The trio met like they had the previous days, in front of the house. Helena dressed in a mint green summer dress. They were getting into a routine. Regrettably, Helena’s lack of sleep the previous twenty-four hours didn’t help her demeanor. She was coming to the realization that the more she learned about her family, the higher the likelihood she had a dark life awaiting her. She couldn’t stop thinking about all horrible outcomes her future might hold. Was this to be her new reality?
The two men must’ve been equally tired she did notice both had freshly bandaged knuckles and a few bruises on their faces. Helena had been so focused on protecting herself she didn’t know the two men had such a rough go of it last night.
Helena thought to herself: If we don’t find some useful information on this trip I’m going to tell Minnie, I quit. Missy and her family are lost forever. Once the vehicle started moving Helena fell asleep slumped in her seat.
Time flew, Sigmund woke her up. Bessie parked outside Lady Chesterfield’s house in Santa Clara. Before she had completely opened her eyes, she endured the sound of construction. Hammers were hammering, saws were sawing, and her eyes flashed open when she felt the crash of a lumber load being dumped right in front of Bessie.
“You should read The Chronicle or The Call, along with your papers from New York and Europe. This has been going on for over a year,” Sigmund said looking up at the massive Victorian mansion. Where a typical home of the style, has a rhyme or reason to it this had none. The wood structure already stood seven stories tall and nearly as wide. Construction seemed to be going on everywhere at once.
“But who would need a house so huge?” Helena asked.
“I’m not sure why the constant construction, but the building started a year ago and has been going day and night ever since.”
“That’s insane, and Lady Chesterfield lives here?”
“All part of the insanity, she has been living here during the construction. You can ask Madame Griselda what the impetus was for this round-the-clock building,” Sigmund gazed up the side of the structure.
“I... I am not sure I want to go in there, do you think the building is safe?”
“It’s safe enough for Lady Chesterfield and Madame Griselda. It should be safe enough for the hour or, so you might be in there,” Lane chuckled.
Helena tentatively got out the automobile, stepping around workman, lumber, and wound her way to the front door. She studied the haphazard construction holding the building together. Fearful if she knocked the entire structure might come tumbling down, overriding her fear she grabbed the knocker and rapped three times. She stepped back just in case the door fell out of the wall which it didn’t. The door slowly opened towards the inside creaking the whole way, the wall out of plumb.
Helena was greeted by an elderly Butler who spoke before Helena could speak a word, “I’m sorry, but the Lady Chesterfield does not take visitors,” and start closing the door.
“That’s lovely Sir, but I’m not here to see Lady Chesterfield. I’m here to visit Madame Griselda, please tell her Mistress Jinx has sent me,” Helena tried to speak with her most formal and proper voice not sure how she did.
The Butler scrunched his face up like he had encountered a fresh cow pat laying in the center of the porch. However, he did open the door wider allowing Helena to step over the threshold. “If you will please wait in the parlor, I will see if Madame Griselda is available.”
Helena was sure the man couldn’t have spoken in a more condescending tone, but she made it inside the door and still lived. She tried to decide if it would be ironic if she came all this way only to die in a building collapse or construction accident. Before she reached a conclusion to her rational, she could hear a tinkling of jewelry approaching before the woman gushed into the room.
“Oh, my dearest, I’m so glad to meet you please tell me everything you can about that minx Mistress Jinx,” she laughed at her own rhyme like she was the funniest person in the world. Helena didn’t find it that funny, but she smiled all the same.
“Hello Madame Griselda, my name is Helena Brandywine...” the two women went shook hands before Helena began to explain in great detail everything she knew about Mistress Jinx, which wasn’t that much.
“I’m sure you didn’t come all the way from San Francisco to fill me in on my old friend Jinx, now tell me why you’re really here?” Madame Griselda asked.
“A few days ago, a friend of mine came asking for help...” Helena went on to recite the entire story. Finishing with, “I hoped you might be able to use your special gift to give me a clue or an idea or something, anything. I’m running out of ideas and leads.”
“I’m sure Jinx told you there is no guarantee I will be able to see anything, my gift is not like some of the other witches, mine is more fluid, magic
