Theo’s tone suddenly became urgent as she said loudly, “Madam! The earl! He’s coming here, this evening!”
Theo had a knack for knowing when people would be arriving at the keep. She was never wrong and could often tell ahead of time who would arrive and how many people they would bring with them.
“The earl?” Madam Scargill said, her attention temporarily diverted from Ian in the loo. “Theo, are you sure?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Theo said excitedly. “And he’s bringing two men and a young boy with him!”
“How long have we got?”
“We’d be best to hurry!”
“Oh, my,” said Madam. She gave one more knock on the door of the water closet and called, “Ian, if you need me, please tell Theo. I shall be back to check on you later.”
And with that he heard her clomping feet retreat down the hallway. He waited another few moments; then, as he was about to open the door, Theo knocked.
“It’s safe, Ian,” she said. “You can come out now.”
Ian opened the door, quickly scooted out into the hallway, and pulled it closed behind him. “That was bloody brilliant!” he said to her. “Telling her that the earl was on his way was a stroke of genius. Though I’ll admit you had me a little nervous with that whole ‘Ian’s in the loo with the runners.’”
“The earl is on his way here,” said Theo. “But maybe not quite as soon as I let on to Madam Scargill. You, however, had best get back to your room and do a good job of looking sick, because I won’t cover for you again!”
“Oh, come off it, Theo,” he said, swinging an arm about her shoulders and giving her a gentle hug. “I got the box back, after all.” And he pulled it out from under his shirt to show her.
“Madam Scargill will find it in your room,” Theo said crossly. “She’ll know you stole it back, and then you’ll be in a load of trouble.”
Ian smiled down at her, his confidence unwavering. “I’m not going to stash it in my room,” he said. “I’m going to hide it up there.” He pointed to a door directly opposite Madam Scargill’s room.
“The tower?” Theo whispered.
Ian nodded. “No one ever goes up there, and we can be sure that it won’t be found and that we can have a look at it whenever we want to.”
“But it’s horrible up there,” Theo said with a shudder.
There were two towers at the keep: the east tower and the west. The west housed the children’s playroom and was a comfortable place to retire after lessons and before bedtime. The east tower, however, was a dark and gloomy place that almost every child at the keep explored just once—then never again. Most of the orphans who ventured there felt as if they were being watched by unseen eyes, and a few had noticed dark shadows following them about the room in the moments before they raced back down the stairs.
“Yes, I know it’s creepy,” said Ian happily. “Which is what makes it such a brilliant hiding place. Now, you keep watch for me just another minute.” And before she could answer, Ian dashed to the door and disappeared up the stairs to the tower.
* * *
Ian crested the top stair and looked about. The light was dim, but he knew exactly where he wanted to hide his silver box. There was a bench built into the wall at the top of the stairs, with wooden slats for a seat. He could hide it in the bench until it was safe to bring it out and inspect it. As he reached for the loose slat, however, he took just a moment to study the box. He turned it around in his hands, admiring its detail. It was beautifully crafted and rested on four balled silver feet. He shook it gently and he could feel the small vibrations of something rattling inside. Curious, he tried to open the lid, but as hard as he tugged on it, it wouldn’t give way.
With a sigh he decided it was best to leave it for now and attempt to pry it open later. He then quickly pulled up the slat and placed the box at the bottom of the bench. A few seconds later he was dashing back down the stone steps and through the door to the hallway, where Theo was waiting impatiently.
“All done,” he said to her. “Thanks for keeping watch.”
“You’re going to get yourself into big trouble one of these days,” she admonished.
“Not with you to look after me,” he replied with a grin as he gave her hair another tousle.
Her face softened and she pushed his hand away with a smile. “Someone’s got to look after you,” she said. “Otherwise you’d go without supper so often you’d starve to death.”
Ian was instantly reminded of the dinner plate she’d snuck up to him, and he realized she was no longer holding it. “Speaking of eating, what did you do with my dinner?”
“I had to hide it in the loo when I heard Madam Scargill on the stairway.” Theo disappeared into the lavatory and Ian was horrified as he watched her come back out with his food.
“You hid it in there?”
“Would you rather Madam Scargill see me standing at the lavatory door with it?” Theo snapped.
“Good point,” he agreed. “Now, go on and finish your own supper,” he said, taking the plate from her. “And say hello to the earl for me.”
Theo gave him a small smile. “I’ll tell him it’s your birthday and perhaps he’ll come upstairs to visit with you.”
“That’d be brilliant, thanks!”
The two parted and Ian headed back into his room, where he ate his birthday supper in peace and quiet and watched out the window for the Earl of Kent and his companions.
THE EARL
Hastings Arbuthnot, the Earl of Kent, arrived at Delphi Keep shortly after the last dish from supper had been washed and dried.
Ian had become bored as he’d sat in his room, so he’d crept to the edge of the stairway, hid under his favorite table with its small peephole, and watched as Madam Scargill and Madam Dimbleby worked themselves into a state of furious activity They each gave orders to the older children to help clean up the dinner dishes and attempt some housekeeping.
Madam Dimbleby then separated the younger children into three categories: presentable (the smallest group), in need of a little soap and water (the largest group), and those in need of a miracle. Madam Dimbleby took control of the miracle group and trotted them to the west wing’s boys’ and girls’ dormitories to change and wash up.
Madam Scargill took the largest group and hustled them one by one through one of the two small washrooms on the main floor, making sure every child’s hands and face were clean and shiny and their clothes properly tucked in.
At half past six all the children save Searle and Ian were gathered downstairs in the main parlor, doing their best not to fidget while they watched Madam Dimbleby and Madam Scargill take turns peering out the window. From his vantage point behind the table, Ian could see all the way into the parlor and watched as Madam Dimbleby finally clapped and turned to the children. “The earl is approaching!” she announced.
Madam Scargill stood and straightened her dress. “Come, children! Outside onto the front stairs to welcome our benefactor.”
Ian ducked out of his hiding place, hurried into his room, and dashed to the window, where he could have a clear view of the drive and the earl’s approaching motorcar. His heart beat faster when he saw the shiny yellow automobile approaching.
He set his dinner plate into the small trunk he kept under his bed and pulled out some clean clothes, hoping that Theo would be able to talk the earl into coming upstairs for a visit.
As quickly as he could, he changed and shoved his dirty clothes under his bed, then turned his attention back to the window. Peeking out over the ledge, he could see the tops of the children’s heads as they waited obediently for the earl to stop and greet them. The yellow automobile had already come to a halt in front of the door, and Ian watched as the Earl of Kent stepped out along with two other gentlemen and a skinny boy with white-blond hair—just as Theo had predicted.
The earl was a strappingly tall man, well over six feet, with carrot red hair, a freckled complexion, and dazzlingly bright blue eyes. He was
broad of shoulder and narrow of waist, and Ian imagined that wherever he went, his height and gregarious smile attracted attention. “Hello, my children!” he greeted them jovially.
“Hello, my lord!” they answered in giggly unison.
“It’s good to see you,” he said, then nodded his hellos individually to Madams Dimbleby and Scargill and to Landis before turning to his three younger companions. “I’ve brought you some very special guests,” he announced. “This is Thatcher Goodwyn and his twin brother, Perry. They shall be your new schoolmasters.”
Ian had a good view of the two men standing next to the earl. The man named Thatcher was a few inches shorter than their patron, with a good solid frame, long legs, and straight brown hair. He wore glasses and had a pencil-thin mustache. His twin brother was identical to him, save for the mustache and the glasses.
Ian noticed Madam Scargill’s features tighten at the announcement of the new schoolmasters. She had always been in charge of teaching the children lessons, so this must have been a most unwelcome surprise to her. The earl might have sensed this, because he turned directly to her and said, “But I want to acknowledge the exemplary job Madam Scargill has done of instructing you all thus far. This change will allow my dear friend a much-deserved rest.”
Ian watched Madam Scargill blush and bow her head to the earl. Her feelings might be bruised but at least all her hard work hadn’t gone unnoticed. “Thank you, my lord,” she said with a small curtsy.
“And this,” he said, turning to the young lad fidgeting by his side, “is Carl Lawson. I’ve rescued him from an overly crowded orphanage in Plymouth to join us here at the keep. Please welcome Carl to his new home, children.”
“Welcome, Carl!” all the children said obediently. Ian watched the boy drop his chin shyly, his complexion turning bright red.
The earl gave him an encouraging pat on the back, then said, “Now let’s go inside so that we can all get to know your new schoolmasters, shall we?”
Ian dashed to his door and was out in the hallway just as he heard the front door open again. He bent double and crept back to his hiding place under the table to peer out. He allowed himself a wicked smile as he took up his post, when he thought about how Searle had no such vantage points from his side of the keep and would surely miss out on all the action unfolding below.
The earl was the first to sweep into the keep, followed by his two new schoolmasters, then the headmistresses, and lastly the children. The large group filed into the parlor, and Ian watched the new boy standing shyly in the front hallway right below him, waiting for the other children to settle into the parlor before joining them.
Ian smiled as he caught Theo noting the poor lad and—being the outgoing girl that she was—walking over to him.
“Hello,” she said with a smile.
“Hello,” said Carl, shuffling his feet.
“My name is Theo,” she continued. “I’ve been here since I was two. My older brother, Ian, is upstairs. He’s been here since he was just a few days old.”
Carl gave her a shy nod.
“I believe you two might be about the same age,” Theo added, and Ian had to agree. “Ian’s just turned thirteen.”
“I’m twelve,” said Carl. “I’ll turn thirteen in December.”
Theo’s smile widened and Ian knew what she was thinking. The only other boy close to Ian’s age was Searle, so she was no doubt very happy to hear that Ian and Carl had something in common. “I expect you two will get along very nicely,” she said with a knowing glance up to the top of the stairs, where Ian was crouched under the table. How she knew he was there he could never figure out, but he barely resisted the urge to laugh when she winked in his direction.
Meanwhile, Carl gave another small nod and shuffled his feet again. “Come along, then,” said Theo, taking his hand. “You’ll sit next to me.”
Ian watched as Theo led Carl to a spot near the fireplace. After all the children had settled down on the floor, the earl took a moment to look around at their eager faces, smiling at a few individuals, including Theo. Then he began his introductions. “Masters Goodwyn come to us from Cambridge, from which they both recently graduated. Schoolmaster Thatcher will be teaching you the finer points of language, history, and the arts, while Schoolmaster Perry will be instructing you in the arenas of mathematics and science.”
“I was also quite the fencer at Cambridge,” said Perry proudly from his seat on the chaise longue beside the earl. “If any of the children are interested in starting a fencing club, I shall have a sign-up sheet the first day of class.” Ian made a mental note to sign up, because learning to be good with a sword might come in handy in the profession of treasure hunter.
“Splendid idea,” said the earl with a smile and a nod to Perry. “Now, I realize you’ve all been very good students, but I shall expect you to rise to a level higher than we’ve previously set.” Ian’s eyes shot to Madam Scargill, who had bristled again.
Meanwhile, the other children were all looking round at each other, worry lining their faces. It seemed that Thatcher noticed the shift and said, “The earl has high hopes for the children of Delphi Keep. It is his wish that you have all the advantages of regular children with families who attend private schools, and therefore he sought out my brother and me, who are well versed in all the general education classes that will give you the best possible chance to enter society as adults properly educated.”
Still the children squirmed where they sat. Ian knew that none of them had any doubt that the fairly easy regimen they’d had under Madam Scargill was about to become far more challenging.
“Very well said, Thatcher,” the earl commented happily. “Now, why don’t we all get to know our new schoolmasters? Come, come, children,” he said encouragingly. “Let’s have all of you introduce yourselves to Masters Goodwyn.”
One by one the introductions were made, and the earl asked every student to name his or her favorite subject as well. By the time the last child and newest addition, Carl, was making his introduction, the sun had long since set and Ian could see that some of the children were beginning to yawn. “My name is Carl and I come from Plymouth. I’m twelve years old and my favorite subject is …” He paused, searching his mind before saying, “history.”
Ian’s eyebrows rose. He loved history as well and he wondered if he might have more in common with the new boy than he’d first thought.
After Carl had taken his place again, the earl looked around the room at all the sleepy children and stood up with a clap of his hands. “I believe that’s almost everyone,” he said, still looking about. “But what of Master Wigby?” he asked, and Ian was thrilled that the earl had taken note of his absence.
“He’s in his room,” said Madam Scargill with a sniff. “He and Master Frost were sent to their rooms without supper after quarreling in the courtyard this afternoon.”
Ian’s heart sank. He’d hoped to somehow avoid having the earl learn about the incident. And when he looked at his patriarch and saw his shocked expression, Ian felt even worse.
“Quarreling?” the earl said. Then he surprised Ian by grinning and looking around the room. “Ah, yes, now I notice that Searle isn’t among us either. Well, I’ve been in a few scraps myself, Gertrude. I’m sure the boys were just being boys.”
“It’s Ian’s birthday today,” said Theo bravely, and Ian smiled gratefully at her again. “I’m sure he’d love it, my lord, if you’d honor him with a visit tonight.”
“His birthday?” asked the earl, looking at Madam Scargill with a hint of disappointment. “Of course I’ll go up to see him, Theo. And I’ll introduce him as well to his new schoolmasters and to Carl.”
“There is a bed next to Ian’s that is currently empty, my lord,” said Madam Dimbleby with a smile. “I’m sure the lad will welcome having someone so close in age bunking next to him.”
The earl beamed at her. “Thank you, Maggie,” he said, and there was something in the way the earl looked at the head
mistress that made Ian wonder if the earl had known all along exactly which bed was empty and had purposely chosen to bring to the keep a new boy who was close to him in age. “We’ll go wish Ian a happy birthday, show Carl his new accommodations, and then have a quick visit with Searle in the other boys’ dormitory before lights-out. And if you and Madam Scargill would like to go about the business of getting the children ready for bed, you may.”
The earl had barely finished his sentence when Ian quickly scooted out from underneath the table and scuttled back down the hall to his dorm room.
Ian ducked through the door, eased it shut, then hurried through the darkness to his bed beside the window, where he clicked on a small light and grabbed the adventure book he’d gotten from the earl’s library. There he waited with pounding heart for the earl and the others to come to him.
Ian’s window offered a perfect view of the bright half-moon hanging in the night sky. As he eagerly waited for the footsteps outside his door, he saw a movement out the corner of his eye. Ian’s attention diverted from the book he’d been pretending to read to the brightly lit window, where he squinted through the glass pane. The glare from the lamp hampered his vision, so he turned it off and stared at the lawn. His good mood vanished instantly, and the book he was holding slipped through his fingers and thumped to the floor.
Something large and dark was moving about outside. A creature with the body of a lion, the head of a wolf, and black fur was roaming the grounds right below his window. “Oh, no!” he whispered, trembling in fear just as his bedroom door swung open and the main light switch was flipped on.
“Good evening, Master Wigby!” the earl said jovially. “I understand congratulations on reaching your thirteenth birthday are in order.”
Ian popped off his bed. “Hello, my lord,” he said in a shaky voice. “Might I have a word with you?” He had to tell the earl of the terrible danger out on the lawn and why that danger had found its way to the keep. He knew he’d have to tell the truth now and he’d likely be in horrible trouble for it, but he also knew that because of him, all the children were now in great peril, and perhaps even a few of the adults.