The main staircase was rather spectacular with finely polished wood steps. The railing handles at their ends had both been carved to resemble t puffins- a whimsical touch a bit out of place but still in keeping with the nautical theme William Dilly had instructed. Albert, Jerome the butler, and Jack took a moment to observe the fine craftmanship before their ascent, arms heavy with lugguage.

They were not halfway up the stairs when young Jack broke the silence. "Is it that you like Miss Sophia, then?" he asked Albert bluntly, "is that why your face turns red whenever she speaks?"

Albert, directly addressed, started to blush again.

"Oh, maybe not," Jack replied, "if it's happening now and Miss Sophia isn't here-"

"-Jack!" his father said sternly, "you mustn't ask adults questions like that!" He looked to Albert. "I apologize for my boy. He is inquisitive by nature. I hope you are not offended."

"N-Not at all," Albert nervously sputtered, attempting to seem calm, "he's a boy, and boys ask questions."

"Apologize, Jack," Jerome instructed.

Jack bowed his head, though it was hard to see behind the suitcases that blocked his face. "Sorry Mr. Albert," he softly remarked.

"How would you like it if I asked if you liked your cousin Mabel?" Jerome prodded his son, "you probably would be embarrassed by that-"

"-Technically Sophia and I aren't cousins," interjected Albert, though once he spoke he quickly straightened up as he continued to climb the steps. "I-I mean, we are, but we're technically not blood related..."

"Huh?" remarked little Jack, looking to Jerome for understanding.

Albert continued, almost feeling obligated having just brought the subject to light. "You see, Sophia's late mother, Lucinda Stowe, she had an older brother. His name was Louis. My mother and Lucinda had been good friends for many years and our families were very close. When Louis asked for my mother's hand in marriage, she of course said yes, she was practically an adopted member of Stowe family by that point anyway. Now, Louis tragically died of typhoid not more than five years into their marriage, but it was after Lucinda and William Dilly had married so William has always seen my mother as his sister-in-law, even though she then went on to remarry to my father, Arthur, and when he passed away she went on to marry Martin, and then when Martin passed away she went on to marry Gilbert..."

"How many times has your mother been married?" Jack pondered out loud.

"Jack!" his father shouted, "what did I just say about questions to adults?"

"Well, so, I guess what I'm saying is that Sophia is my cousin, as my mother is her aunt by marriage, but we're not blood relatives," Albert had finally reached the top of the stairs and turned to the left.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"I believe Mr. Dilly said the room would be down that way," confirmed Jerome, "and that it would be noticably seal themed."

"Yes," Albert nodded, "I am sure it will be quite decorative."

"I must say if you'll allow me," the butler remarked, following behind Albert down the hall, "that though the view is splendid, I agree with your mother. These decorations are a bit unusual."

Albert nodded, The upper hallway appeared to be painted with a beach scene featuring swimmers and sunbathers, though it looked more like the low quality scribbles of a five-year-old than necessarily a comissioned mural by one of the richest men in America. And no one could deny just how wealthy William Dilly was.

The Dilly family fortune had been built on two industries: the first, of course, was steel. With the fast development of so many parts of the country it was hardly surprising they were among its benefactors. William's father, Gerald, had begun the steel dynasty but it had been William's shrewd business tactics that had truly grown the business.

The second industry the Dilly family monopolized was a relative new field: teddy bear production. Seven years earlier, when President Roosevelt had gone on that famous hunting trip and cornered a little bear cub, the reports in the local paper had gotten William inspired. Though he was not the only party to begin making teddy bears after that story, he was considered the first to make teddy bears specifically for adult customers. There wasn't anything particularly unique about how his product (known as Dilly Bears) was constructed or how it looked compared to his competitors' teddy bears intended for children, but the marketing stressed the intended older audience. The print magazines all had illustrations of the loveliest Gibson girls, typically huffing and puffing in anger, while a hapless male suitor scratched his head. The tagline- "Don't Be Silly, There! Get Her a Dilly Bear!" prominently displayed below. It had been a remarkably successful campaign; had the Dillys not already been rich from steel the teddy bear empire would certainly have allowed them to live quite comfortably too.

Now as he stared at the painted mural, Albert realized that perhaps the figures in the drawing were, in fact, teddy bears. Had this low-grade artwork been meant as a tribute to the Dilly Bear? It still was poorly done for what Albert imagined William Dilly had paid.

As he walked past an open bedroom door, Albert stopped. Mounted on its walls were rows and rows of taxidermed seal heads, each slightly different in color yet each with the same painful expression. It was quite a macabre sight as every inch of the room without windows was occupied by such trophies.

"I...I think this is the Seal Room," Albert remarked. Jerome too popped his head in and froze.

"Oh my," the butler uttered, "Oh my, oh my."

Jack, however, did not seem affected one way or another by the strange bedroom decor. He marched into the room without fail, setting his set of luggage down at the foot of the bed.

"I like the gray color of these bed sheets," he remarked proudly, "I hope Miss Sophia does too!"

"I...I think Miss Sophia will think the bedsheets are the loveliest part of the room," replied his father, shaking his head to himself at the decorating design.

Albert slowly walked into the room himself. It was eeire the way the seal heads' eyes seemed to follow as he moved. He too set the luggage he carried at the foot of the bed and glanced out the window. Perhaps there was a wonderful view that would make up for some of the room's lacking qualities.

Alas, all the windows looked out to was more bald cliffs and rocks.

"The Seal Room," he said again, looking the space over. Both he and Jerome now were shaking their heads in disbelief.

Sophia would definitely wish she had the pink seashell room as originally planned.