Marchwood Hall

Chapter 6

The long gravel driveway was thick with weeds. The bordering lawns tall and spilling over their once manicured edges. Large, wrought iron gates, that must once have been beautiful, were stuck permanently open. The black, delicately curled and twisted decoration chipped and tarnished with decades of rust. One of the hinges was loose or corroded causing the gate to hang crooked on the right-hand side beneath the crumbling stone arch.

"Well, we're going to need to find a gardener with fantastic commitment." Catherine noted aloud as the car made its steady way up the grand driveway.

"I think anyone who opts to come and work here will require fantastic commitment, mother. I knew it wouldn't be in good shape, but just look at the place, I'm surprised it hasn't fallen down."

Thomas was sat forward on his seat in the back of the car, peering through the windscreen at the crumbling old manor that loomed ahead. At the bottom of the long driveway it hadn't appeared so bad, but the closer they drew the more dilapidated details came into view.

"I'm almost afraid to see what it looks like inside."

"Still, at least we know what our first move must be. We'll pop in a see a local building firm this afternoon, if they can survey the building and compile a report for us before we leave for London again. Then we can make plans and arrange what work needs to be carried out from home."

"Well, it is certainly going to be a big project to undertake, and costly. You don't think we might be taking on too much with this, do you, mother?"

The car came to a halt in front of the peeling double doors at the front of the large manor house. Catherine could just picture the scene in her mind, the wood varnished and gleaming, Roberts standing proudly at the foot of the stone stairs to escort them from the car. Oh it could be perfect, almost like her childhood home.

"Well, it is your house my dear, and your decision. But let us at least have a look around, have a survey carried out. All decisions can be made after we have all the information at hand."

Catherine didn't like to admit that she was feeling more concerned now that they were actually stepping out of the car in front of the house. She wanted to remain optimistic about their prospects, but it was certainly going to be a lot of work, and a great expense to make the manor liveable again, and she wasn't sure if they'd realistically be able to afford it in the long run, not with dear George gone, and Thomas' incapacity. It would be a bitter pill to swallow should all of her excitement and enthusiasm for this project come to nothing, but in all seriousness what was best for their future had to be considered. Besides, while she could give her options on the matter, all the final decisions would rest on Thomas' shoulders.

Catherine took a moment to speak with the driver of the taxi that had brought them to the house once they were both standing out on the gravel driveway, while Thomas took a moment to look up at the outside of the building.

"Well, I'd hope most of the exterior work that needs doing is mostly cosmetic. The whole place doesn't look particularly pleasant but I can't see any very serious structural problems, with any luck there won't be any hiding beneath the surface. These old houses were built to survive after all." Thomas was trying to sound hopeful, to find a silver lining to hang onto that wouldn't destroy his mother's enthusiasm. He hadn't been much better himself, but he'd seen her melancholy for too long, quiet and dignified though her grief was, this week had been the first time he'd seen a lift in her spirits since his father's passing. "A fair few of the windows will need replacing, if it might not be better to just replace the lot; crumbling stone details here and there, but the building itself seems solid enough. My comment earlier can be forgotten, mother, I don't think we need concern ourselves with it falling down around our ears." he called out to Catherine as the car turned around and headed back off down the driveway once again.