Page 57 of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

The clock on my desk showed that it was just past two a.m. Now fully awake, I heard a second distinct sound from the bowels of the house – a door opening.

I was not alone. Looking out of the window and seeing no light in Evelyn’s cottage, there was no use comforting myself with the idea that she had decided to enter the main household at this time of night. I padded over to my bedroom door as softly as I possibly could, and turned the handle with precision. Thankfully, it opened silently. Listening closely, I heard the sound of footsteps creaking on the wooden floorboards below. Instinctively, I felt for the pouch around my neck.

Was it him? Had he somehow found me?

This was the moment I had feared.

Despite the terror now coursing through my body, I knew that I had one tactical advantage over the intruder. I knew the Landowski house well, and based on the crashes and creaks, I had to assume the intruder did not. I contemplated hiding, but knew that would be of little use – it was the middle of the night, and they might simply keep searching until I was found. I thought of running, too – simply racing down to the doorway and sprinting into the night. If itwashim, I doubted that the few miles of distance I would be able to put between us tonight would be enough to protect me. Regrettably, I concluded that offensive action was necessary.

I slowly walked over to the top of the stairs, and listened for the footsteps below. It seemed that the intruder was methodically searching the house, as if looking for something.Or, more likely, someone – me. Eventually, the footsteps progressed towards the east wing of the house – the drawing room and the library – and I took my chance. Maintaining my light-footedness, I crept down the stairs to the ground floor, and headed in the opposite direction. I made straight for the atelier, and Monsieur Landowski’s chisels. Picking up the sharpest of the tools, I walked back into the hallway, staying close to the walls to avoid being caught in the moonlight. Once I had reached the staircase again, I stopped to listen. There was silence. Where were they? I took another step forward into the corridor, and a great force whipped me off my feet and into the air. The intruder had grabbed me from behind in an attempt to lock my arms together. I kicked back at my assailant as hard as I could, aiming for the knees. The subsequent yelp told me I had hit my target. The intruder buckled and released their grip as we both tumbled to the floor. I dropped the chisel in the struggle, and scrambled around in a desperate attempt to find it. During those few seconds, the assailant leapt to their feet and hurtled down the corridor towards the living room. Thankfully, my hand brushed the chisel and, grasping it, I stumbled down the corridor after them.

‘Show yourself!’ I shouted, not able to control the rage in my voice. The drawing room was still, and I could only make out shapes of furniture in the moonlight.

‘You were never a coward, Kreeg. Let us see each other.’ The room remained eerily silent. ‘You know, I do not wish to fight you. I never have. I carry this chisel only so that I might defend myself from you. There are things you do not understand... things that I long to tell you. Please, come out and I’ll explain everything.’ Still nothing. ‘I didn’t kill her, Kreeg. You must believe me.’ Tears began to form in my eyes. ‘How could you ever think that I would be capable of suchan act? We were friends. We were brothers.’ I wiped the tears from my eyes, and tried to remain focused. ‘I only ran that day because I knew you would kill me. I was just a little boy, Kreeg, as were you. Now we are young men and should settle this as such.’ I offered one final statement which I hoped would tempt him out of hiding. ‘I have the diamond. I would never sell it, as you assumed. I can give it to you now. It hangs from a leather pouch that I keep around my neck. Simply show yourself and we will make the transaction. Then you can leave and we need never see one another again, if that is your choice.’

There was a creak from behind the armoire in the corner of the room. I knew that the mention of the precious stone would be enough to lure him out of hiding.

‘A diamond, you say? So that’s what you keep in that pouch.’

I knew the voice. But it was not Kreeg’s. A figure emerged, and in the gloom, I saw a face.

‘Monsieur Toussaint?’

‘You know, for a boy who is apparently unable to speak, you are most eloquent.’

‘What are you doing here? What do you want?’

‘I don’t like being scammed, boy. The Conservatoire de Paris is the greatest musical institution in the world, not a nursery. As you very well know, that little Russian rat Ivan led us to believe that your girlfriend was the lovechild of Rachmaninoff. When I threatened to write to him, Ivan came clean and said he had lied.’ He took a step towards me. ‘I asked him about you. He said that you were the ward of Paul Landowski... who I know has taken a position in Rome. So, as penance for swindling me, I thought I’d come and help myself to a couple of Landowski’s vases. But now I know there’s something much more valuable.’ He took another step.

‘You don’t understand.’

‘In fact, there are two things of value in this room, boy. The diamond, which I now know hangs around your neck... and you.’

I hesitated. ‘Me?’

‘It stands to reason that this “Kreeg” you mention would be quite eager to know your whereabouts, given the situation you have just readily revealed to me. I’m sure that he’d pay handsomely for information about you.’

‘He’s little older than me, Toussaint. He has no money. And if he finds out you stole the diamond from me, he’ll kill you too.’

Toussaint snorted. ‘There are deals that can be done, boy. Perhaps if I simply end your life now and return the diamond to young Mr Kreeg, we can find a way to split the rewards...’ Toussaint slurred his words. He was clearly drunk.

‘Monsieur, please. You are a flautist. Not a murderer!’ I pleaded.

‘Boy, with that diamond in my possession, I can be anything I want to be. Now, come here!’

Toussaint leapt at me, but I had anticipated his manoeuvre and jumped onto the sofa. With my height advantage, I leapt onto his back. But the tutor was surprisingly strong, and was able to swing around so both of us crashed to the floor. I absorbed his full weight and was badly winded as a result. Seizing his opportunity, Toussaint spun around and ripped the pouch from my neck. He threw it to the side before placing his hands around my neck.

I remember feeling oddly peaceful as the life force slowly began to leave my body. There was no immediate panic... until an image of Elle entered my head, and I was immediately filled with the urge to fight. Summoning every ounce ofstrength in me, I took the chisel in my hand and forced it into Toussaint’s arm.

‘Argh!’ he cried, removing his hands from my neck. I seized my opportunity and reclaimed the pouch, shoving it into my pocket.

Suddenly, the room was flooded with light, and a loud scream came from the doorway. I wheeled round to see Evelyn at the door, with one hand on the light switch and the other over her mouth. Toussaint, still cradling his arm, stood up and tried to conceal his face by hunching himself over. Then he barrelled past Evelyn and sprinted out of the front door.

‘Bo! What’s going on? Oh, my dear Lord, is that blood on the floor?’ I nodded. ‘Are you all right?’ I nodded once more through heavy breaths. Evelyn knelt by my side and was frantically searching for any wounds. ‘You will speak to me. Who was that man? Why was he here?’ I looked back at her, stunned. ‘Bo, please. Tell me everything.’

I explained the situation with as much urgency as I could muster.

‘Mon Dieu, Bo. Do you have this diamond?’ I patted my pocket. ‘Good. But you are not safe here now. He may return, and I do not know who with. It is time to leave.’