Read Online Hidden (Marchwood Vampire Series #1) by Shalini Boland - Free Book Online Page B

show!’ she said. ‘What a treat. Ben, would you like to
see a show? I’ve always wanted to see Billy Elliot.’
    ‘ That’s about dancing.’ He didn’t look too impressed. ‘What
other ones are there?’
    ‘ Should we be leaving Madison here on her own? This is an
important day for her.’ Trevor said. He paused and then nodded his
head once, as if reaching a decision. ‘Now, Maddy, don’t go
deciding anything till we get back. Just do like Mr Vasey-Smith
says and have a little time to yourself. We’ll all have a think and
then we can sort out what we’re going to do later, once we get
back.’
    Maddy gritted her teeth and tried to ignore his patronising,
overly friendly tone. He was seriously getting on her nerves.
Hadn’t Mr Vasey-Smith told them it was her decision; nothing to do
with them . She
couldn’t wait for them to leave, so she could think
straight.
    ‘ Yeah, Trevor. See you later.’
    He looked at
her, trying to spot any attitude in her words. But she plastered on
a smile and he seemed satisfied.
    ‘ Bye, Benny Boy. Have fun watching the dancing .’
    ‘ Shut up, Mads. Gonna see something cool aren’t we,
Angie?’
    ‘ There’s a list here, Ben. We’ll have a look on the way. You
be alright, Maddy?’
    ‘ Yes, yes.’
    ‘ Alright! Only asking. See you later, love.’
    Mr Vasey-Smith
buzzed the receptionist to come and show the Johnsons and Ben out
to their car, leaving him and Madison alone in the room. It was
only eleven fifteen, but Madison felt like she’d been there for
hours. The wall clock ticked faintly.
    ‘ Will the house and everything really be mine?’
    ‘ Yes.’
    ‘ And living there - that’s my decision too? No one else can
decide. I mean, Trevor, he can’t tell me what to do and make me
move there or anything?’
    ‘ Madison, all of this is about you. Nobody else is involved.
Nobody else can make the decision. You are the sole beneficiary ...
that is, if you want to be.’
    ‘ Right,’ she exhaled.
    ‘ If you’ll allow me to suggest something …’
    She
nodded.
    ‘ Why don’t you take me up on my offer of sitting in the
private lounge to look at the details of the house, maybe before
you rip them to shreds?’
    She looked
down and realised she had twisted the details around in her hands
until they were nearly torn in two. She gasped. ‘I’m sorry, I
didn’t even realise ...’
    ‘ It’s not a problem, don’t worry about it.’ He smiled. ‘Follow
me.’
    He led her
through another door to a beautifully furnished sitting room with a
cream chaise longue, two tan leather armchairs and an oversized
flowery sofa. Soft landscapes sat in gilt frames and a huge ornate
mirror hung decadently over a carved wooden fireplace. The faint
scent of vanilla hung in the air and shafts of diffuse sunlight
warmed the room. Heavy pale blue silk curtains billowed in the
breeze which floated in from an open sash window above a
wrought-iron Juliet balcony.
    It was like no
room Madison had ever been in before and she felt an urge to fall
into the sofa and close her eyes.
    ‘ Please make yourself comfortable. I’ll ask Marilyn to bring
you some lunch in about an hour. If you need me, just pick up the
phone.’ He pointed to a telephone which sat discreetly on the lower
shelf of one of the side tables. There’s a bathroom outside, first
door on the right.’
    With that, he
deposited the family tree scroll on the table and left the room,
closing the door with a soft click.
    Madison put
the screwed up details on the table along with her glass of
lemonade. She walked over to the open window and looked out. Busy
weekend traffic sounds filtered up from the thoroughfare below.
Immediately opposite, stood similar buildings to this one:
large-windowed stately edifices reeking of power and money. Was she
now part of that world?
    A skip of excitement dared to make itself felt in her chest.
She wanted to smile, but didn’t know if she could let herself.
There had to be a catch, well,