Mrs. Martin took an unsteady breath, her lined face pale and taut. “They came last night, snuck up through the tunnel. They’re storing everything in the cellar right now. They told us to stay away, and we are. They have the Evans boy just to make sure.”
“What tunnel? What cellar?”
“The tunnel up to the estate.”
Both Pip and Lizzie froze. “You mean the Fairy Steps up to the manor house?” Lizzie demanded.
Everyone in the area knew about those steps that descended to a tunnel that came out in the manor’s chapel.
Pip put her hand over Lizzie’s to settle her.
Mrs. Martin shook her head. “No, my lady. Your aunt’s old house.”
Now Pip stopped breathing. “TheDower House?”
Mrs. Martin nodded. “Second cellar. It’s what our boys allus used to use. Safe as houses there ‘til they needed to move it on.”
“And nobody from the manor knew?” Lizzie asked.
Finally, Mrs. Martin managed a smile. “Your aunt knew. That was enough.”
Pip couldn’t help but grin. “No wonder her stories about smugglers were so realistic. But what about now?”
“Don’t know ‘em, do we? Somehow got word on the tunnels hereabout and decided to use them. First showed up yesterday. They’re bad men, miss. Charlie McKay says he saw crates of rifles being taken down and heard ‘em say there was somebody nearby to get further directions from. We’re hopin’ they didn’t pay attention to him, him bein’ slow and all.”
“When this is over, make sure he knows he is a hero.”
Mrs. Martin managed a fleeting smile. “He’s a good boy, is Charlie. But you, miss, my lady. You need to stay far away from there.”
“But Pip is staying in the Dower House,” Lizzie protested. “With her new husband.”
“And I’ve heard nothing in the cellar. Nor has the staff said anything.”
Mrs. Martin looked at Pip as if she were already dead. “Second cellar, ma’am. The one the gentlemen have been using since forever. Can’t generally hear it from upstairs.”
Suddenly, what Mrs. Martin said resonated. “Someone nearby to instruct them. Do you know who it might be?”
Mrs. Martin, her attention on the front window, shook her head.
Pip stood where she was for a long moment, almost afraid to breathe. It could be nothing more than a coincidence. But could this be why Lord Burke and Pamela and whoever Thomas was still remained up at the party? Were they waiting to contact these smugglers? Couldthisbe what the watcher was waiting for? Not her but contact with the smugglers. She had to admit that the Dower House cellars would have been the perfect place to hide contraband. No one had gone near it except to clean in years.
Guns. Insurrection, which would certainly follow on the heels of the assassinations Beau talked of. And if they had brought in guns, what else might they be hiding under the little Dower House? And how could she safely find out?
St Stephens’ socks, if she hadn’t seen the tension in the village, she would have suspected that she was making mountains out of molehills. But this was not a molehill. And something had to be done.
“Where do they have Robbie Evans, Mrs. Martin? Do you know?”
Mrs. Martin handed off the ribbon. “Down with the guns.”
“Where does the tunnel exit?”
“The steep slope just south of the Bridport road. It’s marked by a lone willow.”
“Can it be caved in?”
Her eyes widened. “Never thought. Better ask yer man.”
Pip passed across her shillings. “There were three men in the inn tap room I did not recognize. I assume they’re part of this. How many others?”
