Day 73: 19 January 2026

 Short Story -- Monkshood Manor: Part 19

Dinner was a simple affair: cold chicken, fresh sourdough, some wedges of cheese, apples and for dessert a Victoria sponge that Mrs Winter had whipped up earlier.

Teddy, Mr Millings, Mrs Winter and — much to Teddy’s surprise — Mr Drey all sat at one end of the large dinning table. No one was standing on formality.

‘I’ve not even been here a week!’ Teddy exclaimed.

‘It’s a shame,’ Mr Drey said, ‘that you’ve had such a poor introduction to the neighbourhood.’

‘Well, it’s no one here’s fault that that odious Lord Tottington is our nearest neighbour,’ Mrs Winter said with fire. Then she calmed, ‘Everyone else in the village though is perfectly adequate.’

‘Is adequate, perfectly or not, that high or a recommendation?’ Teddy ventured.

‘Coming from Mrs Winter’s: yes,’ Mr Drey stated.

‘You must find all of this terribly… terrible,’ Teddy concluded turning to Mr Millings who’d been silent so far and looking a little uncertain.

‘It is… unconventional,’ he ceded. ‘Having a neighbour who — as I’ve gathered — has hired someone to stalk you and break into the manor, Mrs Winter — your staff — calling you by your Christian name…’ He let the sentence drift.

Mr Drey sighed at that last one and then chuckled. It was actually quite a deep and jovial laugh. ‘Mrs Winter does what she wants. There’s no two ways about it.’

‘Quite right, Neville. And the world’s a safer and more delightful place for it,’ she concluded.

‘Shall we review what we know?’ asked Teddy.

‘Lord Tottington — the TOAD — hired someone to follow you and also to break into the study and attempt to steal a journal,’ Mrs Winter started.

‘One that — conveniently — wasn’t there, and that I’d found the day before in a different room,’ filled in Teddy.

‘Today, Lord Tottington came back with a vengeance but didn’t get any further than verbally spewing his anger thanks to Me Drey,’ Mrs Winer concluded.

They all sat quietly lost in their own thoughts for a minute.

‘We can add,’ Mr Drey said, ‘that Lord Tottington also offered to buy the estate.’

‘Which will never happen,’ seethed Mrs Winter.

‘Of course not,’ Teddy affirmed. ‘In these few days I’ve been here, Monkshood Manor has already become very dear to me. And I have some big plans for her, if I’m able.’

If Mr Millings found it unusual for someone to gender a house, he didn’t mention anything. He did clear ask though, ‘And, if I  may, what would those plans be?’

‘Well,’ Teddy started, suddenly a bit nervous. ‘I’d… I’d like to turn it into a sort of orphanage and school.’ Mrs Winter smiled genuinely. And it gave Teddy the courage to go on, ‘There’s plenty of room here. And if the local children wanted to also attend the school, they could. It’s my understanding right now, as there are only about five or six of them, they have to go to the next village over, which isn’t at all practical or convenient for them or their parents. We could have a small addition to the live in staff, as well, mainly: a teacher or two.’

‘That’s a wonderful idea!’ Mrs Winter exclaimed.

‘Albeit perhaps a bit costly’ Mr Drey stated practically. ‘Where would the money come from?’

‘I was talking to Mr Reed about it the other day and he said he might know some people to get the ball rolling, so to speak, and be able to put me in touch with them,’ Teddy said.

‘And perhaps the village church could chip in,’ Mr Millings suggested.

Everyone looked at him.

‘It would benefit the village children as well. I’m sure the church could take a small collection or hold a fete of some sort to help raise some money to pay for a teacher,’ he said.

‘What a marvelous idea! I like this young man!’ Mrs Winter cried genially.

‘The house does require quite a bit of work and just some old fashioned cleaning before it’s ready for anyone else though,’ Teddy said trying to ground the conversation.

‘We could always do the work in order of importance,’ Mr Millings said, ‘start with the rooms that will be most needed first.’

Mrs Winter and Teddy nodded.

Teddy then blurted out,’ Mr Millings, please call me Teddy. My friends all do.’ She blushed a little.

So did he. ‘Then you must call me Charles.’

‘Charles,’ Teddy tested saying the name.

He smiled. Warmly. Genuinely.

‘Well, if that concludes everything,’ Mr Drey started noting that everyone was done eating and seemed to be starting more personal conversation.

‘One last thing, before I forget,’ Teddy said,  ‘Mr Reed will be stopping by tomorrow morning. Some final solicitor business mostly. I think he’d also just like to see the manor though.’

As everyone started standing up and stacking dishes, Mr Millings said, ‘Thabk you for dinner. I had better be off now. Let me talk to the priest at the church and a few other people in the village.’ He turned to Teddy specifically then, ‘I’ll call you Monday, Teddy?’

‘That’d be nice,’ she said smiling. Then realised she might look a bit like a silly schoolgirl and said seriously, ‘I mean, of course. That sounds very practical… Charles.’

Mr Drey walked Mr Millings out.

‘What a delightful and kind young man,’ Mrs Winter said smiling as she and Teddy carried the dishes into the kitchen. ‘And handsome, too.’

Teddy blushed.

The house rippled with warmth.

And Teddy was both terribly embarrassed and wonderfully pleased.

‘Once we finish cleaning up,’ she said changing the subject, ‘I’ll be off to my room for the night.’

‘And sweet dreams, dearie,’ Mrs Winter said, still smiling knowingly.

Teddy set the dishes by the sink and began to roll up her sleeves.

‘No need for that, my dear girl,’ Mrs Winter said. ‘You’ve had a full enough day. Head off and rest.’

And Teddy went to do just that. She fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.