The Arrington estate had once been a landmark of great beauty, a symbol of wealth, prosperity, and comfort. The nearby village of Fairhollow had flourished under its shadow, Lord Edward Arrington's knack for making good business deals and unerring ability to generate a healthy profit with said deals giving the Township it's own slice of wealth. Those who lived in the Village spoke kindly of the Lord of the estate, proclaiming honestly  of his generosity and kindness. But complements and flattery had not been the initial reactions from those in the village however. For Edward Arrington was a native of England. And what right did a Britishman have building his estate in the north of there beautiful Ireland?

Lord Arrington had, Eventually, made his way into the heart of the people. Part of that success had been due to his beautiful wife, Margaret Connolly, an Irish noblewoman of high standard and sweet temperament. Together, they had been able to better the land they had owned and by extension those who lived there. So when the day came that Lady Arrington fell deathly ill, Fever raging and unable to stomach even a mouthful, it was not only the servants of the household that mourned and prayed. More than one heart hoped for the blessing of the Black Hare to come and take away the sickness. But the  Lady of the estate did not get better...

And now the house stood abandoned, a constant reminder to those who looked upon it of the loss and sorrow they had faced. With the Lady of the estate's death, Lord Arrington had been driven away by the Constant reminders of her laughter and smile that had been taken from his life, returning to his home in England and leaving behind the empty shell of a home to fall into A new task of collecting dust and being overgrown by the return of the wild. The village had gradually suffered it's own losses with his departure as well, Returning to former states of productivity and wealth. No one had thought their lives could return to what they had once known... But return they had and memories of what things had been like under the care of Edward Arrington had gradually begun to fade.

Then came the day when the servants arrived. Three carriages full of men and women pulled by sleek horses had arrived in town, bringing a fresh wave of news and curiosity. They had been hired by one William Arrington, The new Lord and owner of the Arrington estate itself, to prepare the manor house for his arrival. Word spread like wild fire from mouth to mouth and home to home, excitement and anticipation rising. Stories began of how William was A nephew of the late Edward Arrington, Eldest child to the former Lord's estranged brother and wife, rumors that the young Master had been in touch with his uncle for several years. And not only was William receiving an inheritance of his uncle's wealth and property, he had also made his own healthy sum by way of good investments. Best of all, Lord William Arrington was an eligible bachelor.

The Group of servants had gone on to The estate itself soon enough and preparations had begun quickly. Dust covers had been removed from the furniture, the floors polished, the windows washed, fires had been kindled, the pantries stocked, and the outside of the house had been cleaned of vines and the gardens tended to. Fresh flowers bloomed in abundance in neat little patches, giving a pleasant perfume to the air. Several new bushes and trees had been ordered to be put in place, accompanied by wrought iron benches of beautiful craftsmanship. The hedge, at last, had been groomed as well, even and Square once more. Once again, the Arrington manor had been restored to its former glory, some even whispering that it looked better than it ever had before. And with the preparations complete, the Lord of the estate was surely not long in coming.

Down at the port, a few  hours away by carriage from the village and the estate, a boat was coming in to shore, A crowd of people gathering to watch. Excitement rippled through the crowd like a tangible essence, The occasional turning of heads to look towards a waiting Black and silver carriage nearby, a team of white horses at the head. Servants waited at attention to either side, also focused on the approaching vessel, but remained less outwardly excited.  

 Out on the ship itself, standing atop the deck of the passenger boat, Hands clasped behind his back, legs spread, and chin held high, William Arrington cut a rather striking figure as he looked out over the port town where the vessel was coming to berth.  Joyous excitement lit his dark green eyes as a smile threatened to curl up the corners of his mouth. He was dressed in a fine black suit and highly polished shoes, A hint of a crisp white shirt showing beneath the outer jacket. His hair, black as oil, was carefully styled so that the curly locks lay in stylish order, sideburns trimmed and orderly. The rest of his face was left clean-shaven, smooth and unblemished, with angular Sharp features that gave him natural appeal. As the crowd came into view for him, he unconsciously straightened his stance a little more.

[I]'Ah Ireland. How beauty still favors your land. It is good to be back.'[/I] William thought fondly as his gaze swept over the landscape.

For it had  been quite some time since the young nobleman had been to the country. The first time was when he had been bought a lad and had not returned until his adulthood due to a terrible row his parents had been involved in with his uncle during the visit of his childhood. Even at the inexperienced age of five, His heart had found joy with the Irish Land and her people, especially with his beloved Aunt, Whom he had doted upon quite explicitly. Sorrow with her passing had struck him hard, but not nearly as hard as his uncle. He kept in touch with Edward even after the man had returned to England, even visiting his manor in the south. William had not been expecting the inheritance of his uncle's estate and fortune, most notably the land that he owned in Ireland. But bequeath The Land  Edward had, much to the surprise of his near relations.

The opportunity to return to Ireland had called to William's heart and soul thoroughly. Having the opportunity to is scape from his mother, who had been increasingly putting pressure on him to marry a woman of high status with his earning an ample fortune, was just an added bonus. Or a strong driving factor, depending on who you asked. Consequently, his mother had been rather furious with his departure. He wondered how long it would take her to come and pay him a visit... No doubt bringing along a few single noblewomen that just so happened to be her closest friend's daughters...

Hollers and commands rang out in the salty air as men coaxed The boat into position next to the docks, an anchor splashing into the water as it was released, ropes flying to be caught by those already on shore, Tying them into place on waiting poles. The sail was lowered and lashed into place, a gangplank retrieved to allow passengers and sailors to disembark, and a flood of people made their way on deck, eager to return to dry ground. Bystanders cheered and clapped from where they watched on shore as the ship finally came to rest, passengers beginning the task of disembarking. Very soon, the area was crowded with men, women, children, sailors, luggage, and even a few animals, creating a general orderly chaos on the edge of town.

William managed to carefully extract himself from the throng, disregarding the looks of awe he could see occasionally going through the crowd, Making his way straight towards the waiting carriage. The servants there moved in a well practiced motion as he approached, several bowing at the waist, while others moved forward in search of luggage and belongings, With one man directly stepping forward to meet The young Lord.

He bowed respectfully as he came to a stop a few paces in front of William before straightening up and standing at attention. "My Lord Arrington. I am glad to see that you made the journey safely. I am Thomas Lockwood, at your service, sir." The man said in way of a greeting, politely providing his own name.

William's face lit with recognition at the name, wiping away any trace of hesitation that had begun creeping into his expression. "Ah, yes. It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance Mr. Lockwood. I trust that preparations have been going well at the estate?" He questioned, studying the balding man before him. Thomas had been a legal representative of his uncle and the two of them had been in correspondence since the reading of his late uncle's will. Mr. Lockwood had gone on ahead to prepare finances and to hire some of the staff in preparation for William's arrival.

"yes, my Lord. You will find things quite pleasant I do so believe. Most of the staffing positions have been filled, Save for the head butler and maid. A line of interviews have been scheduled for your perusal as well as the employment documents for the current staff." Thomas reported promptly.

"very well. Thank you Mr. Lockwood." William responded, glancing towards the group of men returning with his luggage and loading it onto the carriage. "excellent. I daresay, it shall be nice to have the place ready for me when I arrive. I'm especially looking forward to a bed that stays put when I am trying to sleep."he chuckled, stepping up into the carriage as one of the servants opened the door for him. "May I invite you to fill me in on more of the details as we journey?" The nobleman asked, looking out towards Thomas and gesturing for the man to take the seat across from him.

"yes my lord." Mr. Lockwood responded, stepping up into the carriage as well.

William had one last look over the crowd, several people staring in unabashed wonder, before the door was closed with a soft click. He tilted his head  thoughtfully for a moment before settling back in his seat just as their came The sound of a whip cracking  and the horses started off at a steady trot, taking him towards his new home on the Arrington estate.