Sage and Maddy chatted over lunch; talking to someone who wasn't constantly asking you to do something was a nice change from what Sage had experienced lately. Sage listened as Maddy spoke about growing up in Coopers Creek; she was mesmerised that someone who had been to school here had returned after her tertiary education.

"Didn't you want to be somewhere else?" Sage asked.

"Somewhere else?" Maddy asked, confusion creasing her forehead.

"The small town story is usually about wanting to leave and never return," Sage said, "what made you want to come back?"

"Oh, I see what you mean," Maddy said, chuckling, "most of us return. Some are away for a while, but somewhere along the line, they come home."

"You want to return," Sage said, "it's not that you have to."

"There have been one or two who have had to come back, but after a while, they don't want to return to whatever life they had," Maddy said, "those who return of their own free truly want to come back here. There is no place like Coopers Creek, and sometimes the world is not everything it's made out to be."

Sage nodded, "That is definitely true."

"Where are your parents?" Maddy asked.

"Oh, I'm sure they are in the house and neighbourhood they have been their entire lives," Sage said, shaking her head, "where are yours?"

"My mom died two months ago," Maddy said, "and my Dad and I live in our home not far from the gate."

"I'm sorry about your mom," Sage said, "is that how you got the housekeeper position?"

"No, I was going to take over when you arrived anyway," Maddy said, "Mom was fine until ... she wasn't, and before we could do anything, she was dead."

"Wow," Sage whispered, "that suddenness doesn't give you much time to prepare for her departure."

"No, it doesn't," Maddy said, swallowing hard, "but I know she lived a full life doing what she loved, so there are no regrets."

"Living life that way is amazing," Sage said smiling, "I take it you're going to live your life that way."

"Always have," Maddy grinned, "do you have any siblings?"

"A brother," Sage said, "but we're not close."

"Oh ... that is sad," Maddy said, a concerned pucker forming between her brows.

"No, it's not," Sage said, "I'm not close to any of my family. They are why I took this ... assignment to live out here."

Maddy stared at her momentarily, "You really do need freedom then," she shook her head, "did they make your life hard?"

"More like unbearable with all their demands. I would come home from work sometimes and have nearly sixty messages from my mother, sister-in-law and sometimes my father. Always "asking" me to do things," Sage shook her head, moving food around on her plate, "I dreaded going home to have to listen to their constant demands and most of the time, it's things they could do for themselves."

"Did you do everything they asked?" Maddy asked, her question hushed.

"When I first started working, I was in the habit of doing it, but when they came on my holiday and made me pay for everything while running after them, I moved to my own place and was away for work a lot, so I didn't have the time," Sage said, "between them and my ex-boyfriend stalking me, even though I had broken up with him two years ago, it made life ... exhausting plus I was too scared to walk home alone, be at home in case any of them just appeared ... it became an existence ... not a life."

"Do you know how to do something ... anything for yourself?" Maddy asked.

"What do you mean?" Sage looked up from her plate, cocking her head to the side.

"Have a bubble bath," Maddy said, "take a swim, decide what clothes you're going to wear or buy furniture you like or a painting that talks to you. Read an uplifting book or one that takes you to another place just because you want to."

"No, I have never had the opportunity to do anything like that for myself," Sage said, sighing, "the last time I bought anything for myself was when I was on assignment and needed ski gear. That was a fun assignment, but after that ... I don't remember one thing I ever did that was for me."

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Perhaps you need to start looking at doing things for yourself while you're learning about the legend," Maddy said, "introduce yourself to ... yourself."

Sage narrowed her eyes, looking out the window as the idea settled in her mind, "I like that ... perhaps I need to learn who I am before I live any longer."

"That may be a good idea," Maddy smiled, "I could get you a journal from the village if you'd like."

Sage's gaze snapped to Maddy's, taking the other woman in. She was genuinely trying to help, not take over.

"May I choose one for myself?" Sage asked.

Maddy paused, pushing food on her fork, "Of course, you can," she said, "I'm sorry ... your family chose everything for you ... I was just trying to make your life easier."

"That is really sweet of you, but since being here," Sage said, shrugging, "I look forward to choosing things for myself and doing at least some things for myself."

"You don't mind me making decisions in the running of the house," Maddy said, caution riding her words.

"Absolutely not," Sage said, "you carry on. I'd like time to be ... myself and learn my likes and dislikes."

"That I can understand," Maddy said, glancing at Sage's plate, "is lunch okay?"

Sage looked down at her plate, "It may only be a salad," she said, glancing at Maddy, "but it's the tastiest I've had in a while."

Maddy's worry fled as a smile lit her face, "Oh good," she said, "you don't seem very hungry."

"Actually, I am," Sage said, forking food into her mouth, "when talking about my family, I tend to lose my appetite."

"Then we talk of them no more," Maddy said as she filled her mouth, smiling as Sage grinned and nodded.

Sage wandered through the house, taking the stairs to the top floor and discovering an attic filled with well-preserved and stored items from when the house was built. Children's toys, clothes and crafts were lovingly stored in giant wooden trunks. Sage found one for a boy and another for a girl. Paintings of a young man and woman were found wrapped in cloth in a large old-fashioned cupboard, or would that be called an armoire? She wasn't sure. More modern furnishings were found in the ample space: rocking chairs, tables, beds, and chairs from the early twentieth century. Opening a cupboard, Sage found dresses and clothing, a young woman making her first social debut. Everything spoke of a story and history; she could feel the people still around as she looked through the books, drawings, paintings and toys from a more recent era.

"There is so much here that speaks of who these people were," she whispered, pausing at the door and glancing at the dusty surfaces, "it's as though someone packed them away trying to preserve a heritage, a lineage of sorts."

Closing the door, she wandered down the stairs to the floor below, moving from room to room. Some original rooms were still used as planned, while others had been changed into something else required for present-day living. The décor and painted walls spoke of freshness, a new beginning. However, the feel and essence of the house were much the same that Sage sensed from the original plans; much was updated yet strangely remained the same.

Taking the stairs to the next level below, she found herself on the floor where her bedroom was. Sage once more moved from room to room, slowly taking in everything, running her hands along surfaces, and feeling the luxury of the place. Once more on the stairs, Sage paused as she heard singing; the soft lilt of the voice sounded pure and beautiful. Following the sound to the back of the house, she found Maddy busy dusting and polishing furniture in a lounge area that seemed to have its original wallpaper and furnishings. Small wooden side tables on ornately curved legs held ornaments or vases full of flowers. The furniture was made of lightish wood but in chunky, heavy lines. It matched the room, décor, and colours, making Sage feel this was a lady's room. The furniture was balanced by light blue and white colours around the room and cushions that looked comfortable and durable. It called her to enter, explore and remain should she wish to. It was easy to see the ladies of the house sewing here, reading perhaps or drawing, painting or writing letters. The view from the bay windows showed the wall near the ocean and the large expanse of lawn sprinkled with flowers and tall trees spreading their shade.

Sage moved toward the large display, drawing her toward the beauty on the other side. Maddy turned toward her movement, hesitating as Sage continued to look out the window.

"Like what you see?" Maddy asked, quietly moving to stand beside her.

"Love what I'm seeing," Sage whispered, "its something about this room I can't put my finger on it ..." she sighed, "... it feels like someone's haven, refuge perhaps ..." shaking her head, "... I'm not sure. It's probably just a fancy of mine."

"You're right about the haven and refuge part," Maddy said, "it still has the original furnishings, and the décor has been updated a little, but it is basically the same as when the lady of the house first had it in happier days apparently it was the family room, but it is said when the husband was having a bad day or was away it was a haven for the women and when the son was home a refuge of peace for himself."

"Did the father never come in here?" Sage asked in hushed tones, still looking out the window.

"In the early days, it is said he did and played with the young children on this lawn," Maddy said, "but after being away at sea for some time, he came back a changed man and never entered this room again."

"How long was he away at sea?" Sage asked.

"I'm not sure. I'm sure the town's historian may have the dates," Maddy said.

"This town has a historian?" Sage asked, glancing at Maddy.

"Yes, it's a town with a lot of history and answers for many," Maddy said, "our historian comes from a long line of people who have given their lives to keep our history in line, updated and alive."

Nodding, Sage sighed, "I'm going to look over the rest of the house, and then I'll be in the library."

"Okay, enjoy the tour," Maddy said, watching as Sage left the room and she returned to polishing while singing.