Chapter 23

“The ballroom was probably a needless extravagance,” Carlton said, “but it was part of the original house, and I thought it ought to be preserved.”

“And I can see why,” Eric said. “It’s beautiful.”

“Yes, it is, isn’t it?”

From the ballroom, they made their way back through the parlor, and into the library.

“This is probably my favorite room,” Carlton said.

“And I can certainly understand that. You’ve outdone yourself, here.”

“Not me, the workmen.”

“Yeah, but who gave them the inspiration? I forgot to ask, are all those fireplaces functional?”

“There are four fireplaces on each floor, and they all work just fine.”

They left the library and walked down the hall to the dining room. “What are those doors on each side of the corridor?” Eric said.

“Powder rooms for guests. Large half-baths, actually. Two of them should be enough to handle almost any situation.”