Eugenia sat up a little straighter and arched a brow at her friend.
“It is.” Susan nodded sagely, a mischievous gleam in her blue eyes. “Since you and I were both instrumental in helping Edward work out his part of the delightfully mysterious treasure hunt your grandfather bequeathed to each of you, and since you were so eager for Edward to bring your letter back to you when he found his treasure, I was curious. Have you made any progress on working out the meaning of the riddle your grandfather left for you? Are you close to discovering what he bequeathed to you?”
Susan’s gaze was unwavering, her face alight with interest and excitement.
“Oh,” Eugenia was a bit startled, if she was honest with herself. She had fully expected Susan to ask her questions about Lord D’Asti, Lady Duncan’s Ball, and the disaster which had ensued afterwards with the help ofThe Society Reporter. She recovered quickly, though. “To be honest, in the midst of everything else which has happened while you were away on your weddingtrip, I had all but forgotten about my riddle, and my part in the treasure hunt. Why… my letter from grandfather has been tucked away in my bedside table and not looked at since the night of Lady Duncan’s Ball.”
Susan rose and bounced on the balls of her feet as she extended a hand to help Eugenia up off the couch, vibrating with barely contained energy.
“Shall we retrieve it and put some thought to it, then?”
Eugenia realised, of course, that her friend was shamelessly employing tactics to distract her from her woes, but she managed to hold her tongue for once, and not comment on the matter. After all, it was sweet of Susan to care enough to remind Eugenia of the treasure awaiting her, should she be able to decipher the riddle her grandfather had left for her. So, she took her friend’s hand and rose, only swaying on her feet the slightest bit.
“That sounds like a perfectly delightful idea to me.”
With a bright smile, Susan looped her arm through Eugenia’s. A small smile tugged at her lips, too, as she led her friend out of the library and upstairs to her bedroom.
Moving with a little more energy and enthusiasm than she had since recovering from her fever, Eugenia tugged the drawer of her bedside table open, pulled out the letter and riddle from grandfather, and held it up so that they could both read it at once.
Her fingers practically vibrated with excitement and it took a concerted effort to still them enough that they could read.
My Dear Eugenia,
I hope this letter finds you well. I also hope that witnessing the treasure your brother uncovered during his portion of the hunt has ignited your excitement to discover what I’ve chosen to bequeath to you. To that end, I shall get straight to the point. Here is your riddle:
From low to high, yet still well hidden
Of earth and sky, of hearth and midden,
Each waits in darkness, all together
Above a home, safe from the weather
Surrounded by the past, yet for your future,
In an old estate, set by waters pure,
Choose the right place, by neighbour’s measure
Climb to the top, you’ll find your treasure.
Best of luck to you, darling girl, and don’t forget to enjoy the journey just as much as you enjoy the destination.
With love always,
Grandfather
P.S. In the event that this riddle gives you trouble, it never hurts to take a walk in the garden and clear your head. And remember, my dear girl, leave no stone unturned.
Eugenia and Susan read the letter in contemplative silence, and Eugenia’s heart squeezed. She could almost hear Grandfather’s voice as she read the words he’d penned, and could swear that she caught a whiff of his pipe tobacco wafting off the page. For a moment, it almost felt as if he were standing right beside her. Her throat grew thick, and she swallowed hard.I miss him so much. I wish he could be here to witness us as we work our waythrough the puzzles that he left behind for us. It would delight him.She read over the riddle several times, trying to get a feel for it, then heaved a sigh.
“I seem to be a bit baffled by this riddle, thus far.” Eugenia chewed on her bottom lip. “I looked at the letter and riddle over and over, in the days before Lady Duncan’s Ball, yet I cannot seem to make sense of it all. I feel as if the answer is waiting just out of my reach, but I can’t quite seem to grasp the solution.”
“Why don’t we talk it over together?” Susan offered her a cheerful smile. “After all, two heads are better than one.”
“True, I could certainly use a fresh perspective.”
Eugenia could feel the heaviness of her situation begin to fall back just a little and decided to embrace the riddle with renewed vigour. She rang the bell and ordered tea to refresh them for their appointed task.
