Page 2 of Cloaked in Beauty

Could dragons climb stairs? The thought made Scarlett’s legs pump faster.

Once inside her parents’ bedroom, Mama dropped Scarlett’s hand and ran to her dressing table. She snatched open drawer after drawer in her jewelry box and dumped out every necklace, bracelet, ring, and brooch she owned. She swept them into a satin bag and pulled the drawstring closed.

“Letty, there’s a pillowcase hidden in the bottom drawer of my dresser under my nightgowns. There are pink flowers embroidered along the edge. Bring it to me.”

Scarlett darted to the bureau and hunkered down in front of the drawer that held Mama’s sleeping things. She pulled it open and dug around inside until she found the pillowcase with the flowers. She grabbed it, but it didn’t want to come out. Something weighed it down. Standing up, Scarlett tugged with both hands. Finally, it popped free of the drawer and threw Scarlett off-balance. She plopped onto her backside and dropped the bag.

Still worried that the dragon downstairs might find a way to the second floor, Scarlett jumped up and fetched the bag as fast as she could. But something had spilled out.

Money. A thick stack of it tied with a piece of string. She shoved it back inside and found more stacks waiting for their friend’s return. Why was Mama hiding money in her nightgown drawer?

Scarlett ran to where her mother stood on Daddy’s side of the bed. She pulled a leather pouch from the side-table drawer, a pouch that looked like the one Daddy had kept his important papers in.

“Here, Mama.” Scarlett held out the money bag.

“Good girl.” Mama took the pillowcase from her and slid the leather pouch and the jewelry bag inside. Then she clasped Scarlett’s hand and led her toward the door. “Let’s go.”

The crackle noises sounded louder this time, and a low roar rumbled beneath them. The air hung thickly over Scarlett, making it hard to see. Coughs rattled her chest as she and Mama sped down the hall.

They stopped near the wide staircase that led downstairs, and Scarlett dug her heels into the carpet runner. They couldn’t go that way. Fire danced along the banisters. As if it saw her, it leapt, bursting toward her like the naughty boy who’d chased her in the park. Scarlett squealed and hid her face in Mama’s skirt.

“It’s all right, sweetie. We’re not going that way.”

Scarlett glanced up in time to see Mama push a small lever on the wall. A door swung inward, revealing a dark, narrow passage.

“We’re going to take the servants’ stairs.” Mama tugged her toward the opening. “See? No fire.”

But smoke poured out of the passage, making Scarlett’s chest hurt when she breathed.

“Here.” Mama took the edge of Scarlett’s cloak and draped it over her mouth and nose. “Hold your cape over your face. It will keep out some of the smoke.”

Mama didn’t have a cape, though. How would she fight the smoke?

She held the edge of the pillowcase up to her face at first, but it must have grown too heavy, for her arm dropped back to her side halfway down the stairs. Coughs shook her body, but she never let go of Scarlett’s hand.

When they reached the bottom, it took Mama a minute to find the door latch in the dark, but she soon got it opened, and the two of them spilled out into the downstairs hall between the front parlor and the dining room.

A loud pop made Scarlett jump. She swiveled to her right. Fire climbed the walls and slithered over the ceiling, closing in.

“Mama!” Tears clogged her throat almost as badly as the smoke.

“I’ve got you.” Mama picked Scarlett up in her arms and held her close.

She locked her legs around Mama’s waist and cried into her neck as Mama darted through the house.

“Mrs. Radcliffe! This way!”

Scarlett raised her head. Their butler, Mr. Fellows, stood in the parlor doorway, waving for them to come. Mama turned.

“The French doors,” he shouted.

Scarlett twisted her face to look. The two doors stood open, leading onto the terrace where she and Mama had tea parties.

Mama didn’t stop on the terrace, though. She kept running across the lawn until she reached the drive, where their housekeeper, Mrs. Krouse, waited next to Miss Emily.

Every time something snapped or crashed behind them, Scarlett flinched, scared that the dragon would tire of blowing his fiery breath over the house and come after them instead.

When Mr. Fellows caught up to the rest of the group, Mama pivoted to face him. “Is everyone out?”