Page 26 of Secrets Across the Sea

Staffordshire, England – 1812 – Day 13

Passing under the impressive topiary arch, Elizabeth followed the hedges forward, the first choice of direction appearing before she had gone ten steps. A simple choice between left or right; the first of many.

Moving left, she rounded the corner then another, only to find herself facing an impassable wall.

Lips pursed, she returned the way she had come, accepting the path she had not taken in hopes that her next choice would be a better one. Taking the winding path where she must until her next choice appeared, Elizabeth’s eyes rose heavenward; three choices, two on either side of a hedge in front of her, and one left.

Left was wrong the last time… perhaps it will be correct?

Turning left, she continued on, the path not ending until she reached another decision; left, or one of the two paths turning right.

Would the left path prove correct twice, or ought she take one of the other paths?

A light moan of frustration, her anger billowing gently upward in the frigid air, then Elizabeth took the first right, the path winding around until, at last, she found herself where she had been moments before.

“There are paths that go around too?” she sighed, thankful that at least she could continue on without an immediate decision.

No rhyme or reason. Hopefully Mary can catch up soon, Elizabeth prayed, her hands tucked under the crook of her arm in an attempt to keep warm.

The passage winding left, right, and right again, she viewed the path before her with disdain. It traveled on and on ahead, yet, from what she could observe, there were several others which veered off of it.

Too long… straight is too long, too simple surely? One of the paths to the right? Growling, she viewed the untouched snow. Either whoever laid out the game did so days prior, or else they had misread the clue.

Taking eight steps forward, she peered down the second opening, its path running for some time with no outlet in sight. Stepping out, she glanced left and right, her instincts pulling her back to the pathway she had walked by, though she stood unmoving as she considered her options.

The crisp, yet unintelligible ring of voices on the air forced all indecision aside as she retraced her steps to the first opening.

Shivering as she made her way down the winding path, the voices behind growing louder with each step, Elizabeth looked over her shoulder as she hurried her pace.

The path opening into a small courtyard at last, Elizabeth grinned; a marble woman wearing Roman dress filling the first of the space, quickly followed by an angel made of bronze, its wings spread wide, sword in hand, and feet pointing toward the wall to her left.

It has to be nearby.

Falling to her knees by the hedge, Elizabeth looked this way and that, a wooden box tucked down and to the right.

Moving over, she pulled the box toward her, the lid lifting without hindrance to reveal peacock feathers and an equal number of sealed clues. Taking one of each, she pushed the box back into place, the chatter behind her growing louder.

“Elizabeth?” another voice called, Elizabeth’s head jerking to her right as Mary rounded the corner.

Brows furrowed, Elizabeth turned behind her before fixing her gaze on her sister once more. “How did you get here?”

“Everyone saw your footprints and followed them, I thought, if we had any chance to get ahead, I ought to come the other way. Come, wrap this around you and let us get you inside, you have been too long in the cold.”

Accepting the pelisse from her sister, Elizabeth pulled it on, the shivering which had begun minutes before having become incessant.

Taking her sister’s arm, Mary led Elizabeth through the second half of the maze; the courtyard exited by another route, then the first left chosen, the path winding, then a right, and another right, and still another before the path wound to the maze’s end, Elizabeth smiling as she clutched their reward.

A few flakes falling as they made their way from the maze to the main entrance of the house, a sharp wind blowing, and the pair rushed into the house, the chattering of Elizabeth’s teeth filling the entry as the door closed.

“Come,” Mary said, pulling Elizabeth toward the empty drawing room. “You need to sit by the fire. We can read the clue when you are feeling better.”

Accepting the seat Mary proffered, Elizabeth winced as the fire began to warm her half-numb fingers.

“Do you need a blanket?”

With a shake of her head, Elizabeth handed the unopened clue to her sister. “They will all be inside any moment. Read the next clue. At least we can decipher it while I warm myself.”

A final worried glance at her sister and Mary nodded, the seal broken as she began to unfold the clue.

With face and hands, I stand proud.

I am the one they do see in a crowd.

Still, forgotten for most of the day.

My secrets revealed, if you know where I lay.

Holding her hands toward the fire, Elizabeth considered the clue. A clock. That was obvious, but there appeared no clue as to which it meant. They would have to go room to room; a grand old house such as this could have quite a few.

“Is there nothing else?”

The paper turned this way and that, Mary peered at the message, a shake of her head soon following.

“No, there is nothing else written there.” Turning toward her sister, Mary’s eyes widened. “Wait, was that what you found with it? A peacock feather?”

Lifting it from her lap, Elizabeth passed it to her sister. “Beautiful. Though I am afraid there is no message hidden on it.”

“Not on it,” Mary whispered, her eyes cutting toward the door as the other teams passed. “ It is the clue. There is a longcase clock in Lady Charmane’s study, you saw it. It must be the one.”

“The carvings,” Elizabeth grinned, the ache of her fingers forgotten in light of the solution. “That will save us a great deal of time, but we must hurry. Your cleverness without the next clue may not get us far.”

A fleeting glance at the fireplace and Elizabeth rose to her feet, Mary’s worried frown ignored as she moved past her.

If fortunate, a fire would be lit in the study, if not, at least the movement would fight whatever cold was left in her bones.

Making their way from the drawing room to the study, the sisters sought any signs of another team; the empty hallway prompting them to hurry into the nearby study before that changed.

Face brightening at the warmth of a roaring fire in the hearth, Elizabeth turned to close the door behind them, her sister reaching the clock as the door swung into place.

“A pity the clue did not indicate where on the clock to look,” Mary huffed as she peered behind the clock. “Though given the need to hide four items and clues, it should not take too long to find… Ah, here, does that look like it belongs there to you?”

Crouching to look under the longcase clock with her sister, Elizabeth smiled as she answered, “No it does not. Now quick, grab ours; we cannot have another team benefiting from our earlier sneaking.”

Chuckling, Mary worked her arm into the narrow space, her hand reaching around until she found what they were after.

“Here we are. One clue, and one… family crest? That is a peculiar item; a piece of paper with our host’s family crest and motto on it,” Mary frowned as she stood and made her way to the desk.

“If it is hers,” Elizabeth mused, “It could belong to any family. Perhaps the motto or design will be important?”

Taking the knife from the desk, Mary broke the seal on their clue. “Hopefully this makes things clearer.”

When the day is done and hunger churns, you may come to me to ease the burn.

A means in which to light your way, though it may be as bright as a summer’s day.

To find the reward for which you seek, remember for a moment the meek.

Brow rife with furrows, the sisters turned toward one another, each trusting the other would have the answer.

“Here, let us view the motto. How is your Latin?” Elizabeth smirked as they examined the crest–done in ink, the family colours were absent, the stripes and crossed swords on the shield leading up to the helm, wreath, and other swirling designs, with a ribbon atop holding the family’s motto.

EXITUS ACTA PROBAT

Licking her lips, Mary drew the motto closer, “A pity Kitty is not here, she did better than all of us in Latin… Lydia or Jane would even be an improvement over either of us. Still, here we go. Exitus is an outcome, an exit, an end–something along those lines. Then acta we have some sort of act or action… But probat , that would be… what exactly?”

“Perhaps it is… I know this, I do. It is… proof? Proving? To prove? I think it is something similar to that, so we have an end to an action that proves ?” Elizabeth suggested as she accepted the crest from her sister.

“Maybe it is more like the action proves the end ? Or, the end proves the action ?”

“ The action proves the means, or maybe, the deed ,” Elizabeth hummed as she studied the paper. “Yes, the action proves the deed . That certainly is closer than that first attempt. Our choice of words may be off, but I think we have the meaning.”

“If only that answered the question of our next clue. We ought to return to that before we get too involved in this family’s crest and motto,” Mary said, the clue examined once more.

“Alright,” Elizabeth began as she leaned against the desk. “End of day… hunger… where one goes to ease the burn. Then there is talk of a light, something to light your way. Then we need to remember the meek.”

“Someone who is meek does what? Kneel. Serve. Are humble. Quiet. Forbearing…”

“You said serve,” Elizabeth interrupted, her sister’s gaze turning toward her. “As in servant. A big house like this, the staff are not always as close to the family as they are in a smaller one–at home, we see our staff, but we have hardly seen any but the butler since arriving here.”

Nodding, Mary’s face knit. “True... but what does that have to do with the clue?”

“When you are hungry, who would you turn to in a house like this?”

“The cook.”

“And where does one find them generally?”

“In the kitchen,” Mary grinned, “Where those who serve, such as the cook, are able to prepare something to eat. My one question is, how does the second line come into effect? So far, the items we have found have not been mentioned in the clues; if that rule continues, then is that line a direction for in the kitchen, or something else entirely?”

“And what of the motto?” Shrugging, Elizabeth pointed toward the door. “I fear I do not know either answer, but we may as well journey to the kitchen and see if some answer presents itself.”

Clues and objects in hand, Mary followed her sister as they made their way to the door, Elizabeth inching it open as she peered out.

Signaling that they ought to continue, Elizabeth hastened from the room, her sister close behind. One final look down the hall and the two made their way to the small hallway tucked behind the stairs; the kitchen hopefully beyond.

The passage poorly lit, the long hall could scarcely be seen as unfinished; the stone floor and walls sound and somehow older than the other stone clad areas of the house.

It has the feel of an old castle , Elizabeth thought as they continued past many hearty oak doors; each hinge larger than her hand. With its heavy doors and stones, it would have taken more men than a regiment to do all this!

The hall ending with a large, modestly set dining room, the pair entered it slowly.

Should they even be there?

“May I help you, ladies?” Mr. Lombart asked, the pair starting as they whirled toward him.

Hand clutching her chest, Elizabeth took an uneasy breath. “Our apologies for intruding,” she managed at length. “We were looking for the kitchen, actually.”

“The kitchen,” he grinned, “I understand. It is to your right off this room; I hope you find what you are looking for.”

“Thank you, Mr. Lombart,” Mary replied, Elizabeth chiming in with her thanks before he turned to leave.

He knew what they were after? Of course he did. Lady Charmane would hardly lead eight of her guests to the kitchen without informing her staff.

At least they would be welcome.

With his directions and permission attained, Elizabeth and her sister made their way to the kitchen, the space devoid of people, though filled with pots and vegetables and… a row of four chambersticks with tall candles, laid on a table in the middle of the room, a sealed letter under each.

“Another clue,” Elizabeth nodded. “I wonder how many more of these we have to find?”

“Given it is Lady Charmane who has designed this, I am sorry to say she is capable of making this continue for some time. Our consolation is that we have not been too long on any one of them… I suppose we ought to see if this is the exception?” Mary said, her mien wearied at their host’s game.

Taking up the next clue, Elizabeth broke the seal and began to read.

If knowledge is a thing you seek, you might wish to take a peek.

Words are rare outside of here, but when one has come, they are always near.

Stand close to drive away the cold, a key to those who can be so bold.

A chamberstick in hand, Mary’s lips pursed. “Knowledge… Peek. Books most likely.”

“Perhaps we ought to head to the library,” Elizabeth supplied. “Either the next clue will be in there, or?”

“Or there will be a connection to books,” Mary finished as she turned toward the door, her hands filled with the various items they had collected. “Interesting that this time the clue mentioned the candle… the ones before did not seem to reference their objects.”

Making their way back to the library, Elizabeth smiled wryly, “As you said, Lady Charmane devised this. She is a clever woman, though rather eccentric; a mixture of riddle styles is somehow appropriate.”

Laughing as they turned from the stone hall, Mary proffered her agreement, Mr. Thomson and Miss Wordsworth coming out of the study–the pair would not be far behind.

The two pairs halting, Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably as Mr. Thomson observed them from head to toe. Each duo waiting for the other to move.

“A candle?” Mr. Thomson smirked. “The next object perhaps, or are you preparing for night already?”

“Day or night, I can think of a dozen uses in a house where not every room has a window,” Elizabeth answered blithely as she observed him in return, “Though I can equally think of at least one reason why I may prefer darkness.”

His face transforming from a smirk to a frown, his eyes narrowed. “If you will excuse us, we have a chamberstick to obtain.”

Dipping her head, Elizabeth stood stock still by her sister, waiting instead for him and Miss Wordsworth to continue on their way.

Some moments after they had turned, Mary tiptoed to the stone hall and peered down it, the disgruntled voice of Mr. Thomson following until, after several moments, it faded away.

Returning to Elizabeth’s side, Mary grinned, “Now that that cheat is gone, shall we?”

With a laugh she followed her sister into the library, the warmth of the space filled with the delicious odour of old books and a roaring fire.

The door closed, they came to stand in the center of the room, the walls of books as overwhelming as they were wonderfully familiar. Their tomes providing far too many places for a clue to hide for their liking.

“Well,” Elizabeth said as her eyes ran over the thousands of books, “to quote our clue, ‘If knowledge is a thing you seek, you might wish to take a peek.’ If books count as knowledge, this is certainly the place to be.”

Pulling out the clue, Mary drew closer to her sister. “Let us see. In the first line and the second, it is either talking about books or the library–unless misread entirely. That leaves us with the third line.”

Lips thinning, Elizabeth surveyed the room. Books, tables, chairs, statuary, maps, and… a fireplace. Could it be that easy?

Drawing nearer the fireplace, her eyes moved slowly over the mantle and sides. More books, a small clock, a moderately sized marble bust, a pair of candlesticks, and a great deal of carving in the stone mantle and surround. Still, no papers, no grouping of four objects… nothing.

“You may be correct,” Mary said as she stood alongside her sister. “It said to stand close to drive away the cold. Close?”

Grinning, Mary and Elizabeth stood right beside the roaring fire, the heat almost unbearable in spite of Elizabeth’s earlier brush with the cold.

Hands touching and moving anything and everything on or around the fireplace, they explored every inch of its flameless surface, Elizabeth’s hands at last stilling under the mantle itself. Paper? Crouching down, Elizabeth gazed upward, a giggle forming as she noted four sealed letters shoved into a small crevice underneath. Preparing to grab the nearest, Elizabeth’s brows furrowed as she viewed them. Bennet? None of the previous clues had been labeled.

Snatching theirs, Elizabeth stared at the unopened clue. Heavy. A strange weight to it and… yes, she considered as she felt it, something hard inside. Their object?

“Well, I suppose since it is addressed to us, we ought to open it,” Mary remarked, her head tilted as she considered the sealed clue.

One quick glance toward the door and Elizabeth motioned to the secret passageway. Mr. Thomson would return at any moment, and given how well the clue had been hidden, they ought not be found standing where they had discovered it.

Quickly lighting their chamberstick, the pair entered the passageway, the closing door leaving the passage dimly lit by their candle. Heading right, Elizabeth found the winding stairs, the trek as disquieting as the first time as they wound their way around, pausing a few steps beyond to read their next clue, a weighty brass key falling into Elizabeth’s left hand.

The key appeared old, though the candlelight did it no favours, every scratch a contrast to the sheen of the polished brass.

“I wonder,” Mary mused as she turned from the key in Elizabeth’s hand to the clue.

“Wonder what?”

“If everyone received a key? It said Bennet… something must have made this clue or object different enough to mark. Were the others written on?”

“They were plain, just as every other time. Ours was the only one with even a mark. I suppose the key, or the clue itself, could be different, barring error. Here, let us look at our clue.”

Turning to the letter, the sisters scoured the clue.

Within this house that is quite old, are many secrets to be told.

A place concealed in days gone by, can only be opened with a keen eye.

Around the corner from a hidden stair, you will find a place for your key there.

Slip it in and then you will know, that which can make a family grow.

“A hidden stair?” Elizabeth awed, she and Mary rereading the message over and over. “It is doubtful any of the other guests have found this passageway… if this is indeed the one described. Either way, I doubt the others have this same clue, or a key for that matter.”

“Well, I suppose we did not need to take so much care in evading Mr. Thomson–save for his being Mr. Thomson,” Mary smirked. “Still, it is odd that she would be sending us off on a quest of our own; unless this is some practical joke. A lark because we have found her hidden passageway and sought to corner her time and time again?”

Shaking her head, Elizabeth’s mind whirled. “I doubt it, or rather, I hope not. It mentions family at the end, and we did find that family crest earlier. What was the motto, the action proves the end , or some such? Mother wanted us to meet Lady Charmane, Aunt said so. Perhaps this has to do with that?”

“Well,” Mary said as she held the candle higher, “we are not going to find the answers standing here. Hopefully you are right; I for one am ready to see our host’s game to its end.”

Studying the walls of the passage, the pair examined the right wall first, from floor to as high as they might; cobwebs, dust, and splinters all they found.

A soft sneeze from Mary. A quiet cough from Elizabeth. They worked their way down the passage. Turning to the other wall, they began their search again, the thick dust continuing to irritate as their hands caused clouds of it to billow.

“There,” Mary whispered as she pointed at the wall. “Is that it?”

Leaning in as her sister held the candle closer, Elizabeth viewed Mary with a smile as the flame flickered.

Key in hand, Elizabeth slotted it into the nearly invisible keyhole and turned it. A loud click, and the wall opened up, the space beyond a step up from where they stood.

Soon they would have their answers.