“Shhh. You are as impatient as one of my students.” She laughed. “She went to the sea with her children but could not take all of them. Instead, she turned five into rocks and swam off with the other two.”
“That is the end?” he asked in disbelief. “What kind of story has a mother turning her children into rocks? She could have at least let them remain behind as humans.”
“It does seem rather unfair,” Cait admitted.
“Did she return?”
“The story does not say, but I do recall from other legends that once a selkie returns to the sea after they’d been captive, or lived on land, they cannot return again. However, other legends state that if they come onto land again and take a human form, they can return to the sea so long as they keep possession of their cloak or tail, or whatever it is that they shed.”
“One of the students did mention that your skin must be hidden away.”
“Which means they will be underfoot and searching,” Cait grumbled. Then she paused and a small smile began to form. “Unless we give them something to find.”
“Do you have a grey cloak?” he asked with a chuckle.
“I could have one made,” she answered and then grinned. “I also know exactly where they will find it.”
Julian leaned in. “Where?”
But, before Cait could answer, both turned to the door when they heard a scrape and then a bump from the conservatory as if someone was moving around.
“They are coming this way,” Cait whispered. “Nobody can find us here.”
Chapter Five
Cait’s heart pounded as she quickly closed the books, stacked them where they’d been before, set a lamp they’d not used on the desk then moved the others away, then extinguished all but one.
“Where do we hide?” Julian asked as he stood.
“In there.” Cait pointed to a small closet. “Just be careful not to upset the shovels and rakes.”
He crossed quietly, opened the door, and waited.
Cait hurried and entered, followed by Julian. There was barely room for two people to stand and they were forced to face the other.
She placed the lamp on a shelf and as Julian closed the door, she turned the flame down and hoped that no light seeped beneath the door.
An earthy aroma filled the small space which likely came from dirt still upon the gardening tools.
“Where are the books?” one of the girls asked. Cait believed it was one of the newer students, Mary.
“Be quiet,” another hissed. “We do not want anyone to hear us.”
Ah, that was Ruth.
These were not the students she was expecting, but also grateful that they were students and not someone with nefarious intent. Though, why someone with disreputable intentions would go into a conservatory of a girls’ school was beyond her, unless they needed a place to hide. After all, French spies had made the attempt to enter England on the shores below the school not so long ago, so there was that possibility and why Cait’s heart had begun to pound at the fear of being caught.
Now she was letting her imagination run, and she shut it down.
“Who is going to hear us. Nobody is in the conservatory but us,” Abigail insisted.
“Find the book we need, read it and be gone. I do not want to be caught by Mrs. Wiggons or any of the teachers,” Ruth insisted.
“They have retired to their chambers,” Abigail promised.
“Miss Doyle and Miss Hamilton are still at Harrington Manor and could return at any time. They would not be happy to catch us out,” Ruth argued.
“Hush, both of you. The quicker we can find information on selkies, the quicker we can be done and back to our chamber without anyone knowing.” This order came from Mary.
