With a smile, Talia left the vast bedroom. A little exercise would be just the thing to work a bit of an appetite before the dinner Godfrey was surely preparing for her. As she wandered through the halls, the thought of actually needing a map began to emerge, first as playful musings, which began growing into awed whispers in her mind. As large as the mansion looked from outside, it was clearly a lot larger than even her wildest expectations.
At first, she walked down the halls, randomly opening doors and venturing into the rooms beyond if they caught her attention. There was just so much to see in the house, all of it decorated in exquisite taste. A vast library. An enormous veranda leading to the immense gardens. A domed patio overlooking a crystal-clear pool, a pair of inviting hammocks lazily swinging in the breeze. A drawing room. Talia actually giggled at seeing the last one. She'd always thought proper drawing rooms were places only the super-rich actually cared to have in their houses. Well, she thought, I suppose I'm someone like that now.
And that was only the doors she'd managed to open, since around half of the doors she'd tried were locked. She wondered what she'd find behind those tantalizing doors. Mentally adding a reminder to ask Godfrey for the keyring, she reached the great double doors at the end of the hall, opening them with a grand gesture.
What she saw took her breath away. It was a ballroom, a real, brilliant ballroom straight from a Disney movie. Chandeliers, smooth marble floors, a fireplace and immense windows overlooking the mansion's gardens. It was awesome, almost unreal. Talia could imagine the enormous parties the place could hold. She made a note to ask Godfrey or someone else about the place's capacity. Really, there was just too much for her alone. A couple of parties would really liven up the place. A place this big could get really cold and silent, and she'd always been social. Surely she'd find enough people for a nice shindig.
And then there was the bright white stone platform at the back. Talia circled it, scratching her head. It was a bit too small to be for dancing, too big to be a table. It was certainly eye-catching, though, neatly decorated with grape vines and images of an ongoing feast.
"Excuse me? Miss Talia?" A voice called her from the ballroom's entrance. A girl who couldn't be older than Talia herself, wearing an apron over a black sweater and jeans. "Sorry. I'm Janna. Mr. Godfrey sends me; dinner's ready to be served. If you'd follow me to the small dining room?"
Talia smiled. "Sure, thanks!" She began following the taller maid. "Hey, Tricia? Quick question. Did my grandparents have a lot of parties here?"
The maid thought for a moment. "Not so much in these last years, but Mr. Godfrey sometimes talks about this place's history, and he says that back in the sixties and seventies this place was huge in the social scene. I do know there were a couple of huge New Year's Eve celebrations, some marriage banquets even. The house still has a fairly large wine cellar, even though it must be at around half capacity or less these days. Your grandparents still received people every now and then in the smaller rooms, though it wasn't like the place must have seen in its prime."
"I see. And... what's that big stone platform in the place of honor?"
Janna frowned. "I'm not really sure myself. I think it was for some kind of display. Maybe it was the hosts' table or the buffet table or something. Really, I've only been there a couple of times to clean up. Like I said, I've never seen a party big enough to justify opening up and preparing the ballroom with all the bells and whistles. But I'm sure Mr. Godfrey has, so I suppose he'd know."
With that, they arrived at the dining room. Talia oohed and aahed at the steak dinner prepared for her, and hurried to take her seat. The smell wafting from the slab of meat was simply divine, and Talia wasted no time in cutting and savoring a piece. She moaned appreciatively as the meat almost melted in her mouth, leaving a thick, strong aftertaste in its wake. It had to be one of the nicest meals she'd been treated to, especially with the array of sides festooning the main course. There was a baked potato, bathed in rich creamy sauce, grilled broccoli, a couple of biscuits slathered in gravy, and of course, the delicious red wine.
Talia was in heaven. The meal was a bit like the house: it seemed just way, way too much for her. But it was just so good, all of it. She had to wait a bit every now and then, popping her jeans open and massaging her filling stomach, but the explosions of flavor just kept on coming. Buttery, sweet, salty, creamy. It blended into a feeling of luxury and comfort such as Talia had never known. Sure, she could leave the meal there, but hell, food was best fresh, and a big dinner every now and then was a peccadillo she was guilty of.I'll just ask for lighter meals from now on.
Talai leaned back in the plush dining chair. Had I lived with Grandpa and Grandma all these years,, Talia mused, I sure wouldn't have ever managed to fit into these pants. Not with this kind of food.
At long, long last, she managed to finish the last scraps of steak, down the last drops of wine from her glass, and sink into the softness. "Oof. Oh, God, Godfrey, that was great."
The aged manservant nodded. "And will you have dessert, Miss Talia?"
The girl jerked a bit. "Oh, no. No more, please. I'm sure it would absolutely dellish, Godfrey, but I just can't have another bite. Please tell me not all dinners will be like this."
Godfrey cocked his head a bit. "Well. Your grandparents did like to have a large dinner fairly frequently, but I suppose I should have asked how much you eat regularly."
"It's fine. Just, please keep to smaller, lighter meals unless I specifically ask for something special, okay? I've got a good metabolism, but I can't handle these feasts everyday." The butler nodded. "Oh, and..." Suddenly, a wave of warmth Talia had been ignoring washed over her with renewed heat. "Uff... sorry, I think I need to lie down for a bit."
"As you wish. I shall leave the keyring in the main lobby's table in the morning, so you can explore the estate at your leisure, though bear in mind most of the closed areas are extra bedrooms, so there's not much to see if you are to stay in the master bedroom. There are several buzzers around, so you can call either miss Janna or myself if you need anything,"
And with that, both servants gave a short bow, cleared the table and left, leaving Talia alone to nurse her food baby. Slowly, she made her way back to the master bedroom, and peeled off her clothes. For a moment, she considered taking a long bath in the enormous tub, but she barely had the energy to unpack her toiletries and wash her teeth before the heaviness of her huge meal became almost unbearable. Talia ruefully chuckled. Only once in a while, no matter how good this is...
She didn't even get to put on her pajamas before throwing herself on the bed. Talia was out like a light when she hit the pillow, not even bothering to cover herself.
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