Lord Brathwaite stirred. “Is it done? You drank the water. What happens now?”
“We go about our lives,” replied Barnaby, staring wistfully into the distance. “The blessing will work its magic when needed.”
“Speaking of which,” said Joy, tucking her arm into his in the habit Barnaby had come to love. “You were going to have a little talk with my father.”
“Hang on!” The earl protested. “That can’t be all. Nothing really happened.”
“I’m afraid, your lordship,” said Barnaby, “you were denied much of the experience. But I assure you, it was so much more than ‘nothing’.”
“Honestly, Mr. Ash, I don’t know what to make of it all. This is most unscientific.”
“On that we agree,” Barnaby replied. “And yet, I think you had a small taste of its magic?”
His lordship brought his fingertips to his lips once more. Then his hand fell to his side and he huffed. “Well, at least I still have the manuscript. Perhaps more can be gleaned from it.”
They turned as one toward the well.
The book was gone.
Chapter Ten
“Where is the manuscript?” The earl scowled. “Did you knock it into the water, Moira?”
“No, sir!”
“Then where is it? No one has been here except the four of us.”
“That is not entirely true, your lordship,” said Barnaby. “Alwin and Lyra were here.”
“I only have your word for that, Mr. Ash.”
“Oh, I saw them too,” said Joy.
“I did too, milord,” added Moira. “Beautiful, they were. I am sorry they have gone.” She looked over her shoulder to where her wings had been. “Perhaps they took the book with them.”
Barnaby looked at the empty space the manuscript had occupied mere moments before. “I think you are right, Moira. The book was meant for folk like us, to lead us to this place, this promise. Now that it has been fulfilled, there is no further need for it.”
Brathwaite waggled a finger under Barnaby’s nose. “If you think you can fool me into somehow keeping such a valuable article for yourself, Mr. Ash…”
The words hit Barnaby like a blow to the stomach. “I assure your lordship I would do no such thing! Your lordship can see for himself I would have nowhere to hide such a sizeable object. Nor have any of us left this space. The manuscript has simply ceased to exist, just like our wings. And in their place we have the Blessing of Forevers upon Fenwick and those who consume its water.”
“Wings! Blessings! What a lot of rot! One of you has bumped that book into the well and is afraid to admit it. Well, I shall speak to the innkeeper and have the well dredged if need be. You shall be held accountable for your dishonesty if the book is found there. Not to mention the loss to me, for it is certainly damaged beyond repair. It would be better to confess your mistake now.”
Three pairs of eyes gazed back in helpless silence.
“Can I help you folks?”
The foursome spun round to see Mr. Brewster striding across the pathway toward them.
“The wife says she saw the earl’s carriage outside, but that no one came into the establishment. I’ve come to invite you myself.”
He stopped as he took in their serious faces. “Something wrong with the well?”
The earl stepped forward. “I am Lord Brathwaite, recently of Hill House. I have lost a valuable book, knocked into the well by the careless hand of one of these.” He gestured at the trio of accused. “I would appreciate it, my good fellow, if you had this well dredged so that I might reclaim my property and prove their guilt.”
Mr. Brewster stared at the three supposed suspects. “It was an accident, you say?”
“I would not like to think they had cause to do it intentionally,” the earl admitted.
