The Missing Stairs

Previously

…He clasped his hands together, a rare gesture of open enthusiasm. “Tell me, Clara, what’s the next step in your investigation? How can I be of assistance?” Clara felt a warmth spread through her. The rivalry, the intellectual sparring, it all faded into insignificance. Arthur, the formidable historian, was now an ally, his formidable intellect turned towards helping her unravel the secrets of her ancestral home. The path ahead still felt uncertain, shrouded in the mists of the past, but for the first time, Clara felt she wasn’t walking it alone. The lock on the secret was beginning to yield, and the truth, she sensed, was waiting just beyond.