Read Warning at Eagle's Watch for Free Online

sought along the nearby wall for a lightswitch. The room sprang to life, and Hillary's eyes widened in awe.
    She had found the ballroom of the castle, and it was truly magnificent. The windows were heavily covered with elegant brocade draperies, their golden weave glimmering richly. Graceful gilt chairs lined the long walls; the floor was covered with inlaid tiles. There was an attractive dais at one end of the huge room, and Hillary could just imagine the tuxedoed orchestra that must have perched upon it for so many of the Scott family celebrations.
    The chandeliers on the ceiling glittered with light, and Hillary found herself envisioning the stately couples of earlier times, spinning around the graceful floor together, moving to the happy music, dresses flowing around them, their curled hair piled high. She stood alone in the midst of all her imagined splendor for several minutes, trying to envision herself in the conjured dream.
    Percival's peevish yowl brought her abruptly back to the present, amazed at the romantic and exhilarating thoughts that had affected her so. Really, what was this place doing to her?
    She found the hallway windows that looked out onto the enclosed garden, a little courtyard showing signs of neglect and decay. It most probably came far down on the list of priorities in a place such as this, with only Mr. Raymond to tend to the upkeep. But it was a shame, for it seemed a peaceful and thought- provoking place.
    Two marble cherubs looked sprightly in now-dry fountains, encrusted with moss and the signs of time. Hillary made a mental note to explore it more fully when she had more than the stolen light from the hallway windows and a small hand-held flashlight to cast light into it.
    The great hall in the castle made a turn to the left and traveled along the rear wing of the castle. There were a number of smaller rooms, a sitting room, laundry room, utility areas. On the fourth side of the castle, she found the large and extremely well-arranged kitchen, appliances and counters gleaming brightly in the overhead light. The pantry was well stocked. The small servants' eating area was rather bleak and cold. There was no one to be seen.
    Coming closer to the front of the castle, she found the formal dining room, its long oval table sitting squarely in the center, its highbacked chairs adding to the regal appearance. The high ceiling and coldness of the walls made even the huge table seem dwarfed. The great stone fireplace stood empty and cold in the summer evening.
    The last room she found on the first floor was a book-filled study, its walls lined high with extensive shelves of musty-smelling volumes. A heavy antique desk commanded the room, demanding silence, demanding respect. She was eager to slip through its solemness to the doorway beyond. She found herself once again in the front foyer.
    She had traveled completely around the square that was the main floor of the castle, and her emotions were mixed ones. It belonged to another age, another life, despite Scotty's attempts to modernize a few of the rooms. No wonder Scotty had never rightfully been able to call it "home."
    Hillary moved up the grand staircase to the upper floor, not really anxious to see more of the castle's massiveness, but nevertheless feeling compelled to get it over with. Percival had disappeared.
    She flicked the light switches in the hallway as she moved along, trying not to notice the eeriness of the shadows that were cast.
    Besides the rooms occupied by herself and Scotty, there were a number of other dramatic bedrooms, as regal as they were outdated, but freshly cleaned and polished for the soon arriving family members. Along the back wing, she opened door after door of empty bedrooms, not as elegant as those in the family wing, but well furnished and definitely striking. In its active times. Eagle's Watch could have housed dozens of guests without turning a hair.
    She was excited when she found the first doorway to one of the