, it is the bomb!" Bess commented as she admired the fine interior of the vehicle. She leaned back in her seat casually before adding, "You know this car really does suit you. Your old man chose one the very same color of your eyes, with classic design as well."

Nancy quickly glanced over at her friend who was riding shotgun beside her, "you really think so Bess? Why thank you that is so inciteful."

"Bess, who are you kidding? There is no way Nancy is going to let you drive so stuff kissing up to her." George bluntly said from the backseat. Bess turned around to flash her a hateful look on to see her cousin wink in her direction.

"Grow up George..." the blonde started to say before being interrupted.

"Now girls, that is enough. Let us just chill for a moment." Nancy demanded.

"Which way now George?" Nancy asked as they paused at a stop sign.

"I'm not quite sure. Can we pull over a second for me to figure this out? These directions your dad gave are hard to read with his elaborate handwriting."

"Sure, I'll pull into this gas station parking lot on the right here," Nancy said as they pulled forward on to the main road before quickly turning into the parking lot. Bess hopped out from the car and ran in quickly to get them a few bottles of pop while the other two girls tried to figure out where they were on the map.

The store consisted of a small brick building with two modern gas pumps stationed out front like guards. Inside the owner had filled it to the brim with drink coolers and rows of junk food. Vintage folk music played on a small transistor radio behind the counter, giving the place a dated feel. Taking her time looking at the verity of merchandise available, Bess approached the wall or coolers. She paused to decide on what the other girls might like, before grabbing three bottles of ice-cold Pepsi and a few bags of potato chips on the way to the counter.

An old man dressed in a plain white button-down shirt and faded jeans rang up her items. As Bess was looking at the small variety of magazines on display at the counter, the man spoke, "Miss your total is two dollars." The girl quickly paid the bill and opened the pop bottles before walking out.

"Nancy, maybe you can make some sense of this," George said, as she handed her the paper and map.

"Let's see now, we've already turned left on Hampton Street. Here it just says to keep going straight for a few more miles then taking a sharp right on to Malone road. Next, continue on until we come up to the road on the left with twisted willow trees on either side of it." said Nancy as Bess got back into the car. She then handed the girls their drinks before climbing back into the back seat.

After riding for another hour, Bess excitedly said "Right over there! I see something through those trees." As they drove slowly down the old road two twisted willows came into view, they were almost hidden by the wild overgrown greenery.

"This is actually kind of pretty with the tall old trees shading the way, the smell of fresh roses in the air, and even the sound of the smell creek under us," Nancy said, as they drove over a small wooden bridge.

"It reminds me of something from a wonderful old novel I read a few years ago," said Bess. She sighed before adding, "It was a romance that took place in the deep south and was very steamy." George rolled her eyes at this remark.

It didn't take long to reach a large open cast iron gate attached to a matching fence that circled the old mansion. "That gate looks so tall like it could even keep a Bigfoot out," remarked George while smirking.

"Yeah, thank goodness father phoned ahead that we were coming. If not, we would have had to hunt down a phone ourselves and called them just to get the gate opened" remarked Nancy, as she drove along the old dirt road that led to the estate.

As the mansion came into view, Bess exclaimed "Oh my goodness how fine. I had no idea the mansion would be this big, just look at all those redbud and oak trees surrounding the house!"

"See all the ivy growing on the left side of the home and the state of some of those trees. They have many half-broken limbs hanging and that one on the far right looks as if it was hit by lightning." George pointed out.

"I wonder what's going on here. This is so very different from all my mother's old photos of this place. The grounds looked just lovely in her photo album." thought Nancy aloud.

After all the driving and time on the road, the girls were happy to get out of the pale blue convertible and stretch their cramped-up legs. Nancy walked in the door and hit the antique doorbell, as her friends followed close behind.

The door was opened right away by a white-haired, pale-skinned butler who seemed to be in his sixties. Dark shadows lurked under his eyes giving him a ghostly like appearance.

"One of you must be Miss Drew, I presume." said the man while wearing a blank expression.

"That would be me," answered Nancy as she walked in.

"Right this way," he said while continuing to walk deeper into the house.

"Wait what about our stuff?" asked Bess as she gestured back to the car.

"I will tend to it later." replied the old butler in an irritated tone. Bess and George exchanged a glance, neither one caring for his manner.

"Now I shall show you to your rooms, afterward, I will notify my lady that you have arrived."

"If you don't mind me asking why we can't go see her right now instead?" asked George.

There was a long pause before he answered: " My lady had just retired to bed for a nap, shortly before you arrived. I refuse to wake her so soon."

"This reminds me of something that would happen on the Adams Family TV show," whispered Bess to her friends as they giggled to themselves.

>Bonus Files< info on the Adams Family tv show

It originally aired in the '60s. The Addams Family is not your typical family: it takes delight in most of the things of which normal people would be terrified. Gomez Adams is an extremely wealthy man and is able to indulge his wife Morticia's every desire, whether it's the cultivation of poisonous plants or a candlelit dinner in a graveyard.