They Uncovered Something
Danny Owen and his men were furious. They were covered in soot and they wished they had never agreed to come here. The horrible odors and dreary features around them seemed to come to life now. They coughed, unimpressed by the situation.
Once the cloud of dust before them settled, they could finally see what lay before them. Danny could sense how huge this was. They had stumbled across something extremely important.
The Lads
When Daniel Owen told his mates he wanted to start a renovation business, they laughed. From a village outside Norwich, Danny's baby-face looks and local pub antics were often his downfall.
Always having a new business scheme up his sleeve, they never panned out. This time, however, Danny was sure he was onto something.
No One Took Him Seriously
When word got around town that Daniel had a new genius business plan, nobody took it seriously. Time and time again, those close to him had witnessed all his schemes and ambitions vanish in thin air.
But one thing about Daniel was that he never fully gave up. Truth be told, that’s something everyone admired, and even envied about him: he seemed equipped with endless confidence and resourcefulness, and no matter how many times he failed, he kept trying. However, this time he was faced with a new problem.
Deep In Debt
For all his countless failed business ventures, Daniel had asked every bank branch in town for a loan more than once. Unfortunately, as all his ideas kept failing again and again, he hadn’t been able to pay the loans back.
When he had this final idea, he was deep in debt. And that wasn’t even the worst part. Not many knew that, at that time, Daniel was in a rather tight and dangerous situation.
A Risky Loan
For his last business idea, Daniel had to resort to a shady character in town, who many had heard of, but not many dared to speak about: he was named Callum Ford.
The man was known to give out loans at usury interests. And while little was known about how exactly he conducted his business, many rumors suggested that he was a full-blown loan shark and a potentially dangerous man.
Danger
Daniel had told several of his friends that he had taken a loan from Ford a few months ago and that he hadn’t paid it back yet. As far as anyone knew, nothing had happened to Daniel yet; however, many were concerned about his safety and what Ford might do.
What was clear was that Daniel had to get the money, or else. But he was running out of possibilities. After thinking for a few days, he realized there was only one thing he could do.
The Goal
Strapped for cash, Danny asked his dad for a small loan. His dad looked him in the eye for a few seconds and sighed “Again?”. Danny went on about how this time he was going to hit it big, how his business idea was a potential goldmine, and such.
His dad interrupted him. “Okay, I’ll give it to you. But you better get it right this time,” he warned him. Daniel thanked him endlessly, and then promised that this time he would succeed. Little did he know that things would turn out in a completely different way that he expected.
Assembling A Team
That same day, right after his dad conceded him the loan, Danny started getting things done and approached the men. They were quite handy with tools and surprisingly agreed.
It suddenly seemed clear. Separately, the men had individual skills, but together, they were capable of taking on larger projects. There was still one tricky problem to navigate.
The Job
Pooling what little money and tools they had, the men were proud when everything was ready. After registering a small business, they could finally look for work.
Young and untested, it was challenging to gain a reputation amid competition from larger companies. However, after putting out an advertisement, they were surprised to receive a call the very next day.
It Started Well
It seemed like a dream job. The owner of a newly purchased manor nestled in the English countryside had commissioned them to renovate the entire property.
A massive project, finishing it would be a substantial financial boost to grow their business. Arriving at the enormous property, however, it was apparent why no one else had snapped up the job.
She Sweetened The Pot
Speaking to the aging, but sprightly owner, Mrs. Norris, the boys learned that she had purchased the property as an investment. Belonging to a former Duke, the property had a centuries-old heritage but was also falling apart.
Nervous about the safety hazards within the crumbling structure, Mrs. Norris sealed the deal with an offer the men could not refuse.
A Tempting Offer
Mrs. Norris agreed to pay their fee. Additionally, if they successfully restored the property enough for her to resell it at a profit, she promised them a two-percent commission on the sale.
The men happily agreed, promised to do their best, and asked Mrs. Morris to sit back, relax, and just let them do the work. The lady thanked them and went out to run some errands. The deal seemed almost too good to be true. However, there was something Mrs. Morris didn’t mention.
Something About The House
It took Danny and his men a while to realize, but they had heard of that house before. Before Mrs. Norris bought it, another elderly lady lived there.
She was known for rarely leaving her house and being rather elusive and secretive. Only a few knew her name, and even less people had ever talked to her personally. However, there were plenty of rumors around town about the woman.
The Duke’s Daughter
Apparently, she was the last member of a long noble dynasty, the roots of which went back to the Middle Ages; the last notorious member of that family was the former Duke in question.
The most elderly in town remembered plenty of stories about the Duke. Some were vouched by tenths of villagers who swore they were true and some were just wild speculations and legends that, still, everyone listened with a quiet reverence, like they feared that they might actually have happened.
An Eerie Reputation
The former Duke had a reputation for being a callous, ruthless man. Back then, he used to be the most powerful man in town.
It was like the government’s authority became dimmer and dimmer as one ventured deeper into the region, and the Duke became the only source of rule and authority. He did as he pleased in town. As it was alleged, he had been the author of a series of heinous acts during that time.
Tyrant
Many people swore that the Duke had committed several criminal acts during his lifetime, protected by his position of almost absolute power.
A few even went as far as to say that he was behind the disappearance of Lauren and Victoria Poole, two 4 year-old and 7-year old girls from the village who vanished without a trace in September of 1906. But that wasn’t all.
The Duke’s Family
The Duke’s aura of eeriness and mystery extended to his family, comprising his wife, Alice, who never left the house, and his daughter.
The Duke’s daughter never got married: when her parents passed away, she was left alone with the infamous decaying house, which she never left. People around town used to refer to her as “The Witch”. But one day, she just disappeared from the scene.
Creeped Out
One member of Danny’s crew had heard that the old lady no longer lived in the house; however, no one knew that it had been bought by Mrs. Morris, who planned on renovating it.
After hearing about the stories surrounding the house and the dynasty that used to possess it, Daniel and his team were left with an uneasy feeling. Had they known about the home’s past, perhaps they would have thought twice about working there.
Getting To Work
But it was too late for regrets. Besides, what did all of that matter? The house and the family who used to own it had a shady past, so what? All that mattered to them were the house’s walls, columns and floors, not the reputation of the people who used to live among them years ago.
They had to try now, at least. The boys lost no time and set to work. It wasn’t long before they were already regretting the decision.
It Was Getting Dangerous
The property contained a myriad of hallways, a ballroom, and many large chambers. Featuring remnants of pre-Victorian decor, it was a sprawling reminder of the beauty and decadence of its day.
Now a shadow of itself, it was left with low-hanging structures and hazards everywhere. The men were no longer confident they could guarantee their safety.
The Chimney
Facing the ever-present danger of ceiling collapses but not wanting to give up, the men worked out a safety regiment. Managing to make progress, they worked room-by-room.
Scaffolding helped hold up structures and safety masks protected them from toxic mold. Reaching the main lounge, the men faced their sternest test yet—cleaning out a 400-year-old chimney.
The Find
The lounge was beautiful, but age had left it frail. The place was also infested with insects and foul odors. Nevertheless, cleaning out the chimney started well.
That was until it sent down a barrage of soot that left them fuming. Angry and covered in grime, the men almost called it a day but then noticed something nestled amongst the dirt.
The Mystery Deepened
Wrapped in filthy old rags, the men carefully unfolded these. With so much history in this old property, something told them this wasn’t just old junk.
As they peeled back each layer of the rags, their excitement grew and their hearts galloped faster and faster. When they finally saw what was inside, they couldn’t contain a gasp.
Peeling Back
Meticulously, they peeled back each layer of the rags. Nothing in the world could have prepared them for what they were about to find inside the enigmatic bundle and the consequences it would have in their lives.
Inside, they found pieces of parchment with weird lettering and designs on them. At first glance, it looked to be a map.
Their Instincts Were Right
Calling Mrs. Norris, she seemed weirdly excited. When she arrived, the men carefully spread out the parchment pieces. Examining these, a huge smile spread across her wrinkled face.
She finally confessed. She had actually inherited the house and was, in fact, the descendant of the original Duke. The ancient parchment was what she had been after all along.
The Restoration
Apparently, the Duke, a man of many and expensive vices, with an unquenchable thirst for pleasure but not enough wit to make his lifestyle sustainable, had squandered the family’s wealth, and the property fell into ruins decades ago.
When the lady’s father, the Duke, was on his deathbed, he confided in her something that he had never told another living soul and which had tormented him for years.
The Duke’s Secret
He told her that a priceless parchment was hidden on the property centuries ago but never found. He spent the last years of his life trying to find it, filled with regret for annihilating the former dynasty’s wealth and obsessed with coming up with a way to restore it.
The old lady herself had tried to find it as well, but without success; but finally, it was there, right in front of them. Now, the only question remained, could it be restored?
It Was Worth It
Experts determined that it had been lodged in a secret compartment within the chimney’s walls. Over time, the compartment had come loose.
Working closely with a Scottish museum, the map was painstakingly restored. After an immense effort, the parchment fragments were put together and discovered to be a massive ancient map.
A Millionaire Finding
After she took the map to an appraiser, Mrs. Morris was hit with a baffling revelation: it was worth millions of dollars! It dated back to the Roman conquest of Britain, and there were very few maps like that one in the world.
It was astonishing that Mrs. Morris’ family had preserved such a relic for generations. Soon enough, after word got around, museums from all over the world were soughting for the map. But that wasn’t the end of the story.
Never The Same
Mrs. Norris handsomely rewarded Danny Owen and his team for their role in finding it. As a result, they raised enough capital, and their company phone never stopped ringing.
Their reputation as “treasure finders” now preceded them. As a bonus, now, whenever Danny has a wild idea, no one doubts him anymore. Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.