Amaya Mayberry was in the middle of an important financial meeting with the heads of one of the most prominent advertising agencies in Chicago, when her life tripped from reality to fantasy in the blink of death.

While heading that board meeting, she was interrupted by her administrative assistant. Mrs. Anderson cracked the door and stuck her head in. “Ms. Mayberry, you have a phone call.”

Annoyed her meeting had been interrupted, she spoke sharply. “Tell whoever it is I’ll call them back.”

Mrs. Anderson shook her head. “Ms. Mayberry, it’s your mother. I think you had better take it in my office.”

Amaya made her apologies and left the room. She spoke very few words. “Oh, no!” Her face went ashen and she leaned on the desk for support as her legs began to buckle. “Yes, I’m on my way.”

Composing herself, Amaya thanked Mrs. Anderson and gave her instructions to inform the board members that her grandfather had passed away and she was leaving immediately. She grabbed her briefcase and purse and hurried out the door.

Amaya had always enjoyed coming to Mississippi to visit her granddaddy and had recently submitted her request for a two week vacation for her annual visit, but this trip was unexpected and rushed.

* * * *

Now here she was in a rental car, driving from the airport to her grandfather’s home where she would wait for her parents, who had gotten a later flight out and wouldn’t arrive until the following morning. Granddaddy is dead! What on earth am I going to do without him? He had always been her best friend and confidant. Having grown up first in Zion and then Lake Forest, Illinois, she had spent every summer since she started school in Mississippi with her grandparents, and then her granddaddy after her grandma died. With both her parents being practicing attorneys, they were happy to have Amaya cared for by people who loved her. She would miss him so much. “If only I had planned my vacation sooner,” she berated herself aloud, “I would have been here for him.”

Amaya arrived at the old white farmhouse very late at night to find Granddaddy’s nearest neighbor waiting up for her with hot coffee and a meal. Friends and neighbors had been bringing food, coffee and cold drinks to the house all day for Amaya, her parents, and the guests who would drop by. Homemade pies and cakes, rolls and brownies covered the counter, and the refrigerator was filled to overflowing with salads, dips and dishes waiting to be heated.

“I want to extend my condolences, Amaya. Your grandfather was a wonderful friend and neighbor,” said Mrs. Woodrow.

Tears touched Amaya’s eyes and she pushed her plate away and thanked Mrs. Woodrow, then insisted she go home to get some rest. “I’ll be fine. Mom and Dad will be here first thing in the morning.”

“I can stay with you tonight if you want company, Amaya. I don’t mind at all.”

“That won’t be necessary, Mrs. Woodrow, I’m very tired. I think I’ll just take a bath and go to bed.” After seeing Mrs. Woodrow to the door, Amaya climbed the threadbare carpet covering the stairs, eased into the old-fashioned claw foot tub and cried her eyes out.

* * * *

Making coffee and nibbling on a roll, Amaya was relieved the night was over and her parents would arrive today. The eerie silence of the empty house and knowing she would never see her granddaddy again had made sleep impossible as she had tossed and turned and waited for the first light of day.

When the knock sounded on the door, Amaya rushed to open it. Expecting her parents or another neighbor laden with food, she was surprised to see a gentleman standing on the porch with briefcase in hand.

“Hello, may I help you?”

“Yes, Miss Mayberry, I am James Lowry, your grandfather’s attorney. I have been instructed to meet with you and your parents as soon as possible.”

This annoyed Amaya, but she ushered him in and offered him coffee. “Mr. Lowry, this isn’t the best time to meet with us. My parents will be arriving at any moment and we have a lot of arrangements to make. Could this possibly wait until after the funeral?”

Mr. Lowry sipped his coffee and wiped his mouth with a paper napkin. “I am sorry to intrude, Miss Mayberry, but I have explicit instructions from your grandfather. I am to read the will as soon as your parents arrive.”

“That’s ridiculous; all Granddaddy had was this farm and maybe a few dollars in the bank. What could possibly be so important that it can’t wait?”

“I can’t say at the moment, but if it wouldn’t be an intrusion, may I wait for your parents?”

Amaya waved away any more objections and poured more coffee. “Have you known my grandfather long, Mr. Lowry?”

“Oh my, yes. I have been his attorney for twenty-three years. I knew him well.”

“Really?” quizzed Amaya. She wondered what on earth her granddaddy would need an attorney for, but only nodded and made small talk with the gentleman until she heard her parents come up the drive.

After Jeffery and Helen Mayberry had unloaded the car and refreshed themselves, they sat down for coffee with Mr. Lowry. “Well,” questioned Helen, “what’s so urgent you must see us now? We’re very tired and my father has just passed away. I would think you could have waited a few days before disturbing us.”

“I am sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Mayberry, but like I told your daughter, this was your father’s request, not mine. He left a video tape for you to watch, and I was instructed to make sure you saw it the moment you arrived.”

Amaya looked at her mother, “A video tape! Granddaddy didn’t even own a video camera. This is ridiculous!”

“I assure you, it isn’t.” Mr. Lowry pulled the tape out of his briefcase. “I’m prepared whenever you’re ready.”

Helen looked at her husband and then her daughter. “I suppose we’d better get it over with. We have a lot of arrangements to make today.”

When they were seated in the parlor, Mr. Lowry put the tape in the machine and clicked the button on the remote. Tears streamed from Helen’s eyes as she saw her father sitting in his favorite chair smiling at the group.

“Helen, Jeffery, Amaya,” he began, “I asked Mr. Lowry to show you this tape, because I have something important to tell you. It’s about my papa, so here goes.” Barney MacTavish adjusted himself in his seat and continued.

“Helen, your grandpa, my papa, left some money to me when he died and I’ve had to make arrangements to pass it on. Now, I really didn’t know where this money came from, but rumor had it Papa had sheltered some gangsters and he was paid dearly for it. Then there was a rumor of bootlegged moonshine, but the story Ma told was that Papa went to Alaska and discovered a gold mine and sold it. Of course, we weren’t allowed to talk of it and Ma didn’t tell me that until after Papa died. I do remember him being gone all one summer and sort of remember being told he was in Alaska, so that’s the story I chose to believe at the time.

“Anyway, Papa never cared much for money and that was the way I was raised, so until he died, I didn’t know he was a wealthy man. Papa left me a considerable amount of money and this house I live in. Not caring much for money myself, but having a real good business head, I just invested what Papa left me and let it grow. I always provided for my family and Imogene never complained, so I figured she was happy with what we had. Of course, we did dip into it every now and then. Any man in his right mind knows you can’t make a decent living growing cotton, but I always enjoyed farming. It gave me pleasure to work the fields, to turn tiny seeds into cotton bolls, then to harvest it and see it be turned into so many uses.

“Helen, you know your mama’s love was her garden. I remember watching her plant the crocus, daffodils and tulips and her delight each spring when new yellowish-green shoots would poke out of the earth and grow to favor us with beauty. Then roses in the summer and mums in the fall. What a comfort it was to sit there on the porch with my wife, knowing she provided this beauty for me to come home to after a hard day in the fields.”

Barney sighed and rubbed his temple before he spoke again.

“I guess I’m getting a little off track here with my remembrances, but I don’t have long to live, and knowing that, I enjoy reflecting on the good things God gave me and my family, but now, back to the money. Like I said, I did some investing and, lo and behold, I made some wise choices. I turned that fifteen million two hundred thousand dollars that my papa left me into over fifty million, not counting the stocks and bonds I haven’t done anything with for a while, but Amaya, you can keep an eye on those.”

Mr. Lowry clicked the button on the remote to stop the tape when Helen fainted. Jeffery barely had time to catch her before she fell off the chair and onto the floor.

Amaya ran to the kitchen for a glass of water and sprinkled a few drops in her mother’s face. Helen woke with a moan and looked around to orient herself to her surroundings.

“Did he say fifty million dollars?”

“Now, Mom, you know Granddaddy was kidding. There’s no way he had that kind of money. Just you wait, in a few minutes, he’ll tell us it was all a joke and leave the farm to one of us.” She stroked her mother’s head as Jeffery cradled his wife in his arms.

“That’s right, Helen,” he said. “It’s a joke.”

Helen nodded her head and raised herself back to the chair. “Of course it is,” she said warily, “but when did Papa develop a sense of humor?”

Mr. Lowry stood in front of the television set and spoke with authority. “Prepare yourselves, Mr. and Mrs. Mayberry, Miss Mayberry. This is no joke. He does have the money and it’s at the First National Bank.”

Helen gasped and took a sip of water. Jeffery’s eyes opened wide and his mouth hung open. Amaya merely smiled and whispered to the room. “Who would have thought?”

Mr. Lowry clicked the button to turn the tape back on. Barney MacTavish looked tired, but straightened in his chair and continued his oration.

“Now here I am, preparing to die, and I have all this money to deal with. Like I said, I’ve never needed much money, but since I have it and I’m going to die, I need to prepare a will. I bought this video camera and had the man show me how to use it so I could tell you what I intend to do.

“Helen, as my only child, I’m leaving you ten million dollars and the farm to do with as you wish. My one request is you don’t squander it away and have nothing to show for it. That husband of yours is a fine man and I think a lot of him. I expect the two of you will put the money to good use. I am sorry I didn’t tell you I was sick, but I didn’t want you worrying and hovering over me. You needed to be living your own life.

“Next, I want to tell you, Helen, I’ve left you a personal tape to view when you get back home. Meanwhile, your Aunt Linda has also been provided for. She took real good care of my Imogene before she died, and since Linda was her only sister, I’ve made sure she’ll be set for life. You’ll see her at the funeral, but I didn’t want her here today. She has her own movie to watch.

“Now, Amaya, I want to tell you how much I always loved the way you called me Granddaddy. You said it was because you loved me like you did your daddy and that I was grand. Such a sophisticated word for so little a girl. Anyway, I never knew what you thought was so grand about me, but I loved it.”

Barney took on a dreamy expression and his tired eyes lit up. “Amaya, do you remember when you were little and I built you that little castle playhouse? How you loved playing with that, and remember how I read the book Cinderella to you almost every night you were here? I still have that castle in the attic and I go up every once in a while and remember how you enjoyed it.”

Amaya’s eyes grew misty remembering along with her granddaddy and she nodded to the screen as Barney continued.

“Here I go rambling again.” Barney ran his hand over his face and through his hair. “Now, Amaya, I want you to remember our ancestors. I told you when I built that little castle that you were English and Scottish on my side of the family and Irish and Indian on your grandma’s. I see my Imogene in you with your coal black hair and beautiful face, and it pleases me.

“I remember ever since you were little, you had an interest in how money worked. Me having a business mind, I was always going over the stock market pages of the paper and you would ask me about it. Over the years, we learned a lot about how money is invested and reinvested. When you graduated from college with a degree in business, I was so proud to see that although you had your grandma’s beauty, you had my brain. So now, Amaya, I have a surprise for you. I made a film for you and made arrangements for you to see it the day after you lay my body to rest. Mr. Lowry will guide you, so I’ll leave it to him. I love you, Amaya and Helen, and yes, even you, Jeffery. You all go on living and loving and take care of yourselves, but don’t grieve for me too much. I lived a long life and the way I wanted. I have no regrets.

“Bye now.”

Mr. Lowry clicked the tape off. “Are there any questions?”

The group sat staring at Mr. Lowry for so long, the silence seemed deafening. When Amaya gained control, she said, “Mr. Lowry, I’m sure we’ll have a lot of questions, but right now, I think we need time to absorb the reality of this.”

“Yes, of course, Miss Mayberry.” He handed her a card. “Here are my office and home phone numbers. Call if you need me. I’ll go now and see you at the funeral day after tomorrow.”

Helen nodded when he picked up his briefcase to leave, while Jeffery rose to shake hands with the attorney. Walking him to the door, Amaya asked, “Is this all true, Mr. Lowry?”

“It certainly is, Miss Mayberry, as you’ll see the day after the funeral. You grandfather was an eccentric old man, but I liked and respected him.”

“Thank you.” Amaya took his hand to shake, watched from the porch until the man was out of sight, and then went to inspect her grandmother’s flower beds. For the first time in her life, she bent down to inspect the yellowish-green shoots poking out of the earth and her eyes misted as she remembered her grandma and how many hours she’d spent planting and weeding in these very beds. Soon, the whole front of the house would be in bloom, along with the entire backyard, except for a small pathway leading to the fields and around the house. After her death, Granddaddy had made certain his wife’s flowers flourished each year.

* * * *

For two more days, friends and neighbors stopped at the house with food and beverages.
The day of the funeral was difficult, as they always are. After the service at the cemetery, most all of Granddaddy’s friends and neighbors returned to the house, where the women heated food and placed it on the long dining room table for a meal and conversation, as was customary in the South.

It was evening before the last guest left for home, leaving only Helen, Jeffery and Amaya in the parlor. Having seen the video two days before, inheriting ten million dollars was a pleasant surprise for Helen, but it didn’t take away the pain of losing her father. Even though she was now a wealthy woman, Helen had a responsibility to her clients and a trial starting the day after tomorrow in Chicago, so she and Jeffery prepared their bags to leave the following morning.

Amaya planned to stay on for the week. Granddaddy had said he had a surprise for her, but she was to wait until the following day to see the video. The surprise wasn’t important, but she was looking forward to seeing Granddaddy’s dear face on the screen and hearing his voice once again. Whatever he had in mind, she was certain he’d left her some money, which she didn’t need but would accept, because it was what her granddaddy wanted.

Amaya climbed the stairs to the attic, where she found her castle sitting in the middle of the floor with the raven-haired Barbie doll wearing a princess crown perched in the turret, and Ken, as Prince Charming, below the window, as if begging her to come down. Tears filled her eyes as she remembered the days and years of pleasure this castle had given her. When she found her bed and drifted off to sleep, dreams of white knights and the prince of the land asking for her hand kept her company during the night.

* * * *

The following morning, Mr. Lowry arrived shortly after Amaya’s parents left and asked her to come with him.

“Where are we going, Mr. Lowry? I can watch Granddaddy’s video here as well as anywhere.”

“Yes you can, Miss Mayberry, but Mr. MacTavish left instructions for me to follow to the letter. I must insist you come with me.”

Amaya, dressed in blue jeans and her Illinois State University sweatshirt, hadn’t planned to leave the house, but grabbed her purse and jacket and silently went to the car. “Mr. Lowry, why all the secrecy? Where are we going?”

“I’m sorry, Miss Mayberry…”

“Amaya, please. I would prefer you call me Amaya.”

“Very well, Amaya, your grandfather did say he had a surprise for you. I’m to reveal that surprise. It’s all explained in the video you’ll watch shortly.”

Amaya leaned back and looked out the window. It was obvious Mr. Lowry wasn’t going to tell her anything. She might as well enjoy the scenery. Relaxing for the first time in days, Amaya drifted off in a light sleep and dozed until she felt the car pull to a stop. Looking out the window, she saw nothing but trees in every direction. It appeared they were in the middle of a forest.

“Amaya, you need to wake up now, we’re almost there.”

“What are we doing in the middle of the woods?” she asked. Amaya would have been frightened, but in her heart, she knew her granddaddy would never entrust her to someone who would do her harm.

Mr. Lowry pulled the car back onto the asphalt road and said, “Amaya, you need to pay attention. Your surprise is right around this next curve.”

A small smile encouraged her and she thought, what a kind gentleman Mr. Lowry is in his gray suit and pale yellow tie with matching gray hair. He had a stocky build and looked more like he belonged in the hardware business than in an attorney’s office. As he rounded the curve, Amaya gasped.

She saw a wall of red brick and the words AMAYA’S KEEP arched above the open ornate metal gate. Standing tall in the distance, she could make out a red brick building, but this was no ordinary building. It was a castle, and as they approached, she saw the walls and turrets and balconies, along with the moat and water drifting lazily underneath the bridge. Mr. Lowry stopped the car on a real, honest-to-goodness drawbridge for a better look and to give Amaya a few moments to absorb the exterior before taking her inside.

Amaya sat dazed and stared at the building, which in her estimation had at least three floors, besides the attics and all the European-influenced turrets, spires and balconies. The tall windows and ornate carvings stood out against the red brick of the building. “What on earth?”

Mr. Lowry smiled again. He appeared excited to be the one to deliver this surprise to her. “This is it, Amaya. This is your surprise. Let’s go in and you can hear it from Barney yourself.”

Amaya was speechless as Mr. Lowry drove the car across the bridge and down the tan brick driveway. He stopped in front of the steps leading to the entrance, where at least twenty people were lined up to greet her.

Amaya hesitated as Mr. Lowry held the car door open for her. “What…Mr. Lowry?”

“Your staff, Amaya.”

“My what?”

Mr. Lowry took her arm and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “It will be all right, Amaya, come.”

Resisting the numb feeling overwhelming her, Amaya allowed him to lead her to the steps and managed to nod as she passed by each staff member, then went quietly inside. She was led to a rather small room by castle standards, off what she assumed was the main drawing room. After seating her in a deep blue velvet-covered Elizabethan chair, Mr. Lowry sat opposite Amaya on its twin. A woman brought in a silver tray with a teapot and a dish of cakes and cookies. She set it down on the table between them, poured a cup of tea and handed it to Amaya. “Drink this, ma’am; it will help make you feel better.”

Amaya took the cup and automatically lifted it to her lips. It did taste good and after a few sips, she was able to look Mr. Lowry in the eye. “I think I need to see that video now. What on earth has Granddaddy done?”

“Yes, Amaya, we’ll just go to your personal sitting room. You have a television set up there.” He led her up a long curving flight of stairs, then another flight to the third floor and down two long halls. The sitting room was large and fully furnished in comfortable, modern furniture with a door leading somewhere else, but Amaya didn’t open that door. She sat on the coffee-colored leather sofa and stared at the blank screen until Mr. Lowry clicked the remote control to start the tape.

Barney MacTavish had a huge smile on his face and was rubbing his hands together with glee. Then he spoke.

“Well, Amaya, how do you like your castle? I promised you a surprise and I hope you like it, because I’ve spent the last three years getting it built. I want you to know this brain tumor they say I have has caused me a lot of trouble. When I first started getting the headaches, I had a lot of troubled dreams, thinking my Imogene was still alive and I had lost her, or wondering if when you die, is that the end, or is there a place to go and will I find my Imogene waiting there for me? I guess I decided I wanted to believe Imogene would be there waiting, and that just made me anxious to get to her. So anyway, when I got to the doctor and he sent me off to Memphis to get all those tests and they told me I was going to die, I had another worry. There was all that money I had piled up in the bank, and what was I going to do with it?”

Barney paused and sipped from a mug. Amaya watched her granddaddy sadly, and waited patiently for him to continue.

“I pondered on that for some time. I figured I could give it to you and your mama, but that wasn’t going to be much fun. Knowing you were a lot like me, I figured you would just put it to work and watch it grow, and how much fun would that be? Then one day after I had been in the attic looking at your little castle, it dawned on me that if I built you a castle, you might like it, and it sure would be an adventure for the both of us. I would get to build it, and you would get to have it. So, I set about getting it done.”

Barney sat reflectively for a moment, and then continued.

“I’m getting tired now, so I won’t go into detail, but there are conditions attached to your inheritance. I’m going to have Mr. Lowry write it all down for you, and I’ll leave it to him to make sure you get it. Just always remember I love you and want what is best for you. You read the letter and decide for yourself.”

Again, Barney paused. To Amaya, he looked exhausted and it hurt to see her strong, vital granddaddy so worn out.

“I’m going to get off now, Amaya. I love you and please take care of yourself and find happiness.”

When the screen went snowy and she heard the click of the remote, Amaya lifted her tear-glistened eyes to Mr. Lowry. He pulled out an envelope and handed it to her, along with a small box. Amaya opened the envelope and pulled out a sheet of paper and began to read.

Dear Amaya,
I built this castle for your pleasure. I would like for you to have fun with it and try to think of living here as an adventure. You have always been a princess to me, so I think this is where you belong.
My wishes are that you live in the castle for one year, starting now. While you’re here, I want you to start a business of your own. You’re too smart to work for someone else and I have faith that you can do anything your heart desires.
I have provided a full staff and paid all their wages for the year. I’ve also left an allowance for the expenses to run Amaya’s Keep.
If you choose to do this, all the money left will go to you alone. If you choose not to, the money will go to your mother and the castle will rot around itself in time, never to be used by anyone.
Amaya, go with your heart and find what you want out of life, and, if you are lucky, you may find your Prince Charming and give me lots of little great-grandbabies to watch over.
Remember, I will always be with you in spirit, so don’t hesitate to talk to me if you feel the need or desire.
Your loving granddaddy,
Barney MacTavish

Amaya laid the letter aside and said aloud, “Oh, Granddaddy, what in that brain tumor influenced mind have you done?”

Mr. Lowry remained quiet, giving Amaya time to absorb the information.

Amaya held the box in her hand and suddenly felt as though she would suffocate if she didn’t get out of this room. She ran out the door, down the halls and down two flights of stairs to stop outside the double doors of the front entrance, gasping for breath and sobbing with all her heart. She slid down to sit on the top step and held her face in her hands as she sobbed and wailed and asked again, “Granddaddy, what have you done? Why didn’t someone try to stop you?”

The butler stood at the door and Amaya’s personal assistant stood off to the side of the stairs, both keeping an eye on the grieving girl and ready if she needed assistance. Amaya sobbed for a good quarter hour before the housekeeper stepped out with a brandy snifter of the amber liquid and silently handed it to her, along with a clean handkerchief.

Amaya lifted her head and nodded thanks to the woman. “I’m all right, really, thank you. This is just such a shock.”

“Yes, ma’am, would you like to come in now?”

“I’ll just sit here a while, if you don’t mind.” Amaya wiped her face, blew her nose and took a sip. The brandy burned her throat, but after a few minutes, it helped calm her down. Amaya knew this was the work of an ill mind and she could contest the will if she chose with a good probability of winning, but if this is what her grandfather wanted for her, how could she possibly turn him down?

As she sat on the step and gazed into the distance, she saw trees everywhere. She had no idea where this castle was located, only that it was somewhere in Mississippi, but for now, it didn’t matter. One thing at a time.

It was a comfort to her to know her grandfather had spent the last three years of his life working on this for her, so how could she turn him down, especially in death? The decision was made as easily as choosing a slice of pie for dessert.

Returning to the foyer, she found Mr. Lowry waiting.

“We have some things to discuss now,” he said, taking her arm again. “Lunch is ready, shall we go in?”

Amaya smiled at Mr. Lowry, then erupted in laughter. “Look at this! Isn’t it the most gorgeous castle you’ve ever seen? Yes, let’s go in to lunch. Definitely!”

Amaya sat at the head of a forty-foot table set with linen, crystal and china, while she wore faded blue jeans and a tattered sweatshirt. She giggled and said to Mr. Lowry, “You should have warned me. I’m a bit underdressed.”

He smiled, “But then it wouldn’t have been a surprise now, would it?”

Nibbling at her chicken salad, Amaya asked, “When do I have to take up residence here?”

Mr. Lowry put down his napkin. “You already have,” and he nodded at her in conformation.

“You’re kidding, right?” she asked in shock and indignation. “I have a job and an apartment. I left my car in Chicago. I have to return for a while. How about if I move in next month?”

Mr. Lowry became quite serious. “No, that won’t do at all. If you accept the terms of your grandfather’s will, you have to start immediately. I have a man waiting in your office to inform them you won’t be returning and a mover in front of your apartment. I also have a driver waiting for word to drive your car down. You just have to accept the terms, and I make the phone calls.”

“But you can’t do that!”

“Oh but I can, and I will. Are you accepting the terms of your grandfather’s will, Amaya, or not?” For the first time since meeting Mr. Lowry, his words were harsh.

Amaya was stunned. Here she was in a castle somewhere in the backwoods of Mississippi, which she hadn’t known anything about a few hours ago, and she was expected to move in, right this minute! She almost felt like a prisoner. She left the table and walked into first one room, then another. The nerve of him telling her she couldn’t go back home to give her boss notice or pack her things. Who did he think he was? Then she remembered. It wasn’t Mr. Lowry, it was her granddaddy and he was a man that had loved her unconditionally all her life and never asked for anything in return. Amaya spoke aloud as if her grandfather were in the room with her. “Well, Granddaddy, it looks like you got your wish. I’m here, and here I’ll stay for the year. I hope Grandma is there with you now, Granddaddy, scolding you for rushing me.” She pushed a tress of hair behind her ear and looked heavenward in confusion before she returned to the dining room. When she sat down and began to finish her lunch, she noticed a red tulip petal that had drifted down the table from the centerpiece to rest beside her plate.

“Are you all right, Amaya?”

“Yes, Mr. Lowry, I certainly am. You had better finish your lunch if you’re going to get those calls made. As for me, I’m going to explore my new home!” A smile crossed her face and carried to her eyes. “This is going to be an adventure, isn’t it?”

Mr. Lowry pointed to the box resting beside Amaya’s dish. In all the excitement, she’d forgotten about it. She twisted open the latch and raised the lid. Inside was a complete set of blueprints of the castle and grounds, a large set of keys and a tiny box, which she lifted out last. Inside that box lay a solid gold ring with a raised imprint of the castle, Amaya’s Keep, surrounded by emeralds, her birthstone. She slipped the ring on her finger and was not at all surprised when it fit perfectly. Gazing at the ring, tears filled her eyes. She wiped at her cheek with the linen napkin as one tear spilled out and ran down her face.

“There’s an inscription, Amaya. You might want to read it.”

Amaya slipped the ring back off her finger and held it to the light of the chandelier and read, “Find your Prince Charming here.”

She hung her head and spoke to her grandfather silently, “Oh, Granddaddy, what are your plans for me?”

Mr. Lowry rose from the table. “Thank you for lunch, but I must be going now.”

“What do you mean, you must be going? What am I supposed to do while you’re gone?” Amaya rose and taking Mr. Lowry’s arm, she followed him to the entrance, practically holding him back.

“Amaya, I don’t think you fully understand what’s expected of you,” he said. “This is your home now. Run it.”

All of a sudden, Amaya felt frightened as Mr. Lowry held out his hand to shake hers. “It will be all right, Amaya. You’re an adult and have a complete staff of servants. I left a copy of the will, along with the videotape, on the table in the foyer. I plan to overnight express a copy to your parents as soon as I return to my office to make the calls concerning your employment and belongings. Also, I will be available anytime you need me. My card is in the folder. Call me if you have any questions.”

Amaya shook his hand and reluctantly opened the door for him. “Thank you, Mr. Lowry. I think.”

He smiled at her again and nodded. “I’ll be in touch with you soon.”

Amaya watched as her butler, who had been hovering in the background, closed the door. He was a tall man and overly thin. He was dressed in a black formal suit and bow tie. His hair was gray and he appeared to be in his sixties. Hesitating in the foyer, she asked him, “What’s your name?”

“Niles Jordan, ma’am. Can I be of service?”

“Yes, Niles, can you tell me who’s in charge of the staff?”

“Yes, ma’am,” and he went on to explain that the cook, Laurie Barker, was responsible for the kitchen help and the housekeeper, Melinda Booth, the household maids. He was in charge of the gardener and oversaw the stable hands, as well as keeping inventory and household accounts, “With your inspection, naturally, ma’am.”

“Stables,” cried Amaya. “I have stables?”

“Oh yes, ma’am. You have twenty-five of the finest thoroughbred horses available.”

“Oh my God,” she whined, and put her hand to her forehead.

“Will there be anything else, ma’am?”

Amaya was lost in thought. I have servants, lots of servants, a stable and stable hands. What do I do now?

Niles stood ramrod straight, awaiting her instructions. He was English born and bred, but had immigrated to America as a young man. He’d worked for several very influential families and was preparing for retirement when this job opportunity came his way. It wasn’t the outrageous salary that lured him to accept this position. It was the story behind the castle that intrigued him.

“Okay, Niles, I guess the first thing I have to do is figure out what’s going on here. Could you get me a notepad and arrange for each member of the staff to see me in my sitting room one at a time, as soon as possible?”

“Yes, ma’am,” and he tipped his chin and turned, preparing to leave.

“Oh, Niles?”

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Could you manage to find someone to get me a diet cola?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said and walked away, grinning after he turned. Niles suspected this lady was going to be a pleasure to work for.

Amaya found her way back to the comfortable sitting room and opened the door she had seen earlier. A huge, four-poster bed was arranged in an alcove in one corner with peach satin bedcovers and fine lace hanging from rods at the top and pulled around the bed as old-fashioned mosquito netting might have been years ago. There was a dresser and dressing table, along with a small desk, all in Louis XIV style. Cream-colored lace sheers hung on the windows and heavy drapes of the same shade of peach as the bed coverings hung at the sides, ready to be closed if she desired. An ornate rug covered the floor, leaving a foot of hardwood exposed on all sides. The ceiling was high and decorated with princesses and fairies, which were both tasteful and gaudy. Amaya looked and laughed and looked some more. At the back of the room, hidden behind a screen, she found yet another door, which led to a large bathroom with gold faucets and marble counters. She shook her head at the extravagant, rich trimmings and laughed out loud.

“Ma’am,” spoke the maid, holding the tray with a glass of soda, “is something wrong?”

Amaya shook her head. “Oh, no. I was just enjoying the décor.” She picked up the glass and took a deep swallow. “Thank you. Please send Niles up.”

“Yes, ma’am, right away.”

Niles arrived carrying a leather notebook with a notepad inside and a gold pen. “Will this do, ma’am?”

“Yes, thank you, Niles, please sit down.”

Sitting down opposite her, Niles answered Amaya’s questions knowledgeably. He told her the staff resided in the west wing on the third floor, with the exception of the gardener, Mr. Anderson, who had a cottage for himself, his wife, who was the laundress, and their son, Johnny, who helped with the gardening. The gentleman in charge of running the stables, Mr. Sykes, and his hands resided in the bunkhouse.

Several more questions were answered involving the location of the castle and the nearest town and how far away they were from civilization. Amaya was pleased to hear she had neighbors within five miles of her property line and a small town seven miles beyond that.

When she’d exhausted her most pressing questions, she asked Niles to send the housekeeper in and requested that he and the staff address her as Miss Amaya, explaining that Miss Mayberry was much too formal to be used in her residence. Amaya had interviewed the housekeeper, Melinda, and several of the maids, when a young maid named Essie entered. The maid hesitated. “Ma’am, there is someone here to see you.”

“Really, who is it?”

“She gave the name of Linda Billings, ma’am.”

“Aunt Linda!” Amaya shouted as she ran out of the room, through the halls and down the stairs.

When Amaya saw her Aunt Linda seated in the drawing room, she couldn’t stop herself from grabbing her relative up and hugging the woman fiercely. “Aunt Linda, I’m so glad you’re here. I think I’m going out of my mind.”

Linda hugged her back, then drew her to the settee and handed her a videotape.

“Oh no! Not another one.”