Page 8 of The Runner
George took a final slug of his coffee and stood up. ‘Absolutely, let’s do it now before I get involved with the centre.’
‘Goodie. I’ll feel better if you see it too,’ she said.
They walked slowly up the wide, imposing staircase which led from the basement to the upper floors, and then Cara took George’s hand as they zig-zagged through the maze of corridors and arrived outside the library.
‘I’m nervous,’ she said. ‘I don’t think I mentioned last night, but the passageway was also in my weird dream.’
‘I can’t wait to see it—what an exciting discovery,’ he said, kissing her and trying to distract her from her sombre mood.
She turned the handle, and the door swung open with a loud whine. ‘We’d better oil that door before we open to the public or it will be a nightmare,’ he said, touching her gently on the waist to encourage her to enter.
This morning, Cara didn’t notice the elegance of the library. Her eyes darted straight to the bookshelf, which hung open at an odd angle.
It’s still there as I left it.
She had tried to push it closed but was so agitated she only gave it a brief attempt and then rushed out of the room in a panic. Cara didn’t know what she’d expected, but she was relieved.
She opened the heavy chintz curtains, just like the previous morning, and George reached the bookshelf with a couple of strides. She saw him peer into the hole behind the shelves and then he glanced over at her and said, ‘This looks interesting. It shows all the signs of a priest hole, don’t you think?’
‘Yes, I suppose so, although I think it’s larger than usual.’
‘I’m going in to see,’ he said.
‘Be careful,’ she said, and she felt the fierce flip and thud of her heart.
He gave her an impish grin. ‘Don’t look so terrified, darling. It’s only a hole in the wall. We’ve faced a lot worse.’
She nodded as though trying to convince herself. ‘Sorry, I’m being silly. I don’t know why I’m so jumpy. Must be lack of sleep and that weird dream.’
George shoved the bookshelf further in and the entire section of the wall moved with it to reveal the full expanse of the entrance. ‘How they disguised it is extremely clever. Do you still have the torch to hand?’
Cara tried to remember where she’d put it after she fled from the passage. She scanned the furniture surfaces, and then she spotted it nestled against the brown shiny leather of the chesterfield. She picked it up and handed it to George. ‘Here you go.’
‘Aren’t you coming?’ he said.
Cara looked at him, tension constricting her chest into a tight ball until she struggled for air. ‘There’s something I didn’t tell you last night...’
Willow Manor,York - Georgiana
Caroline settledinto life at the big house as if she’d always lived there. As governess and companion to Olivia, she enjoyed a higher social status than the other servants, and as such, she was designated a private room. For the first time in her life, she had a bedroom of her own, rather than a small space to sleep in, which she must clear each morning. The first evening when Harriet had shown her to her quarters; she could barely speak to thank her, so great was her surprise at being given the beautiful room. She hadn’t given it any thought until her arrival, and had assumed she would sleep with the maids in the attic. The green room, Harriet told Caroline, was where Nanny lived throughout Olivia’s childhood. Nanny, who was still quite young, had recently vacated the room as she had taken a position in a new household, rather than retire on the estate like George’s nanny.
When Harriet bid her goodnight and left, Caroline flew onto the bed and rolled about like a mad thing, hardly able to contain her yelps of glee. The room was strangely familiar, almost as if she had been there before. She’d noticed a similar feeling when she was in the library with the countess. Caroline had no explanation for it, other than that perhaps it was a positive sign she had made the right decision to leave the village.
She barely slept that first night, such was her excitement at being in a proper bed in palatial surroundings. Thoughts of her father alone in the tiny cold cottage whirled around her mind as she tried to fall asleep, and doubt clouded her newfound happiness. She hoped he had eaten well and hadn’t forgotten to bank the fire before he retired. Caroline had been mistress of the little cottage for as long as she could remember, and her father wasn’t used to doing household chores. A dutiful daughter, she worried she had deserted him and perhaps it had been selfish of her to take the position. Guilt consumed her as she moved from one side to the other in the cavernous bed. Finally, she drifted off to sleep, unable to resist slumber a second longer, seduced by the crisp sheets and comfort of the soft mattress. Her last thought was that she must have died and gone to heaven.
The next few days were busy as Caroline settled into the rhythm of Willow Manor and grew acquainted with her charge, Olivia Cavendish.
‘What would you like to do today, Mistress Olivia?’
‘I would like you to stop calling me Mistress Olivia,’ the girl replied, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
Caroline noticed she had the same bewitching dark eyes as her brother and had to snap herself back to the moment. ‘And what do you think your dear mother would make of such a request? I don’t think she would approve, so I fear we must continue with me addressing you formally, at least for the time being.’
‘I wish to take a walk into Willow Wick, if we may,’ said Olivia, bouncing about on her chair, her youthful energy spilling out of her into the room.
‘Whatever for?’ asked Caroline, immediately wondering how she would avoid bumping into Ralph if she were to accompany Olivia into the village.
‘It’s fine weather today; let us not be cooped up in here on such a beautiful day.’ Olivia’s golden hair, dark eyes and pale skin made for a striking combination. She was barely more than a child, but was already breathtaking. Caroline guessed it wouldn’t be long before the suitors lined up at the door to ask for her hand in marriage. She must help Olivia make the most of her freedom for as long as she was fortunate enough to enjoy it. Caroline shuddered at the thought of the beautiful young maiden being wedded off to some wealthy man old enough to be her father, as was so often the way of society.
