Chapter 21
CHAPTER 21
D anielle rang the bell loudly by the door of the larder and heard Anna's footsteps running down the stairs and toward the door. She did not want to alarm the girl, so she shouted through the door.
“There's no one in here, Anna. It's just me, I just have something to tell you,” Danielle said.
“Oh, my Lady, my heart is in my throat I was so fearful for you. Hold on,” Anna said. She slipped the key in the lock and rattled the door open. She stood looking at Danielle with wide eyes looking.
“The thief has not come in, but I have discovered something that cannot wait. I want you to take a message to Lady Eva. Do you know where her rooms are?”
“Indeed, I do,” Anna said.
“If only I had something to write on, I'd be better able to explain,” Danielle said, looking around.
“There is parchment in the kitchen, and ink, too. Should I fetch that?”
“Yes, thank you. I do not want to leave the larder in case the thief shows up. I'll write the message, and you can take it to Eva.”
Anna scurried away to the kitchen to fetch the items. Danielle didn't want to wake Eva in the middle of the night, but it couldn't be helped. If Eva could go to the Laird and convince him that this information was vital, Graeme and Danny would not have to spend another moment in the dungeon. She knew that if it were the other way around, she would not want someone to sit on evidence.
“Here you are.” Anna placed the items on a small table outside the larder door. Danielle was quick to write the message to Eva. It was simple enough.
Eva,
I am so sorry to wake you, but this is urgent. I have found that the wellhead in the larder is used to get in and out of the castle when the tide is out. The thief is not someone here in the castle. Also, the thief must be rather small, even smaller than Danny, so neither he nor Graeme is the thief. Can you get this information to the Laird as soon as possible so they can be released?
Thanks,
Danielle
“Done,” Danielle blew on the parchment and waved it in the air for a minute to dry. Then, she rolled it up and gave it to Anna.
“Take it to her now but lock me back up in the larder before you go.”
“But, my Lady, what if the thief gets in while you are locked in here, and I am away and can't hear the bell?”
"It will be okay. I'll make do and hold them off with the knife until you arrive. Just let me know when you return."
"Aye, my Lady." Anna waited until Danielle was back in the larder and then shut the door. Danielle heard the key turn in the lock.
She paced inside the larder, excited for this new information. This had to be enough to set Graeme and Danny free. The Guards who harassed them would have to stop, because there was proof now that they weren't behind it. So, there would be no more accusations and harassment.
Eva was fast asleep next to Finlay when someone pounded at their door. Finlay hopped out of bed and grabbed his sword, customary for a warrior like him always thinking about a clan invading.
"You might want to cover yourself, Fin." Eva smiled at the sight of him. "We don't know who is at the door, and I'd rather not give the staff a show."
Finlay grinned at her, grabbed his kilt, and pulled it on as someone pounded on the door again.
Eva wrapped a blanket around her and followed him to the sitting room where she found a sleepy Mary coming out of her room. She wrapped her against her leg while Finlay cautiously opened the door, and then let his guard down, so Eva knew it wasn't a threat.
“Anna, it is late, what are you doing above stairs at this hour?"
“I have a message from Lady Danielle for Lady Eva,” she said handing the parchment over.
“It must be important. I will take it,” Eva said, holding her hand out for the missive. “Where is Lady Danielle? Why didn't she come here herself?”
“She is… doing some work in the kitchen.” Anna said hesitantly. Then, she gave a very quick curtsy and hurried away.
“What is so important that Danielle had to interrupt our sleep?” Finlay asked as Eva read the parchment.
“I must go to the larder immediately,” Eva said, handing Finlay the parchment to read as she dashed into their room to get dressed. "Mary, darling, you can go on back to bed," she added, popping her head back through the doorway.
“Surely this can wait until sunrise, Eva. The Laird will not like you disturbing him in the night for such a thing.” Finlay frowned.
Eva turned to him. “I have to try, Fin. Danielle found a security breach in the castle. I think the Laird would want to know such information straight away.”
“He will not like having his sleep disturbed by you ladies, though,” Finlay said.
Eva made quick work of getting dressed and then turned her back to her husband so he could tie up her laces. “I do not want to anger him any more than he already is,” he said.
She turned to him look him in the eye. “If it were me in the dungeon, would you not want to spare me even one more second in there? Wouldn't you try to get me out of there as quickly as possible?” she asked.
“Aye, lass, I would. Go then.”
“That is why I love you, Fin. You've learned to see things my way,” she teased, kissing him and heading for the door.
“Aye, don’t push me too hard, lass, or I shall give you a spanking when you return,” he teased her back.
A few moments later, Eva knocked on Maria and Cameron's door.
“What’s going on?” Cameron said as he saw Eva in the hallway poised to knock again.
“I have urgent information, my Laird,” Eva said.
“Come in,” he said.
"Who is it?" Maria said, coming out of their bed chambers wrapped in a dressing gown. "Oh, Eva. What's going on?"
“It's Danielle. She has discovered that whoever has been stealing from the castle has been doing so through the wellhead in the larder,” Eva said.
“The wellhead? That's impossible. It is a very narrow passage and has been closed off for years. A failed attempt at building a well centuries ago. No one could get through there. This is what you have woken me for?” The Laird sounded irritated.
“Yes, I have, because it is proof that Graeme and Danny are not the thieves. Neither could not fit through such an opening. Danielle says she has proof if you will just—” Eva said.
“No, this has been enough of a rude awakening. We will speak about this matter tomorrow. Good night, lass,” Cameron said, ushering Eva into the hallway.
Eva threw Maria one last pleading look before Cameron closed the door.
Annoyed, Eva marched away and headed to the kitchen to tell Danielle. She was curious about what kept Danielle occupied inside. She entered the kitchen and found Anna sitting next to the fireplace.
“Where is Lady Danielle?” Eva asked as she looked around the kitchen.
“Um…" Anna nervously jumped to her feet.
“Anna, what is going on here? Where is Danielle?”
Anna sighed. “She told me not to say what she is doing, my Lady.”
“You can tell me; I am safe,” Eva said.
Anna led Eva to the larder and unlocked the door. Danielle stood, expecting it to reveal the thief, but she seemed relieved to find Eva and Anna instead.
“What the hell? What are you doing in there, Danielle?”
“I’m on a stakeout; what does it look like? I'm obviously the only one who’s going to take this seriously. There's only one way to catch the thief, and that is red-handed. Since the Laird won't accept any other evidence, I have no choice. Were you able to speak with him about the new information?”
“Wow. You've got a lot of guts, girl, going up against this person,” Eva said. “Good for you. I spoke to the Laird and told him the information you wrote on the parchment. It wasn't enough, at least not for tonight. He said he’ll address it in the morning. No point in doing it now. He’s stubborn and won’t accept anything but the thief being caught red-handed.”
“That’s what I thought. Well, thanks for coming down, but I need you to leave,” Danielle said. “The thief will not come in here if we're standing about like we're having a party in here.”
“I'll stay with you,” Eva said.
“Absolutely not, Eva. I won't put you and the baby in danger; Finlay would have my head. Please, go back to bed. I'll keep you posted and send Anna for you if I need you, okay?” Danielle said.
Eva sighed. “Fine. But I don’t like not helping.”
“You've already done plenty. Not many would take on waking the Laird in the middle of the night. That was quite dangerous enough.” Danielle laughed.
Eva embraced her in a parting hug, then returned to her chambers. She hoped Danielle would be all right and knew she wouldn’t sleep well until she heard from her that either the thief had been caught, or that it was morning, and she was out of the larder.
"Are you sure you want to stay in here, my Lady?" Anna asked, holding the door.
"Yes, Anna. Go ahead."
Sighing, Anna locked Danielle in the larder again.
Danielle felt she had no choice but to wait until sunrise, when the tide would be low and the tunnel to the wellhead would be accessible. So she waited and waited.
She wished she had a watch to know the time, or a window to at least see the sunrise.
Danielle found her head falling forward, and soon, she nodded off to sleep. She snapped awake a few moments later and stood up to get the blood flowing and help her wake up. She should have had some strong tea before doing this but didn’t want to deal with an active bladder, even though Anna had left her a chamber pot in case she needed it.
A sound came from the back of the larder, and Danielle stopped walking. The noise was echoing from the wellhead. She got behind it, waiting with the knife in her hand. Her breath caught in her throat. Whoever was coming had to be small, but who could it be? Was a bucket being hoisted into the well?
The wooden cover flipped open, and much to Danielle's surprise, out crawled a skinny, wiry girl with a mop of dark hair. She was pale and wore a long, dirty tunic that hung past her knees. A leather bag was strapped across her chest, and Maria’s scarf was tied around her neck.
“What’s this?” Danielle said.
“Ah!” the girl screamed and pulled a knife from her bag. Danielle realized she was holding her knife, too, and slowly set it on the floor.
“I won’t hurt you. You're the one stealing from the larder?” Danielle asked.
The girl screamed again in response. Danielle quickly closed the wooden cover and sat on it to block her escape.
“There’s no way out. You can talk to me. It’s alright, child,” Danielle said.
“Aaagh!” the girl screamed again and ran from Danielle, toward the front room of the larder. Danielle pulled the bell from her pocket and rang it loudly.
“Call the Guards!" Danielle said as loudly as she could, so Anna knew not to open the door. "Don't open the door! Call the Guards. Anna? Can you hear me? I need you to call the Guards!”
"My Lady! Are you all right? Is the thief in there?" Anna called through the wooden door.
"I'm fine, Anna. Yes, she's here, call the Guards quickly!"
"Aye, my Lady! I'll be right back with them!"
The young thief stood sobbing halfway between the wellhead where Danielle sat and the locked door. Danielle felt bad for the girl, but she had to keep her from getting away. She wanted Graeme and Danny released from the dungeon as soon as possible, and this was the only way that would happen.