Lips pursed, she returned the way she had come, accepting the path she had not taken in hopes that her next choice would be a better one. Taking the winding path where she must until her next choice appeared, Elizabeth’s eyes rose heavenward; three choices, two on either side of a hedge in front of her, and one left.
Left was wrong the last time… perhaps it will be correct?
Turning left, she continued on, the path not ending until she reached another decision; left, or one of the two paths turning right.
Would the left path prove correct twice, or ought she take one of the other paths?
A light moan of frustration, her anger billowing gently upward in the frigid air, then Elizabeth took the first right, the path winding around until, at last, she found herself where she had been moments before.
“There are paths that go around too?” she sighed, thankful that at least she could continue on without an immediate decision.
No rhyme or reason. Hopefully Mary can catch up soon,Elizabeth prayed, her hands tucked under the crook of her arm in an attempt to keep warm.
The passage winding left, right, and right again, she viewed the path before her with disdain. It traveled on and on ahead, yet, from what she could observe, there were several others which veered off of it.
Too long… straight is too long, too simple surely? One of the paths to the right?Growling, she viewed the untouched snow.Either whoever laid out the game did so days prior, or else they had misread the clue.
Taking eight steps forward, she peered down the second opening, its path running for some time with no outlet in sight. Stepping out, she glanced left and right, her instincts pulling her back to the pathway she had walked by, though she stood unmoving as she considered her options.
The crisp, yet unintelligible ring of voices on the air forced all indecision aside as she retraced her steps to the first opening.
Shivering as she made her way down the winding path, the voices behind growing louder with each step, Elizabeth looked over her shoulder as she hurried her pace.
The path opening into a small courtyard at last, Elizabeth grinned; a marble woman wearing Roman dress filling the first of the space, quickly followed by an angel made of bronze, its wings spread wide, sword in hand, and feet pointing toward the wall to her left.
It has to be nearby.
Falling to her knees by the hedge, Elizabeth looked this way and that, a wooden box tucked down and to the right.
Moving over, she pulled the box toward her, the lid lifting without hindrance to reveal peacock feathers and an equal number of sealed clues. Taking one of each, she pushed the box back into place, the chatter behind her growing louder.
“Elizabeth?” another voice called, Elizabeth’s head jerking to her right as Mary rounded the corner.
Brows furrowed, Elizabeth turned behind her before fixing her gaze on her sister once more. “How did you get here?”
“Everyone saw your footprints and followed them, I thought, if we had any chance to get ahead, I ought to come the other way. Come, wrap this around you and let us get you inside, you have been too long in the cold.”
Accepting the pelisse from her sister, Elizabeth pulled it on, the shivering which had begun minutes before having become incessant.
Taking her sister’s arm, Mary led Elizabeth through the second half of the maze; the courtyard exited by another route, then the first left chosen, the path winding, then a right, and another right, and still another before the path wound to the maze’s end, Elizabeth smiling as she clutched their reward.
A few flakes falling as they made their way from the maze to the main entrance of the house, a sharp wind blowing, and the pair rushed into the house, the chattering of Elizabeth’s teeth filling the entry as the door closed.
“Come,” Mary said, pulling Elizabeth toward the empty drawing room. “You need to sit by the fire. We can read the clue when you are feeling better.”
Accepting the seat Mary proffered, Elizabeth winced as the fire began to warm her half-numb fingers.
“Do you need a blanket?”
With a shake of her head, Elizabeth handed the unopened clue to her sister. “They will all be inside any moment. Read the next clue. At least we can decipher it while I warm myself.”
A final worried glance at her sister and Mary nodded, the seal broken as she began to unfold the clue.
With face and hands, I stand proud.
I am the one they do see in a crowd.
Still, forgotten for most of the day.
