Castles always looked so large in movies, Braden thought, but this one was actually smaller than many of the modern buildings in Braden’s hometown. He stood inside the area that had once been the courtyard while his grandfather consulted (14) the guidebook he held. “Looks like over to the left there were the stables,” his grandfather said, shading his eyes against the piercing summer sun.
Braden followed his grandfather’s lead, glancing up at the stone tower that stood in the center of the old courtyard. Tower (15) above them stood a genuine castle, although only two stories were still standing. It was still possible to see where the third story had been, but the walls had fallen, leaving immense blocks of stone half-covered with grass strewn around the bottom of the tower. (16)
“It says this castle could have been (17) partially destroyed in the English Civil War,” his grandfather said, consulting the book. “So that the Royalists couldn’t use it as a stronghold, I suppose. . . . It’s (18) a pity.”
Braden nodded, wishing that the third story were (19) still intact, and that he could climb to the top and gaze out over the countryside like a knight heading out on a quest (20). Reading about the castles of history and legend had always fascinated him, and he’d been glad (21) when his grandfather suggested to visit (22) the real thing. He hadn’t realized that so many of the castles he’d read about existed only as ruins.
“At least you can see how they constructed it (23),” Braden said. He pointed toward the top remaining floor of the tower house, matching what he saw with the diagrams in the books he’d read. “See those holes? Those held the beams for support (24) the floor of the third story. The beams have rotted away, but you can see exactly where they went.”
When he squinted in the bright sunlight, he thought he could see the castle as it once had been—standing (25) proudly, its banners flying and its courtyard bustling with a busy crowd. If he couldn’t visit the castle that lived in his imagination (26), at least this was the next best thing.