The car moved up the drive through the beautiful and tall iron gates along the gravelled path before stopping by the fountain near the front doors. Evangeline and her friends step out of the car the wind blowing her golden-brown hair and rustling the neatly trimmed hedges the sun shone brightly in the sky. 

"Eve I thought you said you owned a house but this looks like a castle" said Rossi awestruck at the sight of the house which was made of white Italian marble that shined beautifully in the sun with the British styled tiled rooftops. 

One part of the house's outside wall was covered with vines of beautiful wallflowers while two tall towers stood at either end of the main building, the gardens in front of the house were lined with dazzling flower beds and newly trimmed hedges that made a huge maze leading to the iron gates. 

"There is no need to exaggerate it is as ordinary as any old British mansion" said Eve looking at the house with a sense of nostalgia in her emerald green eyes.

"No offense Eve but not everyone owns a mansion" said Christine coming to stand beside Eve and teasing her for her good fortune.

"There she goes speaking like a true socialist" chimed in Jasmine coming out of the car herself.

 The four friends stood by the car eyeing the house and taking in its surroundings. Evangeline Wilber was a beautiful and ambitious young girl and the only child of her parents, from a young age she had eagerly worked and helped her father in his real estate business, though she was in the last year of her college.

Nearly five months earlier Evangeline's parents had died in a car accident leaving all of the fortunes in her hands and thus making her one of the richest and youngest heiresses of England. Eve didn't know how she would have gone through these past five months grieving her parent's death and dealing with the family business without the support of her three best friends Christine, Rosie, and Jasmine.

 Christine and Rosie had known Eve her whole life as their parents were family friends Christine had dark brown slightly curly hair and pale blue eyes that had a keen and penetrating look in them, while Rossi had red shoulder-length hair with brown eyes that gleamed with childish joy and freckles on her face.

As for Jasmine she had only been Eve and the others friend from last six years when the first met in college, Jasmine had dark black straight hair and deep blue eyes that had the look of wisdom and calm in them, though Jasmine was not rich like Eve and the rest of her friends she had gotten a scholarship that allowed her to attend the same college like her friends, but despite Jasmine's social status they have gotten along very well from the start and were now inseparable.

 To help Eve recover from her parent's loss they had planned this summer vacation in hopes of cheering her up before their college graduation, it had taken quite persuading on Christine's and the others part to get Evangeline to agree to this trip and through the long journey from the city to the countryside was a dull one but it was worth the view of this house and its surrounding mountains.

 Rossi now opened the trunk of the car and began to get her luggage out Christine went to help her with the heavy bags but Eve stopped them by saying "You don't have to bother the servants would be here any minute now I'm sure they must have heard us." she was now looking around for someone when the front door opened.

A short and plump man with a slightly bald head came out of the house and said addressing the ladies "please allow me, madam, I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier I was in the kitchen talking to the chef when I heard your car arrive." he said apologetically and was now helping Rossi with the heavy bags.

 "Its good to see you too Mr. Krum" said Evangeline, the man realizing his mistake said "Oh sorry where are my manners nice to see you again madam it's been long since I last saw you." He was now moving up the stairs.

"There is no need to apologize, I was only joking" said Evangeline with a smile, the girls followed him up the stairs and through the front doors. 

They stepped into a long hall with a marble floor and a marble staircase leading to the upper floors while a vast crystal chandelier was dangling above their heads, at either end of the hall there were two large doors leading to other rooms. the walls were covered in old tapestries of long-gone family members while long windows with painted glass shone as sunlight passed through them reflecting the colourful patterns on the floor. 

"It's just as I remembered it" remarked Eve looking at the house "oh I forgot to introduce you to my friends" she said addressing her friends.

"This is Jasmine, Rossi, and Christine they each, in turn, shook hands with the butler '' where are the rest of the staff Mr. Krum' Eve asked realizing that no one else was there to greet them.

 "They are in the kitchen preparing your dinner, in the meantime let me show you to your rooms so you can fresh up, your luggage will be sent to your rooms soon" said Mr. Krum. The Butler escorted them up the marble staircase.

"This house is really lovely I was worried when you said no one had lived here for some time" said Rosi.

"Yes my lady it was in quite a rough state when we first arrived but we have cleaned up the main rooms and most of the first and second floor though I would advise you not to enter the third floor and the towers until we have cleaned it up a bit" answered the butler.

 "You have done quite a well job the gardens looked dazzling when we first came in" said Christen.

"You can always rely on Mr. Krum for doing a fine job" remarked Eve.

"You are too kind." my lady replied the butler.

"What about the maps and the historical records of the house that we ordered are they ready?" asked Eve.

"yes madam there in the study" answered the butler.

 Evangeline and her friends didn't only plan to spent the vacation here just to enjoy the views of the house and its grounds but their main goal was to renovate the house and look for the lost treasure of the Wilber family, apparently while Evangeline was studying real estate, Christine and Rossi were studying architecture and as for Jasmine she liked to read about the old houses and their history, These shared interests were the main reason that despite being in different fields of work they all got along so well and this house was a perfect opportunity for them to put their skills to test and get some experience as for the looking for the lost treasure part they thought of it as an adventure and a distraction from their worries.