Page 67 of Tattered Huntress
Hester appeared in front of me. ‘We can’t get it now! We have to get out of here, you stupid elf!’
I blinked at her slowly. ‘This is the perfect time to get it.’ I waved at the fire. ‘We’ve created the distraction we need to get into the house.’
‘What about your hand?’ Otis asked anxiously. ‘You need medical attention, Daisy.’
I frowned; I’d forgotten about the pain. I held up my left hand and gazed at it. It was lobster red and oozing blood. I could twitch the tip of my pinkie but my other fingers – and thumb – didn’t appear capable of moving at all. I examined each digit curiously before shrugging. ‘It’ll keep.’ I grinned at the brownies. ‘Come on.’
I didn’t wait for their reaction before veering off the path and into the undergrowth. It was just as well because a few breaths later several panicked-looking people – including the Burlies – appeared hefting buckets of water and a long hose.
Mildly amused, I smiled. That wouldn’t work. This fire would burn for days. I’d made sure of it.
I skirted further away but I needn’t have worried that I’d be spotted. Greenwood’s staff were far too focused on the flames. I wondered if anyone had called the fire brigade before deciding that they’d be under orders not to. Serious questions would be asked if anyone in authority discovered this building – and Greenwood wouldn’t have any reasonable answers to give. I debated calling them myself but their presence would only complicate matters. I’d ring them after I left the property with the key part in hand. Until then, Greenwood’s frantic staff were on their own.
Despite my circuitous route, I was quickly back at the rear of the grand house and pleased to see that the emergency exit was now wide open. Entering the supposedly secure building had suddenly become a piece of cake. I raised my eyebrows at Otis and Hester. ‘See?’ I said.
‘It’s too dangerous. This is still a very bad idea,’ Otis told me.
Hester pursed her lips. ‘I’m coming around to it. This might be our chance.’
There was no might about it.
I glanced first to my left and then to my right. Once I wassure that the way was clear, I abandoned the dubious safety of the undergrowth for the open door and nipped inside. Now all I had to do was find the final part of the Loch Arkaig treasure key. How hard could that be?
‘How many rooms do you think there are in this place?’ I asked aloud.
‘Too many,’ Otis muttered.
I wagged my finger at him. ‘No black-hat thinking.’
‘Hester’s the one who wears black hats.’ He was clearly confused. ‘Not me.’
I didn’t bother to explain; armchair psychology could wait. With a determined stride, I headed down the first corridor.Come on, magic key. Come out, come out, wherever you are.
There were a lot of antiques in the first room we came to, but they appeared to have been selected as part of the interior design; there were no glass-fronted cases or anything that suggested Jacobean magic. I swivelled towards the second room. That was more promising; there were plenty of gleaming antiquities lining the walls.
I completed a full circuit of the room but there was nothing that appeared to be what I was looking for. Hmm; this was going to take more time than I’d anticipated. My gaze drifted down to my mangled mess of a hand. Maybe I ought to take another spider’s silk pill, just to keep my thoughts clear.
‘Daisy!’ Otis was waving at me from a room across the hallway. ‘I think it’s in here!’
All thoughts of drugs fled my mind as I trotted over and followed him into a third room. When I saw its contents, my mouth dropped open. It was crammed with gleaming treasures and, from the way the metal objects caught the light, not even a single speck of dust.
They had obviously been given far greater care and attentionthan the creatures in the pavilion, I thought bitterly. I was tempted to forego the treasure hunt in favour of confronting Lord Alisdair fucking Greenwood in person. It would probably be worth it.
There was the murmur of voices from somewhere deeper in the house, followed by footsteps heading my way. I smirked: this might be my chance. I waved to Hester and Otis to keep out of sight and ducked behind a large free-standing cabinet in the far corner of the room.
‘It’s nothing to worry about,’ a clipped English voice stated. ‘Merely a garden bonfire that got slightly out of control. It’s far back from the house – I can assure you we are in no danger.’
That had to be Greenwood. He was doing a reasonable job of projecting an aura of bravura, but I heard the nervousness behind every word. That could only mean that he didn’t want his companion to know about the pavilion. I resisted the urge to peek out and listened some more.
‘I say, old chap, you ought to be more careful. I can give you the names of some gardeners who would never allow such a thing to happen. You have to be able to trust your staff. I can assure you that the people I know are good fellows.’
Astonishment rendered me rigid. I looked at Hester, who poked her head out to check, and Otis, who was wide-eyed with shock.
That was Humphrey. That was most definitely Humphrey.
‘I appreciate the offer,’ Greenwood responded stiffly. ‘But there are no problems with my people. There are no problems at all.’
‘If you say so,’ Humphrey burbled.
