Seven: Of one's likeness

There was a soft knock on my door, I opened my eyes and tried to remember where I was. The drapes were drawn so the sun couldn't disturb me in my sleep. I left out a lamp burning all night, my gaze fell on the door.

"Morning sweetie." I heard my dad say, his head peeked thru the crack.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes, "Morning dad."

"Had a goodnight sleep?" He entered now, carrying a breakfast tray.

"I guess." I leaned over the table and saw he brought me an omelet, my favourite.

"I made this, just the way you like it."

"Crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside." We chroused. Dad can bring up my spirits anytime.

He sat down beside me and rubbed Oggy's ear, "Listen, I'm going to town for a few hours. I need some equipment down here. I'll leave Louie to look after you."

I was nibbling on the omelet, "Take Louie with you. You can use an extra muscle."

"And what about you?"

"Dad, I'm seventeen. Oggy's here and this is an empty house."

"I just thought you don't want to be left alone."

"You'll be back, besides," I paused and took sip of coffee, "I'll call Tristane to drop by."

"Oh, yes. That handsome lad."

Now that he mentioned it, I did notice Tristane's features. He had good cheekbones, an aqualine nose, heart shaped mouth and chocolate brown eyes.

"Dad.." I warned him.

He raised his hands, "Okay, I won't tease you again. I know you can handle him sweetie. Take care, okay?" He kissed my forehead and was gone.

I finished my breakfast and carried the tray down, Oggy followed behind me.

"Hey," Louie was just putting a shirt on as I was passing thru the kitchen, "you slept well?" He asked.

I was trying not to stare, but he had it all put in front of me. "Yeah. You?"

He nodded and pushed the shirt down, if he saw me staring he gave no hint that he cared. The man must be proud. Well, he should be.

"You want anything from town?" He called while I washed the plates.

"Maybe some cereal bars." I turned my gaze to him, "And something for Oggy as well. You know what he likes."

He smiled and patted my dog, "Alright boy. I'll get you some treats."

"Louie? You good?" Dad called.

"Yeah, coming!" He waved at me and was gone.

I heard the car start and the engine faded away in several minutes. I was left with Oggy and just myself, I fed him and decided to walk around the house. I felt the keys in my pocket, but I don't know where to start.

I found an old model telephone, the one where you have to turn the numbers to the right before you can enter another digit. I liked the ding sound it makes, cellular can't do that. Dad left me Tristane's number so I called him, the line rang 3 times and he answered.

"Kelly's residence..."

"Hi, its Krista."

"Hey," his tone was softer today, "what's up?"

"I uh, I wanted to look around the house. Can you drop by today? I have only till afternoon."

"Sure. I'll go change, you can wait for me at the back." He said and was about to go but he came back, "Why only until afternoon?"

"I got school tomorrow and Richmond is far from here, I have to be home by night."

"Ah, I see. Ok, I'd better hurry up then." I heard the click and knew he hang up.

While waiting for Tristane, I ran a quick shower and put on some lipbalm. After yesterday, I didn't want to took pale.

I heard a car coming from the back, my room had a window overlooking the carriage house. I could see a red pick up parked near the fence. Tristane came down carrying flowers. Cute, if dad sees that he'd really think he's paying me call.

I hurried downstairs and was just in time to open the backdoor.

"Hi." I smiled at him, Oggy squeezed his face against my leg. He gets nosy when we're in a new house and strangers would come knocking. He began to growl.

"Oggy, stay." I ordered him, the dog sat back. "Sorry, he hasn't seen you before." I pushed the door back so Tristane could come in.

"Its alright." He extended his hand towards Oggy, my dog sniffed at it and began licking Tristane's palm. He won him over. "I got dogs in the house, keeps me company."

"That explains it, he's usually grumpy around strangers." But looking at them now, its as if they'd known each other for a long time. Oggy got tired of it and walked back inside. I watched him roll over the carpet and spread fur on the floor.

"Here," I turned my gaze back to my guest. He held three big sunflowers to me.

"Wow, thank you." I was crazy over sunflowers, I wondered how he knew. Then I realized I was wearing a sunflower necklace then a sunflower printed shirt yesterday. He connected the dots, but still I said, "I love sunflowers."

"I could tell. My mom had a garden and I promised her I'll tend to them."

I carried the self-made boquet and led Tristane inside.

"I wanted to look around the house but I wasn't sure where to start. The place is big, I don't know how many rooms are there." I found an empty vase and temporarily stuffed the flowers in it.

"We can visit the music room." He suggested.

"Okay, that sounds good." I took out the keys, "Where is it?"

Tristane took me to the east side of the house, we passed by portraits of landscapes and rivers. He told me a lot about them.

"This is the Alpine forest." Pointing to a painting framed in mahogany trunks. "Its a great distance from the house but if you looked from the third floor you can see the trees." I squinted at it. I could tell the Maple trees and oak. Lucian taught me the difference. But I didn't tell Tristane. Yeah, like he'll believe me.

"And here," he stood towards a blue door, "is the music room." He pushed it aside, it wasn't locked. He got in first and turned on the lights.

Inside was a middle sized room with yellow paint, it looked well preserved. There were two large windows and a stone fireplace. Tristane drew the curtains apart to let in natural light flood the room, it was beautiful.

There was a grand piano in the middle of the room. I traced my hands on the top, there were no dust. Kelly's are very good caretakers.

"Elizabeth Cushing-Norwood played a lot," I heard Tristane say, "she was an earl's daughter. Her marriage to Lord Norwood was agreed upon by their parents since their birth."

I could picture Lucian's mom here, playing the piano. Her guests would sit in a nearby chair sipping tea and eating sandwiches. I remember that she had been a brunette and fair-skinned. That was described on the journal. She had brown eyes and a small petulant mouth. She was a lovely woman. But I didn't see any portraits in here. I turned around but only saw caricatures of either a house or a field.

"The Norwoods," I began so Tristane would look at me, "did they ever had portraits of themselves?"

"They did." Tristane sat on the couch. "I believe my ancestors hid them on the attic."

I felt my heart thumped, "Do you think we could find the Baron's... portrait?"

He stared at me, his look told me he wasn't sure. "I've never been in the attic myself for a very long time. It was always the girls who cleaned them. The men were in charge of the repairs and anything heavy to lift." He scratched his jaw, he was clean shaved. "Perhaps there is a likeness of Galbraith there," he stood slowly, "but I bet it was when he was still a child. He was rather young when he disappeared."

My heart sank, I had no memory of a young Lucian. In my dreams he was always the age of the man who disappeared. Would a child's likeness bring me peace?

"We can try. Do they inscribe names so we could tell them apart?"

"Behind the frames, yes. Infront its the artists' name you'll see." He said.

"Let's go then." I held the keys to him an he took it.

"You got flashlight? I'm not sure the light bulb still works up there."

"I think my Dad would have one. Wait here.." I left him with Oggy who was now fast asleep on the carpet. I ran towards Dad's room, he had boxes and bags on the floor. I figured he got supplies in here. I searched the nearest box and found batteries first, the flashlight was on the other one. I tried it on, a silver light beamed brightly.

I got out the room and leaned over the stairs, "Tristane, I found one." There's no need to go down, our rooms were on the second floor and the attic is above the third. He'll have to go up himself. I heard his footfalls and waited.

"This way," he said after reaching me. "The third floor is where you can find the master's bedroom. Ever been there?"

We were climbing the stairs leading to the third floor. I shook my head,we were staying on the second and there wasn't time to explore.

"We can go there after we check the attic if you want."

"Okay." But I was nervous, I'll be seeing Lucian's room. Would they have some of his clothes still? Will it have any traces of him?

He led me towards a narrow hallway, there were no paintings up here just tables and carpets decorated the floor.

"We're here." I stopped right behind him. He was reaching for the cable that would bring the ladder down. He pulled it gently but it didn't budge, he tried again harder this time and it gave away.

Dust rained down on us as the ladder unfolded. We were both coughing and sneezing while waving the dust away.

My eyes burned from too much dust. It'll be red soon or puffed. Tristane wasn't any good either.

"You okay?" He asked me. I just nooded. He started up to test the ladder, it groaned under his weight but proved to be sturdy still.

I climbed up as soon as his feet disappeared, the ladder shook slightly and I had to hold my grip before taking another step. It settled back and I made my way up.

Tristane found the single light bulb they installed before, it flickered twice then steadied.

"Looks like it'll hold." He said.

I remained quite and looked around, the attic was high enough that neither of us had to crouch down. I found several furnitures covered in white cloth, I peeked underneath to see what was left. I saw an old tea table that had lost one foot, there was child's chair with green cushion on the back. It might've been lovely when it was new, right now it looked faded and worn.

Tristane was shuffling thru some old dressing screen, I heard him groaned as if he was lifting something heavy. Then there was a loud thud.

I moved over and helped him pull an iron handle, we managed to get it off the other antiques and right below the light. It was a huge wooden chest. I flipped the flashlight to get a better view. The family crest was carved under the lock. A unicorn.

"I remember Aunt Augusta stuffing this away. Said it held the Norwoods, I didn't quite understand first what she meant. I thought there were old clothes and little trinkets. But I figured it might have their portraits."

Tristane worked on the lock, it wasn't a very old one. In fact looked like a common silver plated Sherlock that you can get at Best Buy. He tried all keys on the ones he gave me, nothing worked.

"Maybe there's another set of keys?" I said.

"Probably, these are the ones I found at home. Maybe Mum or Dad had other sets, just not sure. I haven't been in their room for months..." he trailed off. But I knew what he would say. I placed my hand on his shoulder and his other hand held it there. He lost both parents quite recently.

"We could pick it." I suggested.

"You can?" His eyes widened.

"I've watched enough Youtube videos how to do it." I shoved me aside so I sat down infront of the chest. "I just need something small and sharp."

I heard him move around, there was a series of thump thump and he came back with a few hair grips. Perfect!

"Now, hold the flashlight over here, so I can see the opening."

He sat down and beamed the light directly into the Sherlock. I tucked my hair behind my ear and peered at the hole. The hair grips were long and thin but sharp, I pushed it until I felt the latch. There was a tiny click sound and we both smiled.

I pulled the pin and the lock eased up without a scratch. I put it down beside Tristane and pushed the chest open. The hinges creaked as expected.

We knelt up and looked inside, the chest was about 2 feet tall. I smelled oil and dust. Tristane's breath came to a halt, mine skipping. We stared down at a woman's portrait.

"Who is she?" I asked, I didn't reach out to touch the portrait.

"Let's see," he gave me the flashlight and he pulled the portrait out. It was a 12x14 frame with wooden carved edges. Nicely crafted, I said. Tristane flipped the portrait so I was facing the woman and he was looking at the back. "Cecile Norwood, sister of Clayton Norwood."

This is Galbraith's aunt, she was pretty. Blonde haired and blue eyed. She was smiling shyly at the artist. Her dress was of a lavender hue with white frills. Her neck displayed a marvellous pearl necklace, that probably costs a fortune. She was a picture of a lady.

"Perhaps we'll find the rest of the family in here." Tristane carefully put Cecile down and went back to the chest.

My heart was racing rapidly. Are you in there Lucian?

Tristane pulled another one that had blue rimmed edges, he gazed at the face before showing it to me.

"Meet Clayton Norwood." He gave me the portrait, it was unexpectedly light despite the heavy looking frame.

The man was dark haired and blue eyed, his face was stern but he was a gorgeous specimen. His hair was cut short and neat, his lips pursed into a thin line. He didn't have thick brows like Lucian. I could imagine the late Baron when he was young, that must how Lucian looked. But something tells me it wouldn't be right.

"Found the mother," Tristane gave me a white rimmed frame. "Pretty eh?"

Elizabeth Norwood was beyond pretty, she was beautiful! The descriptions on the journal didn't do much justice. Her face a perfect oval shape, her cheeks displayed freckles, that made her look older. Her nose was small and pointed. Her hair was gathered on her back so you can see her muslin dress, but you can tell her curly hair was very long from the way it was braided. I was staring at her eyes for a long time. She looked straight to the artist—at me. Her lashes were thick and long, or did the artist added extra touches to make it look like that? I wondered. What a lovely subject.

"According to Letecia, the portraits were usually procured when a family member turns of legal age and another one when they get married. This one," Tristane mean Elizabeth's, "was made when she married Lord Norwood."

"How old was Lucian when he disappeared?" I asked. It wasn't on the journal.

"Five and twenty."

"25.." he was of legal age, that means..

"Well, that's how they say it back then. Start with the small number then the big one. But Baron Lucian never got married, so we'll probably have a portrait of a younger self."

I gulped, there might be a huge difference between those ages. Specially at those times when people aged faster. Tristane went back to the chest, I heard papers being shoved.

"What's that?" I tried to look down but Tristane's body was blocking my view.

"Looks like a bunch of letters," he held up some of them, "I'd be darned but I can't read it." He gave it to me.

I patted the papers so I could see the letters, it was in French. I could make out some of the words, but I'll consult with dad. He's the expert.

"Can you read it?"

"A little, Dad can translate it for us. His French is better than mine."

"French? Ahh, the arictocrats and their social eccentrecities." He went back to digging the chest.

I heard him pull out a thick and heavy bound book, chances are it might contain some information about Lucian. But if its french as well, Dad will have to take it. I touched the books' cover, I'm certain it was leather. Did Lucian kept journals? And if he did, what did he write?

"I think we've just hit pay dirt."

I stared at Tristane, my face unmoving. I waited for him to lift the portrait that could change our lives. He pulled out a smaller frame, must be an 8x10 frame. Its edges were burgundy or what it used to be. Tristane brought the face to me, we stared at it as I held the flashlight.

"Is that?.."

"Yes." He said, "its Galbraith Norwood."

I saw his thick brows that shaped the midnight blue eyes. Dark hair that fell down his nape. A nicely chiseled jaw and a powerful mouth. It was him. A likeness of a younger self, my beautiful Lucian.

The room began to spin, my vision blurred and I saw darkness.