Chapter 7 Hawthorne Heights

It could be said that no matter how careful one is, cautiousness could still let something slip out either out of a misinterpretation or the goal of others to destroy one's reputation. The destruction of one's reputation could be said to have been far worse, but what if both things happened? Something slipping out and later used to destroy someone's reputation? What then?

Entering Hawthorne Heights was nothing like she had ever experienced before, it was just as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside. Minutes before they entered, Emily managed to burn the exterior of the home into her memory, now that she was inside she was planning on doing the same. The drapes were in mint green and surprisingly there was no wallpaper, the walls were instead painted with light peach-colored paint as far as she could tell. The inside was rather cozy and she now understood why Nicholas wanted to buy the estate; it was stunningly beautiful yet simple at the same time. There was the hearth at the center of it all, with an armchair and the couch nearby all were in light-colored fabric.

"Are you sure it's alright?" Emily asked Nicholas, worried. "Are you sure Mr. Hawthorne won't mind?"

"He doesn't get a lot of visitors these days," replied he as they inched closer to the living room arrangement. "So I'm sure he won't mind meeting you either."

That was pleasant to hear, she thought, she could finally meet the man who was greatly missed during the party. She was far more prepared to meet someone this way rather than in a crowd and this eased her mind on the matter.

Nicholas led her through the inside of the house and saw it fit to go first to the den, or rather the recreation room if you will that had an indoor pool table in it. The den also included the library with books many of which Emily had already read during her spare time that started six years ago. Six years ago, she remembered that year but not fondly. Opening the shelf case that contained the books she was careful not to cause damage to any of them. Fortunately, Emily was not the clumsy sort that stumbled on her feet and manage to either ruin or destroy things along the way.

Enchanted by the library and reaching for one of the books she had already read, Emily lamented if these books were the property of the late Mrs. Hawthorne the titles alone are geared toward women rather than men, perhaps she was the bookworm in the relationship and Mr. Hawthorne was the great investor.

While she was busy with her thoughts, Emily did not notice him pour a glass of wine from the small bar in the corner of the room. Her fascination with novels was certainly not new for she had been an avid reader since childhood and it extended to her writing during her secondary years. Having been out of the writing loop for years now, a thought came to her that maybe it was time to return and make a living out of it. These days, they no longer print chapters in the newspapers every Sunday due to the advanced printing process since that time so she had no idea how she could be in contact with an agent of sorts. She drew her face closer to the open book in hand and inhaled the scent of its pages.

"I haven't seen you this excited over anything," said Nicholas from behind her and not softly either making her drop the book.

"It's like meeting an old friend," she replied turning back to him with a smile.

"Have you read it?"

"Yes." She replied. "A long time ago."

Returning the book to its rightful place, Emily noticed that Nicholas had two glasses of wine with him and without hesitation offered her one. Taking it from him she was unsure she wanted to take a sip before she met Mr. Hawthorne, she had heard from the house staff that it was considered bad luck in these parts.

"I overheard the house staff that it was bad luck to drink wine in the house of someone you have yet to be introduced to." She said comfortably and inhaled the scent of the wine while doing so.

Nicholas snickered and said;

"You don't believe in that nonsense do you?" He asked and she shook her head sideways. "So take a sip."

Emily took a sip of the wine, she did not want to end up drunk on the floor of someone else's home, that would be too embarrassing and would likely cost her her job.

"Mr. Sutcliffe!" A voice came from outside the den and both Emily and Nicholas set down their glasses of wine on the table. "I know you're in there, Mrs. Peters informed me."

The door opened and in came an elderly man with a walking stick, his face sallow and gaunt, his once tall frame was now hunched surprisingly his silver hair was neatly combed to the back of his head and he smelled of strawberries.

"The next time you bring a house guest make sure you ring for me, I would like to meet the friends of my friend."

Nicholas walked over to the old man and assisted him on his way inside. Hawthorne had surely seen better days but she was pleasantly surprised that he was a jovial fellow as opposed to men like her father who had been rather unaffectionate towards his family. She realized that while growing up she had stacked up all the men in one basket and decided that they were all the same, now that she had gotten older it was time for her to reevaluate that sentiment.

"Come closer, my dear," Hawthorne said, and she obeyed. "Like a sunflower in the middle of a storm."

"Forgive the old fellow, he doesn't know what he's talking about," Nicholas said in a whisper.

Emily chuckled but at the same time tried to cover it from her host.

"I heard that," said the old man who finally rested on the armchair. "Forgive me, I am Oliver Percival Hawthorne and I welcome you to my humble home."

"Emily Blakewell from Dark Harbor, Mr. Hawthorne." She introduced herself.

Hawthorne offered her his hand and she shook it, his handshake was surprisingly firm for a man advancing in age.

"A pleasure to meet you, Emily," Hawthorne said with a warm smile.

"Likewise Mr. Hawthorne."

"What has this young man said about me so far?"

Emily froze, she did not know the answer to that for all the information she had received about him came from the Mortimers, but she decided to tell the truth instead rather than lie.

"Well to be honest Mr. Hawthorne, Nicholas hasn't told me anything about you in detail." She replied in the hopes that he would understand.

Nicholas cleared his throat as though signaling to her to say no such thing because the old man would wax lyrically about his long life. To no surprise, Hawthorne did what Nicholas had warned her about and began his life story with his boyhood in Harper's End where the population was far too small that it was akin to a small town unlike Middleton Valley with towns spread around. He was the son of a fisherman and a homemaker and was taught at an early age how to fish and later sell in the town market. He had no formal education and was taught by his mother how to read and write which was also encouraged by his fisherman father. As soon as he turned fifteen, he started working in the local fish market when his family had come across a bit of money with the help of a family friend. Later, when he had saved enough money from the fish market he decided to invest all of his savings in a piggery business in Middleton Valley where most of the profit was and with the permission of his parents he was granted to go off on his own and start his very first business. The rest they say is history.

Emily noticed Nicholas raise his eyebrows just as she started applauding old Mr. Hawthorne's story.

"I thought it would be much longer," said Nicholas.

"It would only bore our guest." Replied Hawthorne.

"And your wife?"

"She passed away twenty years ago now," he replied without a hint of hesitation. "Eileen was her name, and what a dear girl she was and these are are all her books." He looked into the space between Nicholas and Emily, remembering his wife fondly from the years they had spent together.

"Have you any children together?" Asked Emily who wondered if Nicholas thought she had been bothering the old man with her questions.

"Three of them," he replied diligently. "Ethan, Elena, and Egon." He added. "Egon was my father's name."

Three children grew up here in Hawthorne Heights, and that made her happy that such a cozy home had been part of the Hawthorne children's childhoods. It was a good place to grow up in without any of the smog that Dark Harbor had. The apartment she had grown up in had no affection despite being thankful that she had grown up sheltered, Hawthorne Heights was different in that respect since old Mr. Hawthorne and his late wife sound like good people and there for good parents. "They left for the Harbor years ago though they do come and visit."

The old man fished out his pocket watch from his coat pocket and said;

"Forgive me but what time are you planning to head for home?"

"Oh!" She exclaimed and reached for her own watch hanging in her own pocket, it was three-thirty in the afternoon. "I'm planning on going now, it's going to be sundown in a few hours and I don't want to get lost in the dark."

Nicholas looked at her as though saying 'Oh you'll never get lost in the dark with me.' that made her raise an eyebrow.

"It was lovely to meet you Mr. Hawthorne." Said Emily to her host and the old man smiled. "And can I just say how beautiful your home is?"

"It was a pleasure to meet you too Miss Emily, and I designed this home though my wife did the interiors," Hawthorne replied with a smile.

Before they left, both Emily and Nicholas finished their glass of wine not wanting anything to go to waste.

"Would you like to ride with me?" Nicholas asked softly.

"On a horse?" She then nodded and they started their way to the stables.

On their way to the stables, they saw horse trainers teaching horses how to run properly during a race or so she thought. Emily knew how to ride a horse, but she was far away from a jockey. The next thing she knew, they were walking along the grass area of the estate, and noticed the horse trainers greeting them with a nod.

Reaching the stables, Nicholas turned to her and asked;

"You can ride a horse right?"

"I can."

"Good, since you're riding one today."

It was then when a beautiful chestnut horse appeared before her and neighed and later calmed in her presence. She touched the horse on the side of his face and petted his head. She felt no fear in having to ride a horse since she prided herself on being not just a horseback rider but for being good with animals in general.

"His name's Sully, it's short for Sullivan."

"Very beautiful," she said unconsciously while still admiring the horse before her.

"Do you think all things are beautiful?" asked Nicholas.

There had been a lot of realizations from her trip to town and outside of Mortimer House in general. For one it was the first time she had been exposed to what resembled the real world, away from the strangeness of the family who have been very kind to her. Two, she understood now the reason as to why old Mr. Hawthorne did not attend the party in her honor, he had been too old, and not having his wife around was more or less painful to him. And lastly, she realized that things took time, just as Hawthorne's business took time to grow so would she in her new life.

"They can be."