Tread Softly, Alice

The Silent Manor’s Echoes

When Alice Wycliffe inherits Thornford Hall—a once-grand estate nestled on the misty shores of Devon—she expects dusty corridors and faded portraits, not the whisper of hidden footsteps in the dead of night. Recently widowed and seeking refuge from London’s relentless gossip, Alice arrives determined to restore the manor’s former glory. But as she explores the labyrinth of stone archways and overgrown gardens, she uncovers a series of cryptic letters tucked behind panels in the library, each signed only “Y.” With every creaking floorboard and shadowy reflection in ancient mirrors, Alice senses that Thornford’s silence conceals more than mere neglect—it harbors a secret that has lain buried for generations.

Secrets Beneath the Cobblestones

Joined by her childhood friend Gabriel Hawthorne, a local architect with a talent for uncovering structural oddities, Alice begins to piece together the manor’s hidden past. By lantern light, they trace ornate carvings that point to a clandestine room beneath the west wing, sealed since the days of smuggling and moonlit rendezvous. When Gabriel accidentally tumbles through a loose flagstone into a subterranean passage, they find not only vaults of forgotten treasures but faded love tokens and a family diary hinting at betrayal—and a disappearance that rocked the county. Each revelation brings Alice closer to the truth, and further into the tangled web of her own lineage.

Courage in the Moonlight

As the autumn winds howl across the cliffside, Alice must confront local whispers accusing her ancestors of dark deeds. With Gabriel’s unwavering support, she navigates thorny alliances: the rector who guards parish records, the elderly groundskeeper who remembers whispered confessions, and the mysterious stranger who appears whenever danger looms. Under a silvered moon, Alice ventures alone into the hidden chamber, where the final piece of the puzzle awaits—forcing her to decide whether to unearth her family’s shame or to shield Thornford’s legacy forever.

Author’s Description

.In writing Tread Softly, Alice, I wanted to weave a tale of hidden histories and the bravery required to face them. May Alice’s journey through darkness and deceit remind readers that true courage often lies in following the faintest of echoes home.