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She glanced back at Lawson apologetically. “Do you mind, my lord? We have so little time to organize. Should I send someone to help you?”
Lawson hesitated, and then shook his head. “No, there is no need, Miss Greentree. You run along. But first…”
Vivianna had already turned away, a firm hand on the back of each child. She looked back at him over her shoulder. “Lord Lawson?”
He smiled and said softly, “Give me the lantern, lad. It’s dark down here. But I think you know that, don’t you?”
Eddie looked to Vivianna for instructions. He did indeed have a small lantern in his hand—a simple glass casing with a lighted candle inside. She took it from him and walked over to the entrance to the secret chamber. Her fingers were shaking as she held it out.
Lawson was watching her. She amused him. They both knew, if he wanted to, he could take the lantern and her hand, too.
“My coachman is outside,” she said. “Will I send him in to help you, my lord?”
He met her innocent stare for what seemed a long time, and then gave an impatient shake of his head. He took the lantern. “That won’t be necessary, Miss Greentree. I think I can manage.”
Vivianna did not wait. She more or less propelled the children from the long, echoing room.
“Miss!” Eddie protested. “You’re hurting!”
“Were you down there?” Vivianna demanded softly. “Were you in that room?”
Eddie and Ellen exchanged a look.
“Tell me the truth,” Vivianna said fiercely. “It is very important.”
“We was down there,” Ellen whispered, “and it was dark and cold. Eddie was frightened of the dark, but I held his hand, and we had the candle. It was our last chance to explore, you see, miss, before we left Candlewood forever.”
Vivianna’s heart contracted at the thought of them doing something so dangerous. But she swallowed down the urge to scold. No time for that now. Lawson might already be after them.
“Did you find anything? Remember, this is very, very important.”
Another exchanged glance, and then Ellen lifted a finger to her lips. “Shh, miss,” she whispered, “it’s a secret. Can you keep a secret?”
Vivianna made her expression sober. “Yes, I can,” she breathed. “Tell me what you have found, children.”
They had reached the door into the occupied part of the house. Vivianna thought of bolting it, but knew that would not keep a resourceful man like Lawson out. Besides, there were gaps in the walls in the abandoned part of the house, gaps big enough for anyone to climb through.
Eddie was fumbling underneath his buttoned-up jacket, and now he began to withdraw something bulky from its hiding place. Vivianna did not have to pretend to be astonished. It was a bundle of letters tied with black ribbon. They were a little musty and dusty, and it appeared that a mouse had nibbled on one corner, but otherwise they looked to be in excellent condition.
“Eddie,” she whispered, “what is that you have found?”
He grinned, looking pleased with himself. “They was in the secret room under the stone lion,” he said.
“Shh!” Ellen glanced about them.
“I found the room when I was playing,” Eddie said, lowering his voice. “I used to ride the lion like a horse, and one day I touched part of the pattern on the stone base and the floor opened up. No one else knows ’cept us, miss.”
Suddenly Vivianna felt dizzy with the knowledge that Eddie now held the evidence Oliver had been searching for during the past year.
“Eddie,” she said gently, “Ellen, I know someone who will be very pleased to have those letters. He may even give you a reward. What do you think of that?”
“Cor!” Eddie’s eyes popped and Ellen clapped her hands softly. “Who is he, then? Prince Albert, I bet?”
Vivianna couldn’t help but smile. “No, not quite. Lord Montegomery.”
“Oh,” they gasped in unison, and then they grinned like the urchins they were. “Do you think he’ll really give us a reward?”
Vivianna nodded solemnly. “I think he will, Eddie.”
