Page 53 of First Impressions (Passion and Perseverance #1)
She tried to ignore the voice in her head as they neared their first destination, the blur of the trees slowing and transforming into the stone wall that led to the gate-less entrance of the Lyndhurst estate. They pulled into the visitor parking lot as Phil went over the game plan for the day.
“So, we’re here a little early. I think we should do the tour of the house and then the event coordinator is meeting us to go over where events can be held, fees, accommodations and all that.”
Seeing that Beth had no intention of responding with more than a slight nod, he walked into the Visitor’s Center and purchased them two tickets to the ten-thirty tour which was just about to start.
Beth walked along, listening to the tour guide drone on about the history of the fourteen thousand square foot mansion, last owned by Jay Gould.
She looked at the Tiffany windows and Tiffany lamps, the portraits of Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, and her shell feigned interest until the tour was over.
When they met the events coordinator, Beth pulled out a small notepad from her purse jotting down details of the venue - how many guests it could accommodate, local vendors, local hotels, etc.
Her mind drifted to what it must have been like to live here, in one of these grand estates.
She was struggling to stay focused and when the conversation turned to weddings Beth turned and walked back towards the house, pretending to take some notes on the grounds immediately surrounding the mansion; she couldn’t think about a wedding right now .
“Beth? You in there?” She was jarred from her thoughts as Phil put his hand on her shoulder. “I’ve been calling you. I hope you got everything we need because we have to be to Kykuit in five so we should go.”
“Yeah, sorry. I was just taking some notes on the grounds,” she stuttered as she looked down at her notebook to see that she had scribbled ‘Mrs. Darcy’ underneath everything she had written about the house. Her face flushed and she quickly flipped the cover shut before Phil saw anything.
You’re such an idiot, Beth.
She scolded herself as they got back in his Q7 and drove down the road to the visitor center for Kykuit to pick up their special guest passes to be able to drive themselves onto the property; most other visitors were only allowed access by purchasing a tour and taking the shuttle.
As they drove onto the massive almost four-thousand-acre estate, Beth couldn’t help but feel something akin to awe at the beauty of the grounds as they drove up the drive.
Originally part of the Rockefeller estate, the Kykuit house had been purchased almost three decades ago by a wealthy businessman when the Rockefeller heirs decided that no one wanted to live in the house anymore after Nelson died.
They all had their own houses - either elsewhere on the property or in other locations.
About ten years ago, the house had been opened up to visitors as long as the owner or his guests weren’t going to be in residence, which was apparently not that often; it was only this past year that the owner had opened up the estate as a private function venue for select clients.
They pulled up through the ornate gates, a large Greek-style fountain of Poseidon to their left, and the main house at the end of a Dutch elm-lined drive on their right.
Parking on the cul-de-sac at the end of the drive, they both got out of the car and looked around in astonishment at the understated grandeur of the mansion.
Ivy climbing the classical facade, the landscaping was meticulously attended to.
As they walked up to the front door, Beth noticed the two pieces of modern art on the front porch, probably put there by Nelson Rockefeller when he was still living here .
Phil opened the aged copper screen door and knocked. After a few moments, they heard bustling when an older gentleman opened the door to greet them.
“Hello, how may I help you?”
“Hi, I’m Phil Gardiner from the Gardiner Group. We had an appointment for a private tour this afternoon to evaluate the estate as a potential event venue to offer to our clients.”
The old man looked confused for a moment before ushering them inside and then asking them to wait a moment while he went to get the housekeeper.
Wow. It was definitely a whole other world inside the house.
Beth could just imagine what it must be like to live here, the grounds, the winding drive, the priceless pieces of art scattered inside and out.
Phil and she both seemed to be stunned by the character of the house, as they stood silently taking in architecture and decor.
Paintings by Picasso, statues from ancient Chinese dynasties - the entryway was littered with priceless art, she could only imagine what the rest of the house had to offer.
The most incredible part of it all was that for all of the wealth and grandeur that exuded from every aspect of the house, it still felt like home, which was an odd contrast. Especially after coming from another large, equally grandiose estate, where Beth had felt like the visitor that she was; here though, she could see herself being able to live and call home - there was just something about it that tugged at her heart.
“Hello, sorry to keep you waiting,” came a kind, elderly female voice from the hall.
Oh God, no. No no no no.
“I’m Mrs. Grace; it’s lovely to meet you.”