Then a calmer voice, which was almost certainly Justin’s, chimed in, “For heaven’s sake, Peverill.”
Mrs. Norris added, “I have the master key here.”
“Or other means!” Peverill added.
As the argument ensued, Cordelia paced, turning the rhyme over and over again in her head.
“P-p-perhaps he m-means the g-g-garden,” Hermione said, her voice low and contemplative.
Cordelia shook her head. The word that continued to jump out at her was underground. Then suddenly, she had a flashback.Among friends, she’d thought as she was trapped beneath the rubble at the abandoned abbey.
“My God, it’s the mausoleum.”
Portia had opened the door a crack to better yell at Mr. Peverill and their voices invaded the room, snapping her back to reality. Then, Portia slammed the door shut, wedging a chair beneath the knob. It jiggled as someone tried to yank it open.
“The m-m-mausoleum?” Hermione echoed.
“Yes,” Cordelia said, “it’s underground, and mother loved roses. She loved them so much that father had them etched into her tomb. It’s there; that’s where it has to be.”
“Th-then th-th-that’s where we g-go,” she replied, her voice suddenly determined.
Portia, huffing like a bull, marched to the window and threw the latch open, hanging her body out the sill. It was not a far drop, but it was enough to put Cordelia’s heart in her throat. “Portia… you can’t be serious,” she said.
“What?” Portia replied, yanking the sheets off her sister’s bed until she found the one she wanted. Frantically, she began twisting it. “Help me,” she said, and without a second thought the three of them went to her aid.
Cordelia caught the clank of Mrs. Norris’s keys as they tried the lock again. Then, hearing voices raised in the hall, a loud thump hit the door. Bea gasped. “What’s going on?” Portia asked.
“They’re trying to break down the door,” Cordelia answered, keeping focused on the task at hand. “Who is going to belay us down?”
“Stick one end under the foot of the bed. That ought to do it,” Portia replied, already pulling on the bedpost.
Standing, Portia, Hermione, and Cordelia heaved the heavy bed closer to the window as Bea let the length of bedsheet fall outside the window. Cordelia and Portia counted to three and lifted the bed half an inch off the ground. Hermione folded the end of the sheet beneath the bed and went pale as she regarded the door. Indeed, the thumps grew louder as it nearly came off its hinges.
“Go!” Portia yelped, pushing Hermione out the window.
When she was safely on the ground, Cordelia turned to Bea. “Up on my back, you,” she said, bending over so Bea could scramble on. Cordelia glanced out the window. If she squinted her eyes, it really wasn’t that much of a drop. Besides, she had just rejected Rhys and insulted Lady Billings; she was not about to allow herself to become suddenly sheepish.
Tasking a deep breath, she held the sheet firmly in her hand and began to climb down. Bea squealed in excitement next to her ear, and Cordelia blew out a sigh of relief as her feet touched the ground.
“Now you!” she shouted up at Portia, who promptly began her descent. She looked awkward trying to manage her bad arm and the fussy sheet, but she was steadily climbing down.
Then suddenly, three faces were present in the window.
“Blessed angels!” Mrs. Norris cried out. “What in God’s name do you think you’re doing?”
“Finding the Rothesay treasure!” Portia replied, making an obscene gesture. It was short-lived. A loud rip sounded and Portia screamed as she fell in mid-air. Hermione and Bea also yelled, and Cordelia thought her stomach might jump out of her throat, but Justin and Mr. Peverill caught the end of the sheet before Portia could hit the ground.
Slowly, they lowered her safely onto the grass.
Cordelia laughed and clapped her hands. “You always seem to be in the right place at the right time!” she shouted up at Justin, shielding her eyes against the sun.
“We’ve let you get a head start, but don’t worry; we’ll catch up,” he replied, his smile nearly taking her breath away.
Portia was already running, her golden hair gilded by the sun.
“We’ll catch you!” Peverill yelled after them as Cordelia turned and ran, her cheeks smarting from laughing.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
