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“Du calme, ma belle. Not a sound.”
Not again.
There must be something…
A place where terror could not abide.
“‘I…I hear thee babbling to the vale,’” she recited. “‘Of s-sunshine…’”
She closed her eyes, recalled being bathed in those first rays of dawn on the clifftop. “‘Of sunshine and of flowers; And unto me thou bring’st a tale…’” Forced her shoulders to ease. “‘Of visionary hours.’”
It calmed her – the cadence and memory.
“‘T-thrice welcome,’” she continued. “‘Darling of the spring. Even yet thou art to me no bird; but an invisible thing, a voice–’”
“Miss Beaujeu?”
“‘…a mystery.’”
“Miss Beaujeu?” the deep rumble came again. “Can you hear me?”
“Yes! Yes, I can, Your Grace.” She pounded on the door. “It’s wedged shut.”
“Stand back. Far back. The wood is swollen from the rains. We’ll break the latch and force it open.”
Isabelle swivelled from the door, placed her hands to the tunnel-like walls either side and followed till they came to an end. She stepped into the pitch room, stumbled, but met the far wall with its mouldy flag.
“I’m standing back,” she shouted.
All was silent. She waited.
A thud clattered the door and Isabelle jumped.
Then another.
The wood shuddered. Something sharp tumbled from the ceiling and struck her shoulder.
Could the whole tower collapse upon her?
Another thud but this time accompanied by splitting wood.
Thud.
Two silhouetted men crashed into the room, surrounded by a halo of streaming light.
“Miss Beaujeu?” The broad silhouette stumbled to her, hands gliding from her shoulders to her hair. “Are you well?”
“Yes…Your Grace. I think so. Just a little…” She swallowed. “Light-headed.”
“I’ll carry you–”
“No! There’s no need.”
“Let’s get out of here,” murmured the Scandalous Mr Cadwalader. “This dank hole always gave me the shudders. And we should take the door off so this doesn’t happen again.”
Isabelle shielded her eyes as they harried her outside and the luminous green of the land filled her vision. She gazed up to seek the clear pastel-blue sky – the endless open space.
A crowd had gathered, most of the ladies exclaiming over the gentlemen’s prowess, but Lady Gwen and Mari hurried to her side.
