Harbinger in the Mist (Arms of Serendipity) Read Online Free

the overhead awning two stories above. Three of these structures sat on each side of the porch. She wondered what stories they could tell.
    She followed her mom and the lawyer through the heavy wood front door. In the foyer, a magnificent polished, dark wood staircase looked back at them before twisting up and out of sight. To the left was an opened door. To the right was a large, open living space. An even larger space was visible behind the stair case.
    “The Marla Rae was built by the Walker family in 1851 and was meant to be used as a summer home, a place they could come out to a few months each year to get away from their rice plantation and the pests that swarmed it, you see. Hence the nickname ‘Retreat House.’ This whole town was founded for that sole purpose as a matter of fact. Anyway, the first bedroom is in here,” he rambled on as he pointed to the room on his left.
    The bedroom had plenty of room for a large bed and dresser. It also had two double windows – one looked out to the trees beside the house, the other had a view of the front porch. It also had its own entryway to the one full-bathroom downstairs. Lindsey was sure that this would be the guestroom that her mom had always wanted to have. It didn’t matter that no one had ever really spent the night at their house. What mattered is that if someone did visit, they’d have a proper room in which to sleep. Then again, it could be the room that she talked about renting out if they needed to.
    “The shower and tub are new,” he pointed as they followed him through the bathroom and back out into the hall. The lawyer didn’t slow down as they crossed the foyer and into the empty space at the front of the house. “This could be a very nice formal sitting room. Can’t you just see a baby grand piano sittin’ there in the corner? Or perhaps this could be a formal dining room if you’re into entertaining. And back here,” he kept talking as he moved, not stopping to let them just stand in the house, to enjoy its silence.
    “Back here is the Great Room and kitchen. During the massive renovation back in the ‘70’s, several walls were knocked down, combining the original family room, the house servant's sleeping area, and the kitchen into one large room. Mr. Grayson had to get permission to do the work, but since he paid for it with his own funds, the board approved the renovations. I think it makes the area a more family-friendly space, don’t you agree?”
    The room was indeed breath-taking. A large river-rock fireplace dominated the back wall. The light fixtures were all pewter and the appliances in the joint kitchen were stainless steel. The countertops were very light grey granite flecked with browns and whites.
    Upstairs, a door slammed causing all three of them to jump and look up at the ceiling.
    “That, uh, must be the cleaning lady,” the lawyer shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention to a stray sting on the cuff of his shirt, with which he fumbled nervously.
    “The house comes with a cleaning lady?” Lindsey smiled. No more dishes for her!
    “Oh, um, no. I asked Catherine to come by and open the house up this morning. You know, air it out and such. Anyway, if you notice, the floors are black walnut. The entire house is hardwood. I hope that you have a few nice rugs to toss about if you opt not to sell.”
    “Are these the original floors?” Amie wondered aloud.
    “Indeed they are, for the most part. They had to replace some boards where walls were removed, but that’s all. All of the floors have been sanded and painstakingly refinished,” Mr. Jones answered. “The wood-burning fireplace and the staircase are also original pieces. Good thing, too, because they really are just too pretty to ever replace.”
    “Yes, they are beautiful,” Aimee walked over to the hearth and touched the stones that had been worn smooth by both water from which they’d been harvested and over a hundred years of being touched.
    “And