The Lost Fortune of the Cartwrights

Outside the quaint, sleepy town of Rhodes stood the majestic, albeit now decaying, Shady Belle Manor formerly owned by the Cartwright family. The Cartwrights had been the heart and soul of the town for generations, known for their wealth, philanthropy, and influence. Their story, however, was shrouded in mystery and intrigue.

Old Mr. Cartwright, the last of his line, passed away without an heir. Rumors spread like wildfire that the Cartwright fortune, a treasure trove of unimaginable wealth, had vanished. The townsfolk whispered tales of hidden gold, buried deep within the grounds of the manor or secreted away somewhere hidden in the wilderness.

Years later, when the manor was about to be rebuilt, a young historian named Eliza discovered an old Cartwright family diary in the Rhodes Library. It was the diary of Edith Cartwright, a renowned socialite known for her wit and charm. The diary hinted at a family scandal and mentioned a hidden fortune, cryptically referring to as "The Heart of Shady Belle."

Eliza, intrigued by the diary, decided to investigate further. She spent hours in the dusty library archives, uncovering clues about the Cartwrights' dealings. The deeper she dug, the more she realized that the Cartwrights were not just influential in Rhodes but also deeply entangled in the county’s history, and their fortune was tied to it.

One evening, while examining the manor’s grounds, Eliza stumbled upon an old gardener's shed. Inside, hidden under a loose floorboard, she found a map. The map was old and fragile, marked with strange symbols and an “X” at the edge of the manor's expansive gardens.

Eliza followed the map's directions under the cover of night, reaching the marked spot. Digging frantically, she uncovered a rusty metal box. Inside the box was not gold or jewels but a stack of old letters and documents. The documents contained a shocking revelation: the Cartwrights had hidden their fortune not in one place, but scattered across various properties in Hawk’s Eye Creek, cleverly disguised to hide or mask their purpose. Each hidden trove holds a part of the treasure and is meant to be accessible only through a series of intricate puzzles and traps designed by Edith Cartwright herself to protect the family’s legacy.

Eliza sadly lost her life in an accident while searching for these treasure troves. Fortunately, she passed on what she had learned to her closest confidants and her story has since been shared by Hawk’s Eye Creek residents throughout the years and the mystery lives on.

Shady Belle Manor

Mr. Josiah Cartwright

Ms. Edith Cartwright