The Lottery Winner's Lair
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"What was this place, do you know? An old mill of some kind, I’d guess. Cotton, probably. Hasn't been used for anything much for decades, I'd say. Not that it’s a problem. They knew how to build to last in those days." "Look sir, I can see you've got money to spend, which is just as well, since it is going to cost you a pretty penny. But I can see what you want. You want to make something special: a place to entertain, to indulge a few hobbies, maybe a place your friends will want hang out." "Okay, you're the boss. Whatever you say. So, let me just go through my notes and the plans. Looks like your architect's managed to pull together a fairly decent design. Seems clear enough. In the tower, at the top, the master bedroom with en-suite bathroom. And lower down, guest bedrooms each with their own facilities. Very nice." "On the main floor? Oh, a garage, with double doors just where the old goods entrance was. Plenty of space for a good few motors in there. Nice. And next door, a sauna, gym, swimming pool - a nice big one, if I'm reading these blueprints right." "Then there's this mezzanine. A gallery - thinking of becoming an art collector, maybe? And an entertainment area, a big home cinema? Tasteful. What's this one? A bar? Do you really need this much space? You could run a decent nightclub in there." "Well, sure, just as you want. And plenty of security: high fences all around, burglar alarms and electronic locks. Mind you, I'd get some razor wire up there, and there, too. Yeah, sure, we can take care of it." "Well, that's all clear, sir. The lads are all lined up. We'll be starting tomorrow."
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"Sure, it's a fine old building. Needs a lot of work, mind you. The paint's peeling and the plaster's rotten here and there. You need to strip it back to the masonry and brickwork. And the roof needs some attention. Some bugger's been up there stripping off the lead. But, yeah, the fabric itself is in pretty good nick."
Introduction