“I don’t believe my eyes.” Elsa ran over and grasped Siena’s hand. “I thought never to see you again, milady.”
“Where is the rest of your staff?”
“In the larder, milady. They will be back shortly.”
“Elsa, no one must know that you have seen me. It’s dangerous for both of us. I’ve come to rescue Michael. We will need some food for the trip back to his home.”
“Thank the heavens, someone is going to free that poor child. He has suffered here.” She grabbed Siena’s arm. “But it will be impossible for you to escape.”
“We’ll take our chances. His father should be meeting us on the way back home, and then he will be safe. Now go and gather a bit of food and put it in a sack so no one knows that you’ve helped me.”
Elsa scurried around the kitchen gathering bread and cheese. “I wish you luck, milady. Your father has been in a towering temper since your brother was killed. If he finds you, it will not go well.”
Siena hugged Elsa. “My father has been in a bad mood all his life. I must hurry. Remember you haven’t seen me. Stay safe.”
She dashed back to Michael’s room. He smiled the minute he saw her again and she realized he’d thought she wasn’t coming back for him. The child had had so much heartbreak at his young age that it broke her heart.
“I thought ye’d left me,” he said in his small Scottish voice.
She gave him a big hug. “I’m not going anywhere without you, I promise. Let’s make this bed look like you’re still in it.”
“Why?”
Because we want to make it look like you are sleeping if someone comes into your room to check on you.”
Siena put a pillow under the covers and bunched the blankets around the pillow to make it look like a small child was asleep.
“Wait,” Michael said. He put his stuff rabbit beside the pillow.
“Are you sure?” Siena asked.
“I’m a big boy now. I won’t need my rabbit or blanket.”
“Yes, you are a big boy. But your rabbit wasn’t here before so I really think you should take him.”
Michael smiled and tucked him under his coat.
She moved the chest, then pressed the secret panel so the door would open. She looked at Michael before they entered the tunnel and said, “It will be dark for a few minutes, but there is a torch.”
He nodded his head but gripped her hand tightly.
Thank goodness the torch hadn’t gone out. Siena shut the door while she pictured the chest moving back into place. She listened and sure enough, she could hear the scrapping as the chest settled back in place. Agatha had told her that Siena’s mother had had the passageway made without telling her father in case she needed to escape. Evidently, her mother had had doubts about her father, too.
“It’s dark,” Michael whimpered.
“I know, but we’ll be outside soon.” She held the lit torch but it barely cast a glow on the steps leading down to the tunnel so she could see why he was afraid.
“I’m afraid of the dark, but I’m a big boy now so I shouldn’t be afraid,” he said as he clutched her hand harder.
“Even big boys are afraid sometimes,” she said, trying to address his worries.
“I have an idea,” she said.
“Stars above
Stars are bright
Light this tunnel for us tonight.”
