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As the children looked on, too startled to move, Archibald Craven offered the governess his arm, which she leaned on as if she hadn’t the strength to move on her own. As the servants began unloading the baggage, Colin’s father carefully guided Miss Edmonds up the stars to the front door.
Colin finally found the power to move and ran to his father’s side.
"Father! Miss Edmonds! What has happened to you?” Colin barely took a breath between words.
“Are you ill, Miss Edmonds?" Mary asked, hovering behind her cousin.
"Colin, Mary, do not bother Miss. Edmonds just yet. She has had quite a time these last weeks." Archibald continued to support the governess while quickly patting his son on the shoulder.
"It’s all right. The poor children must have been appalled at my leaving so suddenly. It’s good to see you again, Colin and Mary. You mustn’t worry, I’ll be fine, in time. I just need to rest a bit, and then we can get back to your lessons."
With a wan smile, Miss Edmonds patted Mary’s cheek and Colin’s shoulder and continued her way toward the main staircase and to her room, aided by Lord Craven. The children followed quietly behind them, sensing that silence was the best plan at this time. The servants had brought the governess’s traveling cases to her room and Martha was efficiently unpacking them. One case had already been emptied and slid under the bed, while three more were sitting open. Martha looked up quickly as they entered the room. Her ruddy cheeks were a bit paler than usual, and concern pinched her pleasant features as she bustled between the open bags and the chest of drawers and closet, hanging and folding Miss Edmonds’ clothing neatly away.
"Thank you, Master Craven, for all your generous help. I think after a short rest I will be fine. The children will resume their lessons tomorrow," Miss Edmonds said, her voice a shadow of its previous hearty cheer.
"Nonsense, Miss Edmonds. Please take a few days to recover. The children will not suffer for the small delay." Archibald Craven smiled at Miss Edmonds, and Colin’s breath caught in his chest.
He had never seen his father smile so warmly at anyone before, except himself or Mary. They must have become friends over their stressful journey, Colin decided.
After Miss Edmonds had bid them good evening and closed her door, Archibald Craven addressed the children.
"Mary, Colin, would you please come to the library with me? We have some things to discuss." Mary and Colin followed him to the library, giving each other apprehensive glances along the way. The halls had never seemed so long, but finally they were seated at the table in the library.
Archibald Craven took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Colin and Mary fidgeted with concern. After staring silently out the window for a few very long moments, Master Craven spoke.
"I realize everything that’s happened must be very confusing and strange to you children.” He ran a hand over his eyes. “Miss Edmunds’ home burned down and her mother was injured.
For the next moment there was complete silence in the room.
"How perfectly horrible!" Mary cried.
"How did it happen?" Colin asked in a small voice.
"The neighbors nearby saw the smoke and flames and managed to get her mother to safety and pull a few items from the home before all else was lost,” Mr. Craven sadly replied.
"Is her mother all right?” asked Colin, wringing his hangs.
“What was saved by the neighbors?" Mary asked as she worried the front of her dress into a lump of wrinkles.
"A few family pictures, a table, a few chairs, and a vase," came the grim reply.
"That’s it?" Colin asked, his voice strained as he tried not to jump out of his chair.
"I’m afraid so. They were lucky to get that much. It was late in the evening, and they would not have seen anything had it not been for the neighbor woman’s cat not wanting to come in as promptly as usual."
As Master Craven spoke, Mary wadded her dress some more, while Colin sat quietly staring out the door of the library.
"Will her mother be all right?" Colin asked.
"In time," Archibald sighed.
"But she has no home, now. Where is her mother staying?" Mary asked.
"Miss Edmonds has her post here, so she is not without resources. Her mother is recuperating in the hospital until she is well enough to travel. Then Miss Edmonds will have to make arrangements to bring her here. She has put the home’s land up for sale. I must go and unpack, now.”
The children remained seated at the library table for a while in complete silence. The room was so still around them, that when Colin finally spoke, Mary flinched.
“Did you hear that?” Colin asked.
“Of course, I heard all of it,” Mary replied, confused.
“I mean the part about Miss Edmonds’ mother coming to stay here!” Colin exclaimed.
“I wonder when she will arrive,” Mary asked of no one in particular.
“We should ask Miss Edmonds, but not today.” Colin said thoughtfully.
"Do you want to play hide and seek?" Mary asked, suddenly, trying to find a distraction.
"Okay. You’re it!"
Taking Mary completely off guard, Colin dashed with a small giggle out the library door and disappeared. With a sigh, Mary began counting to twenty.
It was almost time for the evening meal, and Mary was getting cross. She had just closed another door without finding her cousin. Just then, the wall not ten feet away opened up and out stepped Colin. Mary blinked in surprise, watching him brush cobwebs from his hair and dust from his clothes. Mary approached as he let forth a giant sneeze.
“Bless you,” Mary said.
Startled, Colin jumped.
“You shouldn’t do that!” Colin gasped. “One could drop dead from the shock of it!”
“Where have you been?” Mary asked, placing her hands on her hips. “Have you been dusting under beds?”
Colin drew himself up with as much dignity as he could muster, covered in dirt as he was, and sniffed.
"I found a secret door."
Mary thought about her Forgotten Room, and wondered if there were more like it. Mary poked at the wall, which now looked just like any another wood panel in the endless row lining the halls. The dark wood was smooth and cool under her fingertips, and it gave no indication that it opened. It was very solid when she pushed on it.
"You have to push here," Colin said.
As he touched the edge of the panel at the edge of the molded rim, there was a soft click and the piece of wood popped out about an inch from the wall. The whole panel was hinged like a regular door. It swung open silently as Colin pushed it back to reveal a dark passage leading away.
Stale air and the smell of things long forgotten drifted out. The temperature was slightly cooler than in the hallway. The floor was mottled with dust. Mary could see cobwebs, some torn by Colin’s passing, and others built thick upon each other. They swayed in a slight breeze.
"Where does it go?" Mary asked, breathless with excitement. It occurred to her that many interesting things were being found during games of hide and seek.
"Follow me, I’ll show you." Colin led the way, brushing cobwebs as he went.
Mary could see his footprints in the thick coating of dust, marking his previous passage. Just like the Forgotten Room, this passage had not been used for a long time. After a few turns and two sets of short stairways leading down, Mary and Colin saw the end of the passage. There was another panel. Colin pushed on the edge and was rewarded with a soft click. Easing the door open, they peeked out.
They saw a room lined with shelves on which sat a variety of food and cooking supplies.
“It’s the pantry!” Mary exclaimed. “I wonder why the passage leads here.”
“So guests can be served in their rooms easier?” Colin guessed.
“Let’s go outside, I need some fresh air,” Mary suggested. “My nose itches.”
“I don’t see anyone,” Colin whispered, easing out of their hiding place.
With a peek out of the pantry, they saw only one scullery maid at work across the room, her back to them. Quickly, they scuttled out into the hallway, nearly running into Mrs. Medlock.
“What are you children doing?” she gasped, recovering from the near collision. “Where on earth have you been? You are simply covered in grime!” Absentmindedly she pressed her skirts down, as if to avoid any stray particles.
“We were thinking of a snack, Mrs. Medlock,” Mary piped up.
“Yes,” Colin agreed. “We got hungry playing hide and seek.”
“Well, I suppose a bite won’t hurt, as long as you take it outside,” Mrs. Medlock responded, whisking into the kitchen and reappearing a moment later with a biscuit in each hand.
“Now off with you. And don’t be late for supper!” Mrs. Medlock ordered, trying to usher them to the front doors.
“How is Miss Edmonds?” Mary asked before going any further.
“She’s to be expected. She’s worn down. Don’t bother your governess, now, children. Just get some fresh air.”
After the doors had closed firmly behind them, Mary and Colin began eating their biscuits as they walked the paths to their garden.
“Maybe tomorrow we should take Miss Edmonds to the garden and let the magic work for her like it did for us,” Colin suggested.
“Yes, if she’s well enough,” Mary agreed. “I wonder where Dickon is.”
“Where the breeze has blown him, I suppose,” Colin mused.
But when the children entered the garden, they found Dickon there, whistling cheerfully while tidying around a moss-speckled statue. He waved dirt covered fingers at them.
“I see tha’s made amends!” Dickon called.
“Yes!” Mary agreed. “And Colin’s ‘it’!” With a giggle, Mary dashed off.
For the remaining hours of the afternoon, the three children played tag. The sun was sitting directly on the edge of the moor, its orange glow dimming by the minute when they decided it was time to stop. Everyone was feeling a grumble or two in his or her stomach.
Before they left, Mary stopped Dickon with a hand on his shoulder.
“How is your sister? Is she getting any better?”
“Perhaps a bit, but th’ fever remains. Mother says it’s none so high, now, but she’ll not eat, yet.” Dickon thrust his hands deep into his pockets.
“She’ll get better,” Mary encouraged, “I know she will, with your mother looking after her.”
“If you need a doctor,” Colin offered, “just get us word. My uncle is one, and can be fetched quickly.”
Everyone knew, however, there was no better sick nurse in the land than Susan Sowerby. Even Mrs. Medlock had a deep respect for her skills.
With a small smile and a wave, Dickon set off for home and his dinner. Colin and Mary hurried back. As they entered the back hallway, Martha passed with a laden tray set for dinner.
"Martha! Is that supper you have?" Colin asked.
The young maid stopped, startled, then sighed.
"Eh! It’s for Miss Edmonds, but she touched only a bite or two of it. The poor woman!" Martha rested the silver tray and its contents easily on her hip, shaking her head.
"She won’t eat? Maybe she’s just tired," Mary suggested, hopefully.
"I hope that’s all it is, but I fear she’s got quite a spell o’ melancholy," Martha replied. "Don’t bother her tonight, leave it until the mornin’. I’ll bring your meals directly."
Martha whisked away, sighing to herself.
Mary and Colin went to their rooms, parting with a wave outside Mary’s door. A short time later, Martha entered with her evening meal, as Mary sat at her window and watched the blanket of night settle over the world outside. After eating, Mary did not know what to do with herself. Sitting on her bed, Mary thought briefly of visiting Miss Edmonds, but decided she was better left alone for the evening. She did not feel like reading, and a walk was not appealing either, so Mary decided to go to bed. After dressing in her nightgown, and banking the fire for the night, she climbed under the covers and blew out the candle. Sleep did not come quickly, and Mary found herself staring at the dark recesses of her ceiling. The manor was utterly silent. She imagined if someone downstairs in the scullery were to drop a needle, she could hear it. Flinging the tangled covers off, Mary decided to visit the Forgotten Room. Throwing a shawl over her shoulders and pulling stockings on her feet, she padded through the silent halls as the skirt of her nightdress made tiny ‘swish, swish’ noises as it flicked around her ankles, casting dancing shadows on the walls as she passed with her lamp. Once in her secret room, Mary settled into the rocker by the dark window, having chosen a promising-looking book from the shelves. Just as the soft glow from her lamp was making her drowsy, the door eased open and Martha’s head appeared.
“There tha’ is! Tha’s empty room alarmed me when I come back ta’ check on thee, ‘till I remembered tha’s special room,” Martha whispered. “Can’t tha’ sleep?”
“No, I was too restless or worried, or...something.” Mary sighed. “I was just about to go back to my room. Walk with me?”
“’Course I will!” Martha replied, still whispering. “I have to go back that way.”
Picking up her lamp and replacing the book, Mary left the Forgotten Room and the two girls walked slowly back, Martha with a wide yawn.
“How is Susan Ann doing?” Mary asked.
“She’s takin’ some broth, now, but she’s still quite weak. Mother thinks the fever has gone, finally.” Martha yawned again.
“Well, if she is eating now, that’s good,” Mary encouraged.
“Aye, that’s what we hope,” Martha replied.
At Mary’s room, they parted with a wave and a yawn from Martha. Mary slipped into her bed and pulled the covers to her chin, yawning as well, and fell asleep.
