Page 6 of Whispers of Shadowbrook House

He knelt and placed his hands against the base of the wall, this time moving with more confidence. “She showed me where to look, but if she’d made it more obvious, I wouldn’t have needed to stretch my mind.”

What eight-year-old spoke this way? Oliver watched, feeling his heartbeat increase as Maxwell’s fingers inched closer to the hidden catch in the wall.

When his fingers found the knot, Maxwell grinned over his shoulder at Oliver. “This house is full of secret rooms and passages.”

Oliver nodded but did not tell Maxwell he already knew all about Shadowbrook’s secrets, including this room. It was too much fun to watch the boy discover it.

He pushed a finger into the divot, and the door swung open. Oliver realized he was holding his breath in anticipation of Miss Ellicott’s second arrival in the hallway. But she did not rush out to embrace Maxwell the way she’d embraced Oliver. Had he somehow ruined the finale?

With another glance over his shoulder and a cheeky grin, Maxwell nodded at the open door. “Coming?”

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

They stepped into the empty cupboard and waited for their eyes to adjust.

Maxwell clapped his hands. “I’ve never seen this one before.”

Where was Miss Ellicott? Had she come back out of hiding before Oliver left his room? Was there another clue placed somewhere inside this cupboard?

“You play in the secret rooms often, then?” Oliver tried to sound unconcerned as he stared into dark corners, wondering where Miss Ellicott had gone.

“Of course. This is my house. I can go wherever I wish. And right now, I wish to go up.” Maxwell pointed to a rope ladder dangling from a hatch in the top of the wall.

Oliver hadn’t known about the hatch, regardless of the many hours he’d spent hiding here with a candle stub and his drawing papers. He remembered the way his feet would fall asleep as he dangled his legs over the edge of the small bench built into the wall, his head bent over a notebook.

“Help me?” Maxwell’s half-request, half-command brought Oliver into the present. Oliver pulled on the ladder to make sure it was fastened securely and would hold the boy, then beckoned him forward.

Maxwell gripped the wooden bar at his eye level and stepped onto the lowest rung. Oliver came around behind him, his hands on either side of the ladder, holding it as steady as he could.

“Will you climb with me? I don’t want to slip.” For the first time, the boy’s voice hinted at his nerves.

“Of course. I wouldn’t want to miss your discoveries now that we’re friends.”

Maxwell looked at Oliver over his shoulder, his fists still gripping tightly to the ropes. “Are we friends already?”

“Absolutely. I have very good instincts. We’re suited to be good friends for the rest of our lives. It doesn’t hurt that we’re already cousins. Now, up you go. I’m right behind you.”

Maxwell nodded but did not move.

“Everything all right?”

Maxwell nodded again and spoke to the wall in front of him. “I don’t have many friends. Or any, really. I didn’t know it could happen so quickly.”

Oliver’s heart gave a painful lurch at the boy’s words. He wanted to wrap his arms around him, but he thought it might be a shock. If living here was anything like Oliver remembered, Maxwell could not be used to much physical affection.

Maxwell put one foot on the next rung of the ladder, pulling himself up a few inches. “I mean, there’s Pearl, but it’s like I told you. She lives here. She’s staff. That means she gets paid to play with me. Friends come because they want to. Pearl hasn’t got a choice.”

“Did she say that to you?” Maybe Miss Ellicott wasn’t as gentle and lovely as Oliver thought. If she could tell this child she only spent time with him because it was her responsibility . . .

“Oh, no. She would never. Pearl loves me. But sometimes it would be nice to have someone else to talk to.” He moved up another rung. “So I’m very glad you’ve come.”

“I’m glad as well.” Oliver heard the quiver in his voice and wondered that this conversation with this child could affect him so strongly.

Maxwell continued his careful climb, and when he reached the opening at the top of the wall, he called for Pearl. “Are you up here? Oliver and I are coming in. You should put on a light for us. It’s more welcoming that way.”

Before the last words were fully out of his mouth, Maxwell tipped forward through the trapdoor.

A muffled cough floated down to Oliver, and he took the ladder two rungs at a time, the ropes swinging beneath his feet.

“Are you hurt?” he said, hardly pausing to put his head into the opening. He caught sight of Maxwell’s back as he moved around a corner, the floor beneath his feet almost level with Oliver’s head.

He pulled himself up through the strange doorway and made his way to his feet, noticing the ceiling soaring above him.

Following Maxwell around a corner, he was relieved and delighted to see Miss Ellicott sitting at a small round table, candles alight in small tin holders, and a tea party prepared for her guests.

His heart thudded when he noticed there was a place set for him.

“Well done, Pearl.” Maxwell’s voice was gleeful, his words punctuated with a few short coughs. “You’ve discovered completely new rooms. I’ve never seen this place before.”

The rooms were very obviously not new, but Oliver knew what Maxwell meant. The thrill of discovery had always delighted Oliver as well—both as a child and today. “Nor I,” Oliver added. “It’s wonderful.”

Maxwell glanced back as if he’d forgotten about Oliver in the excitement of finding Pearl.

“Oh, Oliver, this is Pearl. Pearl, Mr. Oliver Waverley, my cousin and my new friend.”

“A pleasure.” Oliver made a small bow.

“Pleasure’s all mine, I assure you,” she said.

What would it take to bring that smile to her face regularly? He was certain he could trade it for air, and it would keep him alive.

She gestured to the table. “Do take a seat, gentlemen.”

Maxwell scrambled into a chair, looked around the table at his companions, and placed his hands against the smooth, worn wood on either side of his plate. He gave his governess a very serious look.

“Did you carry a table and three chairs up a rope ladder? That seems dangerous.”

Pearl placed her hand atop the boy’s. “Thank you for looking out for my safety. And no, I did not. The entrance we used today is not the only way into this space.” She grinned at him, and Oliver could see these two likely shared many happy secrets.

He’d like to share a few secrets with Miss Pearl Ellicott himself.