"if we see the monk, what shall we do?” she asked.
” I don’t think we shall this morning.”
” I’d like to give him a piece of my mind. Gave me a turn. tie did, even though I’m not expecting.”
” I should hope not,” I said; and we laughed together, rather nervously, I thought, because Mary-Jane realised as well as I did that we were not concerned with a mere practical joker and that there was a sinister implication behind all that had happened. ” What we have to do,” I told her, ” is find out if there is some means of getting from the Abbey ruins into the house. We must remember that a long time ago certain valuables remained hidden for some years and prob ably members of the family too. You see, Mary-Jane, every thing points to the fact that there is a secret entrance.”
Mary-Jane nodded. ” It wouldn’t surprise me, madam. Why, this house is full of old nooks and crannies. Happen it’s there somewhere if we could find it.”
When we reached the ruins I felt slightly breathless with excitement and exertion and Mary-Jane slowed us down a little. ” You’ve got to remember how it is with you, madam.”
I did remember. I was determined to take the utmost care of myself. I thought then: there was never a child in need of as much care as this one; the danger which threatens it makes it so.
We went along the arcade from buttress to buttress as I had seen the monk do; and we came to what I knew to be the bake house and malt-house. Now we had reached the remains of a spiral staircase which I was sure must lead to the cellars. Having studied my plan so well, I knew that we had been working back towards the house, and this was a part of the ruins which was very likely the nearest to the Revels.
Warily I descended the stairs ahead of Mary-Jane, and at the bottom of them we came to two passages, both leading in the direction of the house. These had evidently been tunnels, and I felt disappointed that I saw them because they, like the nave and transepts, had only the sky for their roofs.
However, we each walked along one of these, that half- wall dividing us, and when we had gone about fifty yards they merged into one and we were in what could easily have been a dwelling-place. There were several large chambers, the remains of brick walls showing us where they had been divided. I suspected that this was the place where the valuables had been hidden at the time of the Civil War. In that case there must be some connecting link with the house. w< had to find it.
We crossed these chambers and that seemed like the end of the ruins.
I could see the Revels now, very close, and ‘si knew that the part of it which contained the minstrels’ gallery was immediately opposite us.
I was excited, yet exasperated,: for it appeared that we could go no farther. ;
Mary-Jane looked at me helplessly as though to ask what next. But I glanced at my watch and saw that if we did not return to the house we should not be back by the time the church party returned.
” We’ll have to go,” I said, ” but we’ll come again.”
Mary-Jane in her disappointment kicked at several large stones which were propped against a crumbling wall. There was a hollow sound; but the significance of this did not occur to me until later, because my mind was on the conjectures which might arise if it were discovered that I had feigned indisposition in order to visit the ruins.
” Another time,” I went on. ” Perhaps to-morrow. But we must go now.”
It was fortunate that we returned to the house when we did, for I had been in my room no more than a few minutes when Mary-Jane came to tell me that Dr. Smith was below and asking for me.
I went down at once.
” Catherine,” he said, taking my hand in his and looking searchingly into my face, ” how are you?”
” I am well, thank you,” I answered.
” I was disturbed when I saw you were not at church with the others.”
” Oh, I thought it would do me more good not to go today.”
” I see. You merely felt you needed a rest. I was there with my daughter—and took the first opportunity of slipping out.”
” But you would have known if I had been taken ill. Someone would have come for you.”
” It’s true I thought it must mean only some slight indisposition.
Nevertheless I wanted to see you for myself. “
“How attentive you are!” ” But of course I am.”
” Yet I am not really your patient, you know. Jessie Dankwait is coming to the Revels in due course.”
” I shall insist on being at hand.”
” Come into the winter parlour,” I said. ” There is a good fire there.”
We went into the parlour which looked charming, for holly decorated the walls, and the scarlet berries were particularly big and plentiful that year.
” Wasn’t that your maid I saw when I arrived?” asked the doctor as we seated ourselves by the fire. ” I believe she has a sister who has just had a baby.”
” That is so. Mary-Jane was very excited on the day the child was born. She went to see her, and whom else do you think she saw?”
He was smiling as though he were very pleased to see me in such good spirits.
” You’ll be surprised,” I went on, ” when I tell you that Mary-Jane saw the monk.”
” She saw … the monk!”
” Yes. I had made her wear one of my cloaks, and she came home by way of the ruins. The monk was there and went through the same performance, beckoning her.”
I heard his deep intake of breath.
“Indeed!”
” I have told no one, but you must know, of course, because you suspected that I might be losing my mind, and I do want you to know that I am as balanced as I ever was. And there is something even more wonderful.”
” I am eager to hear it.”
“I have heard from my old home.” I told him what my father had told me. He relaxed visibly. Then he leaned for ward and grasped my hand warmly in his.
” Oh, Catherine,” he said fervently, ” this is indeed wonderful news.
Nothing could have pleased me better. “
” You can imagine how I feel.”
” I certainly can.”
” And now that Mary-Jane has seen the monk … well, everything is changed since that dreadful day when you told me …”
” I have been so anxious ever since. I could not make up my mind whether I had been right to tell you or whether I should have held my peace.”
” I think you were right to tell me. It is better to have these matters brought into the open. You see, I have now been able to clear up all doubts.”
He was suddenly very grave. ” But, Catherine, you were saying that Mary-Jane saw the apparition. What does this mean?”
” That someone is threatening the hie of my child. I must I discover the identity of that person. At least I know of one | who is involved.” j I stopped and he said quickly: “You know of one who is involved?”
Still I hesitated for it was not easy to tell him that I suspected his daughter.
But he was insistent and I blurted out: “I’m. sorry, but I have to tell you that Damaris is involved in this.”
He stared at me in horror.
” She was with me when we returned to the house,” I went on. ” You will remember that you insisted she should accompany me. We saw the monk and she pretended not to see him.”
” Damaris!” he whispered, as though to himself.
“There was no doubt that she saw, yet she denied doing so. She must know who this person is who is trying to unnerve me. When she denied that she saw him, I knew at once that she was an accomplice.”
” It can’t be true! Why … why?”
” I wish I knew. But at least I have made some discoveries in the last few days. The trouble is that it is so difficult to trust anyone.”