Free A Sanctuary for Elle by Anna Jane

She knew it would bring back so many memories and make her think of her beloved Grandmother.  She had been just about holding herself together but to be back inside the grand hotel, the plac e where Elle had first lived with her Grandmother was going to effect her.
    Elle was also feeling a little overwhelmed at the project that was ahead of her.  In theory it was great, he would restore The Sanctuary back to its former glory.  But in practice, h ow did she actually do that?  She had no experience with that kind of thing, had no idea about how to do the work involved.  But this was a new chapter of her life she reminded herself.  Time for new experiences, learning how to do new things.  A little m o re confident, Elle headed out the front door.  Elle wandered over slowly, drinking in the view of the house.  It really was magnificent she thought, its large stone structure decorative and attractive.  And the backdrop.  Well, just stunning.  The hotel n e stled on the gentle rise of the hill, if you walked  another 100 metres down the hill, you were led to a cliff which overlooked the sea.  The sea curved around to form a bay, a beautiful, picturesque inlet. 
    Elle breathed in the fresh sea air.  The wind l ifted her hair and he shook it away from her face.  She really was lucky she thought.  Who else could claim this beautiful place as their inheritance? 
    Elle reached the large, ornate door of The Sanctuary.  It was almost twice her height and flanked by tw o white pillars either side, reminiscent of Ancient Rome.  The door was painted a deep maroon red.  The paint was peeling and looked in urgent need of a new coat.  Elle pushed the large key and heard the tell tale click that told her it had unlocked.  Ell e pushed the door forward and both doors swung aside.
    Elle's breath caught as the magnificent reception area stood before her.  She was suddenly thrown back to when she was a child and the first time she had ever stood in this place.  Her grandmother had le d her in the front door and she had stood, still as a statue, taking in the her new surroundings.  From the door, a huge, high ceiling room stood before her, marble floors with more stone pillars standing proudly at the sides.  A large desk stood a little way ahead with the reception facilities for guests to check in.  behind the desk was the most beautiful staircase Elle had ever seen.  The base began at both sides and wound its way up to meet at the middle so a little balcony.  The stairs were wide and l i ned with red carpet.  The hand rail were a beautiful wooden design with carvings swirled into the ends.  The balcony overlooked reception and the marble expanse that created the front of the hotel.  From the balcony the stairs converged on a landing which then led upwards to the first floor.  Elle remembered dressing up as a child in her grandmother's gowns, traipsing down those steps pretending she was a princess or a queen or sometimes a fairy godmother. She had had a wild imagination and loved making up stories with herself as the main character.
    Elle brought herself back to reality and walked over to the front desk.  Nothing stood there now apart from the oak carved wooden desk.  It was still beautiful and wouldn't require much to restore it to its form er use.  Elle pulled the pad and pen from her pocket and made a few notes as to what she would need along the way.  She wrote, computer, front desk.  This would remind her what she would need to buy. 
    Elle slowly walked up the stairs on one side, paused a t the balcony and looked out at the front of the building.  She wrote down painter, electrician.  She would employ painters to re-coat the walls and building, it was far too huge a job to conceive of herself.  It was a dingy colour too, the lack of light c ausing shadows. She would need an electrician to check the electrics were safe and secure and to connect it all again.  She doubted the electrics had been used for