Mr. Stillworth escaped out of the large cavern.
Fortesque pulled away from Lakehurst. “My Lord Satan has come for me! Praise be Lord Satan!” he cried joyfully as he ran toward the fire just as a small explosion brought down a wall of rock closing off the entrance to the cavern. Fortesque’s death screams were nearly drowned out by the falling rocks.
Lakehurst backed away from the conflagration. He grabbed Cassie’s hand and pulled her further into the cavern, behind the tapestry, and toward the blocked tunnel Carlyle had shown him.
Cassie cried out at the blockage, but Lakehurst immediately began to pull the tangled pieces or furniture loose and toss them behind him. Cassie, seeing what he was doing, began to help.
“Carlyle said,” Lakehurst grunted as he pulled a heavy trestle aside, “the tunnel leads to the study.”
“I didn’t know of that tunnel entrance. That must have been how they got me in the cavern that night,” she said as she pulled a chair away.
“Watch yourself,” Lakehurst said as the pile began to tumble.
Smoke had begun to seep around the tapestry that hung over the tunnel entrance. They coughed and rubbed smoke-filled eyes. Through the stinging smoke, they could see the other side.
Now working feverishly together, they managed to clear Carlyle’s barrier. Lakehurst helped Cassie over the last of the fallen items and they clung to each other as they made their way up the dark passage. Behind them, they heard another explosion and cave-in.
“I think the bats have lost their home,” Lakehurst said.
Cassie started laughing, soon she was laughing so hard her sides hurt. Laughing as much in relief that they were alive as to Lakehurst’s weak humor.
Lakehurst pushed her along farther into the darkness.
“I love you, Lakehurst,” she said into the black void ahead of them.
“I love you, too, sweetheart,” he replied. “And since we are going to be married, you need to start calling me Lancelot or Lance. That is my name, you know.”
She giggled. “My heroic knight, Lancelot.”
“I try. I will always try to be your knight.”
“You are and you will be,” she said simply.
The tunnel narrowed. Cassie leaned into Lakehurst, and he wrapped his arm around her.
The tunnel and its gentle climb upward seemed endless. It was so dark Cassie nearly ran into the wall at the end of the tunnel. She pushed against the wood barrier, but it didn’t move.
Lakehurst found the pegged closure near the floor that held the door in place, but not the lever to actuate the door. “There should be a lever somewhere,” Lakehurst said.
“Is someone there?” they heard muffled through the wood.
“Yes!” Lakehurst shouted back. “It’s Lady Darkford and Lord Lakehurst. Who’s there?”
“Liddle and Mrs. Hallowell,” came the muffled reply through the thick wood.
Cassie grabbed on to Lakehurst’s arm, almost wanting to bounce like Gwinnie did.
“Liddle, see if you can find a lever that will open the door to the tunnel,” Lakehurst yelled back.
They heard pounding and scratching from the other side as Mr. Liddle searched for the lever. Lakehurst pulled Cassie into the circle of his arms and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, her fingers threading his hair.
Suddenly, the door swung outward. But they didn’t jump apart.
“I’d say they’re fine, wouldn’t you, Ursula?” Mr. Liddle said.
“Exquisitely fine,” Ursula agreed.
* * *
