Chapter 28 #2
Charlotte took the key from him and turned it thoughtfully in her hands. ‘We should search for the matching lock—a black wrought-iron keyhole. Do you suppose it opens the secret passageway?’
‘Perhaps.’
The only black wrought iron in sight was the fireplace itself.
Lord Stanley began examining it. Together they moved around the mantelpiece, shifting chairs, lifting fire screens, and moving ornaments aside. He dragged heavier furniture from the wall while Charlotte examined every inch of the ironwork.
Kneeling beside the hearth, she ran her fingers along the edges. A large potted plant obscured one corner.
Lord Stanley moved it aside.
There, concealed beneath it, was a small plate engraved with the same serpent-and-rose symbol.
Charlotte’s pulse quickened.
She flipped the plate open to reveal a hidden keyhole.
Without hesitation, she slid the key in and turned it. A soft click echoed through the library.
Charlotte stepped forward, grasping the edge of the mantel, prepared to pull. A surge of triumph swept through her.
Then large hands suddenly covered hers.
‘Wait. Let me go first,’ Lord Stanley said. ‘We have no notion what may be waiting on the other side.’
She nodded, as she allowed him to gently move her aside.
He braced one hand against the stone and pulled.
The entire mantel shifted outward with the same harsh grating of metal against stone Charlotte had heard earlier that evening.
Behind it lay a narrow hidden passage.
For a brief moment, both simply stared.
Then Lord Stanley recovered himself at once. Crossing swiftly to the library door, he summoned several footmen inside.
‘Remain here,’ he instructed Charlotte as the men gathered lanterns.
But Charlotte protested, ‘I wish to come with you.’
‘Are you sure, my dear?’ he asked, lighting a lantern.
Charlotte bristled at the endearment and lifted her chin. ‘I would not miss this for the world, my lord. And kindly call me Miss Lucas.’
One corner of his mouth lifted slightly. ‘Very well... Miss Lucas.’ He extended his hand towards her. ‘The steps are uneven. I should dislike seeing you break your neck in pursuit of adventure.’
He extended a hand. She hesitated only briefly before placing her own within it. The familiar warmth returned the moment his fingers closed around hers. Yet this time, an unexpected calmness unfurled within.
They descended into the shadows together. Lord Stanley carried the lantern ahead whilst the footmen followed several paces behind.
Cold air curled through the passage as it curved downward, and Charlotte pulled her shawl closer as she stepped carefully over the narrow stones, slick with damp.
The deeper they went, the more her earlier excitement gave way to unease. The Odd Fellows had been using these passageways. Perhaps very recently.
She shivered.
Lord Stanley glanced back and immediately, without a word, shrugged off his coat and handed it to her.
She was about to refuse, but fearing he might insist upon wrapping it around her himself, she quickly took it from him and draped it over her shoulders instead. Warmth enveloped her at once, along with the faint scent of sandalwood—and him. She drew in an involuntary deep breath.
He walked ahead, the lantern-light throwing long shadows across the stone walls. His frame nearly filled the passage entirely, and Charlotte found herself strangely grateful for it.
As they rounded a corner, they discovered another staircase—this one ascending. At the top stood another doorway.
Lord Stanley halted abruptly and raised one finger to his lips.
Charlotte fell still.
To her alarm, he held out a hand, and one of the footmen promptly placed a pistol into it.
A jolt ran through her.
Very deliberately, he moved her behind him before approaching the door. The passage had fallen deathly silent save for the distant drip of water somewhere within the walls.
He pressed against the door.
It would not move.
Charlotte whispered, ‘Perhaps there is another keyhole.’
He nodded and handed her the lantern as he searched around the frame until his fingers found another metal plate.
A satisfying click sounded as the door unlocked.
Lord Stanley pushed it slowly open and peered through the gap, pistol raised.
Charlotte braced herself for voices—or worse. She expected the Odd Fellows to come rushing at them.
Instead, after only a moment, Lord Stanley’s posture relaxed.
To her astonishment, he pushed the door fully open.
The parlour lay before them.
Charlotte hurried past him into the familiar room. ‘Good heavens...’ She turned slowly, taking it in. ‘Do you think there are passageways throughout the entire house?’
‘Possibly,’ Lord Stanley replied. ‘It would seem Matthew had been rather busy.’
They locked the parlour entrance behind them and continued onward.
As they explored further, they discovered the passageways twisted beneath the west wing like veins beneath skin. Another stair led them towards the servants’ quarters, where a second concealed entrance opened directly into the late Mrs Dent’s abandoned chamber.
The room stood bare and silent.
Charlotte and Lord Stanley exchanged a look at once.
‘It seems she could have been murdered after all.’ His expression was grim.
A sudden memory struck Charlotte with such force that she instinctively seized his arm.
He looked down at her hand but did not move away.
Charlotte released him immediately, heat rushing into her cheeks. ‘I beg your pardon.’
‘Think nothing of it,’ he said quietly. ‘What is it?’
She explained quickly. ‘The night Mrs Dent died, Sarah claimed she saw a man standing in Tom’s bedchamber. I thought it was imagination. But now—’
‘Now it seems entirely possible,’ Lord Stanley finished darkly. ‘We must see whether the passage reaches the nursery.’
It did.
After another winding staircase, the hidden corridor opened directly behind the fireplace in Tom’s bedchamber.
The instant they emerged, Sarah screamed.
Footsteps thundered outside the room as the guards burst inward, whilst Tom woke with a shriek beneath his blankets.
‘Calm down, everyone, please. It is only us,’ Charlotte cried quickly.
Lord Stanley barked orders to the footmen to withdraw. Charlotte gathered Tom into her arms and soothed him gently whilst Sarah stared in horror at the opening behind the fireplace.
‘I owe you both an apology. It seems you were not imagining a man standing in this room,’ Charlotte admitted.
‘Good Lord above,’ Sarah whispered. ‘That thing has been there the entire time?’
Charlotte looked towards the dark passage, suddenly seeing the house in an entirely different light.
‘You kept insisting the servants heard footsteps within the walls,’ she murmured. ‘Why did I not think of a hidden passage sooner?’
‘Oh! Uncle Henry, this is splendid,’ Tom cried, recovering from his fright with surprising speed. He leapt from the bed at once and began swinging the concealed doorway open and shut with delight, all thoughts of danger apparently forgotten.
‘Tom,’ Lord Stanley said sternly, ‘you must not speak of this passageway to anyone. Not even your mother. Do you understand me?’
Tom straightened immediately beneath his uncle’s tone. ‘No sir, I won’t. I promise.’
Though the solemn promise was somewhat undermined by the unmistakable gleam of mischief in his eyes.
‘Come, Miss Lucas,’ Lord Stanley said at last. ‘We need to let them sleep. You and I have much to discuss.’
Charlotte tucked Tom back into bed and returned to the passageway with Lord Stanley. Together they retraced their steps to the library in silence.
By the time they emerged once more, both appeared steadier than before.
He carefully shut the fireplace entrance behind them.
‘It appears the passageways extend around the west wing. They connect to a few of the family bedchambers and the rooms beneath them—namely the study, morning room, parlour, and library—as well as Mrs Dent’s room in the servants’ quarters below and the nursery above.’
Charlotte frowned. ‘Then Hamilton and Boulton must have entered through Lord Boulton’s room. He insisted upon taking chambers in the family wing for the sake of Lady Boulton’s health.’ She gave a soft scoff. ‘A convenient excuse, it seems.’
‘I think you are correct,’ he replied. ‘They also had access to my study, which explains how they obtained the Ottoman dagger in the first place. The entire scheme was carefully arranged.’
He shook his head slowly in disbelief.
‘These passages ought to be sealed immediately. Heaven alone knows what mischief they may cause with unrestricted movement throughout the house.’
‘But we cannot seal them yet.’ Lord Stanley pressed his temples. ‘If we do, they will realise... that we know.’
He continued, ‘I shall station additional footmen near the connected rooms instead. If the Odd Fellows attempt to use the passages again, we may yet catch them.’
Charlotte tapped a finger thoughtfully against her lip. ‘Perhaps this way... Falcon will finally reveal himself.’
Lord Stanley inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement.
Then his brows drew together—not in concern now, but in something softer, more contemplative.
‘If not for you, it would have been impossible to prove my innocence.’ His gaze remained on her, steady and searching. ‘You have my gratitude.’
Charlotte felt the weight of it far more than she wished to. Colour rose faintly to her cheeks.
‘It seems I possess a particular talent for being in the wrong place at the wrong time,’ she said lightly, though her fingers tightened against her skirts. ‘I should retire.’
She stepped back towards the door, eager to escape his scrutiny—yet acutely aware of his eyes following her all the same.
‘Just a moment,’ he said.
She paused.
‘You mentioned—just before Wolverton was murdered—that he threatened them with a black book.’
‘Yes,’ Charlotte recalled.
‘We need to find it.’
Puzzled, Charlotte asked, ‘Yes—but how?’
‘It occurred to me that, once he began having doubts about the Odd Fellows, he may have hidden it away in his room.’
Charlotte tried to recall the conversation. ‘It is possible. They searched his body and could not find it.’
‘Well, I have footmen keeping watch inside his chamber. No one has entered it tonight. That gives us a chance to find it before they do.’
‘I suppose.’
She slipped off his coat and held it out towards him.
Rather than taking it immediately, he studied her for a long moment before speaking slowly.
‘It has become abundantly clear to me that I cannot complete this business without you.’
Then he crossed the room towards her, unhurried enough that each step seemed deliberate. His voice lowered, his attention fixed entirely upon her.
Charlotte became acutely aware of the dangerous nearness of him, and her heartbeat thrummed in her chest entirely against her will.
‘Miss Lucas, I would be honoured if we might remain allies—for the time being.’
Swallowing, she managed, rather breathlessly, ‘Yes. Of course.’
A faint hint of satisfaction entered his expression.
‘Good.’
Only then did he take the coat from her hands.
He leaned towards her, though there was no audience now to witness any performance.
What was he doing?
He reached past her and opened the door.
Charlotte could have smacked herself in the forehead. He was merely opening the door for her.
‘Get some rest. We must act the betrothed couple in the morning.’ A trace of amusement entered his voice at her obvious mortification. ‘But we may resume our search once the household retires tomorrow evening.’
She left in silent contemplation.
Allies.