Page 79 of The Consolation Prize

Rose took a step back, but kept her gaze fixed on them. Seeing Rose was too much temptation for Abelard, and he sprang from Una’s arms for freedom. As he landed on his feet, Waleran aimed a vicious kick at the small dog and he went skittering into the wall with a yelp.

“Don’t!” Una cried and Rose whirled about. For a moment, Una’s heart froze thinking the slight girl would tackle Waleran. Instead, she seized fast on his other arm, breathing deeply through her nostrils as though trying to contain great anger.

“Get off me!” Waleran snarled, but Rose’s face was fixed and white and she did not speak to him, just glared at him with grim determination. “What is this?”

Una shook her head and when he pressed harder, she cried out. “I do not know.” If Rose was not so unique, she might have run for help, Una thought despairingly.

“Keep your voice down, or it will be the worse for you!” he threatened her.

“Where are we going?” Una demanded. Surely, they would not get far. Not with Waleran, hindered now in his flight by two women.

“You’ll find out,” he gloated, half shoving her through a side door. He tried to shake Rose off his arm but failed. “Well, if she wants to share our fate, she can,” Waleran sneered. When he shut the door in Abelard’s face, preventing him from following, the little dog flung back his head and started to howl. At least he would take no further hurt, Una thought, and maybe eventually his cries would alert the household that they were missing.

To her surprise, Waleran did not take them around the front of the house but headed instead down the garden. Una craned her eyes to scan for waiting horses or more men, but she could see no one else in the shadowy grounds save for the three of them. He must have been speaking the truth, she thought about being alone.

Suddenly, out of the darkness the ruins loomed far above them. With mounting dread, Una realized Waleran was making a beeline for them. She dragged her feet and shot a glance at Rose, whose eyes were still fixed sternly on Waleran’s eager profile. Did Rose even realize the danger they were in, she wondered?

Una ran her tongue over her dry lips. “These ruins are treacherous,” she said desperately. “I have been warned to stay far away from them.”

“You need have no fear,” Waleran assured her, coming abruptly to a stop at the bottom of the disintegrating stairwell. He flung them both before him, so both women stood at the foot of the steps. “They will serve our purpose. I have tested them.”

Una stared, for surely, she could see a glow of light around the first bend and in the remains of the chamber at the very top. Had he set torches in the old sconces? “You have tested the stairway?” she repeated weakly. “Waleran, the steps do not lead anywhere except into the sky.”

He nodded gleefully. “They will lead to our eternal glory.” He was mad, Una thought with terrifying certainty. Quite mad.

He stabbed the air with his dagger. “Get moving,” he said with menace, and walked toward them. Given precious little choice, Una reached her hand out to take Rose’s and they started climbing the steps with Waleran following close behind them.

13

Armand was descending the stairs two at a time when Otho appeared at the bottom, ashen-faced. “Well?” his brother-in-law demanded.

“She’s not in the solar or the attics,” Armand replied tersely. They looked at each other grimly. Armand had told Otho of Lord Vawdrey’s message that afternoon, and no doubt they were both thinking the same thing. The house was now in uproar with servants running hither and thither. Armand flung up a hand “Silence!” he roared. “Where’s that dog barking?”

“Sir, he’s in the kitchens,” Janet said, round-eyed. “Creating ever such a racket he is, none of us can quiet him without Rose and she’s nowhere to be found either.”

“Rose is missing?” Otho uttered sharply, but Armand was already making for the kitchen where Abelard was scrabbling at the back door.

“Do not let him out!” Mr. Beverley cried, not realizing who was snatching the door open. “If he runs away, there will be hell to pay!”

As soon as it had been flung it wide, Abelard hurled himself outside and Armand followed, pursued by a mob. Abelard pressed his tiny nose to the ground and headed straight down the garden. Armand followed him, his eyes intent on the dog. Someone behind him let out a cry.

“Look! Someone is at the top of the tower!”

“They must be mad!”

Armand glanced up with dread and saw the tower was illuminated with golden light streaming out of the little chamber room poised at the top of the winding steps. His heart stuttered and then started beating again twice as fast. He could see Una’s red dress and the glitter of the gold net in her auburn hair. She was stood at the very top, with a shadowy figure on either side of her.

Janet let out a lusty wail. “It’s the mistress!”

The babble and clamor that greeted her words seemed to propel Armand out of his stunned horror. He ran until he’d closed the distance between himself and the ruin. Finding Abelard poised at the bottom step, he scooped up the little dog and turned, dumping him in the arms of the first servant he spied.

It was Janet’s swain, Peter. “What will we do, sir?” he gulped.

“Keep hold of the dog,” Armand told him in clipped tones, and made for the steps. Walker and Otho were close behind him.

“Stay where you are!” a voice bellowed down from above. “Or the princess will suffer for it!”

“Princess?” Armand heard voices behind him murmur in confusion. Maybe he should have mentioned that prior to this. There were lots of things in retrospect, he could not help but feel he had handled badly. First and foremost, his woeful attempts to secure his property. By taking on so many in such a short space of time, he had let this stranger slip into their midst and steal his greatest treasure. He had much rather he had emptied his attic strong room than taken Una. Icy fingers of dread traced down his spine as he gazed up at the figures so far above him. Was he not to get the chance to set any of this to rights?