Page 22 of The Trials of Alaric
“A charming little name,” he commented. “Very useful things, bees.” He gave her a sideways smile that she found rather charming. She smiled at him in return.
“I hope I am useful,” she retorted. “How did you get on with my father, Alaric?”
“I have the second clue. He said the panels were collectively the correct answer, but that the meaning of the answer will become clear with later answers. Or, at least, that was the substance of it.”
“So, the solution to the treasure hunt is the sum of the clues,” Bea guessed. “How devious!”
“Clever, in any case. He wants to be sure your suitors are worthy of you, Bea. I cannot fault him for that.” He took a piece of paper from his pocket and gave it to her. “Let’s read it together,” he invited.
She looked around to see if anyone else was close enough to interrupt them, but even Lord Lucas and Ellie were out of sight. Then she held one side of the paper and Alaric held the other.
“Roses ’neath moon’s silver light
Golden stars behold the sight
The flower climbs the mansion wall
For fleeting joy before the fall.”
Bea could not make head nor tail of it. “Something in the garden? At night? We do not have climbing roses against the castle. I do not understand, Alaric.”
“Me neither,” Alaric admitted. “I am prepared to guess the simple answer will not be the right one. Look how long I hunted for clocks and sun dials, and all the time, I should have been looking for the words.”
“But which words?” Bea wondered.
Alaric studied the paper again. “It isn’t necessarily the same type of riddle, but I must confess, at the moment I am stumped. It could be at night, as you suggest, and in the garden. It could as easily be another ceiling or perhaps a tapestry somewhere.”
“Yes, or a painting. Here. You had better put it away. I see the others coming.”
Ellie and Lord Lucas had been out of sight together for some time. Talking? Or something else?
Ellie was looking flushed, and her lips were redder than usual. She and Lord Lucas kept exchanging smiles and then looking quickly away.
Bea might have her suspicions, but their behavior was none of her business. Except that Lord Lucas had entered the trials. She hoped he was not kissing one girl while intending to marry another, if he won.
“Shall we walk to the end of the beach and then back again?” Alaric asked, and everyone agreed. Bea’s concerns lessened as they walked, Bea with Alaric and Lord Lucas with Ellie.
“It must have been fun growing up with a beach on your doorstep,” Alaric said.
Bea agreed. “My governess and I had many a fine walk on the beach, and when I was older, I used to help the stable hands exercise the horses here. There is a ride down the hill on the side away from the sea, and a path that leads to the beach.”
“Do you spend most of your time here at the castle?” Ellie asked. “Or do you go to London with your parents?”
“I have never left Claddach,” Bea told them. “Mama wanted me to make my come out, but I was determined not to do so, and Papa supported me.”
Ellie stopped in her tracks. “You did not make your come out?”
Bea chuckled. “I did not. My cousins consider me very odd.”
“What made you so determined?” Lord Lucas asked. “I thought all girls dreamed of gowns and balls and the like.”
Ellie poked him in the side. “All girls are not the same, Luke.”
Lord Lucas yelped. “Ouch! Note to self. Turns to violence when annoyed.”
Ellie tossed her head. “When provoked,” she corrected, laughing, and he laughed back. “There is not a girl in the world like you, Ellie.” If Lord Lucas was serious about winning Bea, he would surely not be flirting with Ellie right under her nose. And they were calling each other by their first names. Not even that. Their nicknames.
“Did you dream of gowns and balls?” Ellie asked Bea.
