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slight bend she caught her first glimpse of Sethe Manor and it nearly took her breath away.  Acres upon acres of lush, artfully manicured lawns surrounded the huge stone structure that appeared almost fortress-like in design, yet it was so beautifully crafted that her eyes skipped from place to place in utter delight and fascination.  Enormous mullioned windows reflecting the bright morning sun graced all four stories of the imposing structure and four round turrets bordered the corners of the building, giving it the appearance of a castle.  She thought of the castles described in the fairy tales that her mother used to read to her when she was a little girl, and knew that none of them could have rivaled the vision before her.  She had always considered Glenbrooke to be magnificent, but she knew that it would pale in comparison. 
    She could have gazed upon its beauty for hours, but all too soon the carriage came to a stop before a set of immense double doors.  She drew a deep, steadying breath as the carriage steps were lowered and the door pulled open by one of the Sethe’s footmen.  She smiled politely and then felt herself blush as the young man’s jaw visibly dropped.  Blatant male admiration was something she never quite seemed to get used to.   To his credit he recovered quickly, though a blush of embarrassment rapidly colored his own cheeks as he took a step back, holding the door open as another footman stepped forward to assist her from the carriage and then escorted her up the manor steps.  The butler, tall and thin, with an inscrutable expression, stood regally before the entrance, diligently overseeing her arrival.
    “Good morning, Lady St. John.  Welcome to Sethe Manor,” he greeted with polite formality.
    “Thank you,” Ashleigh responded, managing a nervous smile as her insides churned in anxiety.   Entering the front hall, she discovered that the inside of the manor, if possible, was even more beautiful than the outside.  The floor she was standing on was cut into alternating squares of black and white marble, each square polished to a brilliant luster.  She looked upward to see that the hall itself was over two stories high, and the sun shining in through the diaphanous windows made it appear quite grand.  An enormous staircase, wide enough to hold five people on a single step, rose elegantly to a spacious second floor landing and beautiful, intricately carved moldings graced the doors, walls and ceilings; executed by some of the finest craftsmen in the world she was sure.  The furniture, all of the highest quality, seemed to be a tasteful mixture of English, Italian, and French; exquisitely designed carpets covered sections of the floor and priceless art hung upon the walls.  The house was an obvious testament to the great wealth and power that had been in the Sethe family for generations.
    “Ashleigh!”
    The pleased exclamation drew her from her admiration of the great hall and as she turned toward the voice, she caught only a brief glimpse of its owner before she was enveloped in the perfumed embrace of the woman she assumed to be the Dowager Duchess of Sethe .
    “I am so glad that you are finally here and absolutely delighted that you will be staying with us while your grandfather is away,” declared the duchess, stepping back slightly to get a better look at her.
    “Thank you, Your Grace.  I am honored that you would open your home to me,” Ashleigh replied, a bit surprised by the woman’s warm, effusive and far from formal greeting.  Quickly though, she recovered her wits and sank into a deep curtsey.
    “Oh dearest, you mustn't stand on formality with me,” she said with a friendly smile.  “I have heard so much about you from your grandfather that I feel as if I know you already.  Please, call me Madeline.”
    Ashleigh felt her tension easing as she regarded the slender, white-haired lady standing before her.  Though she appeared to be around the same age as her