by Jodi Taylor
I felt my insides clench.
‘Well,’ said Jones cheerfully, ‘and you’ll laugh at the coincidence, but by enormous good luck Mrs Jones here is one of the very few people in this country – or anywhere in the world probably, although she’s very modest and won’t talk about it – who is capable of seeing your ghost. She’s an accomplished medium and I know for a fact that her talents are in great demand by … the authorities.’
I scowled at him but he just smiled blandly back at me.
‘Really, the best thing we could do would be to leave Mrs Jones to work her magic, while rest of us shoot off to bed and then she can report back to us over breakfast. Seriously, Rookwood, if anyone’s going to be able to get to the bottom of what’s going on here, it will be Mrs Jones, eh, Lizzie?’
Rookwood stared at us. ‘Are you both mad?’
‘Actually,’ said Jones, ‘that’s a very good question. Would it help in any way if you knew we’d both just broken out of a secure mental establishment?’
He raced on before Rookwood could say anything.
‘So why don’t we all go back to bed and Mrs Jones can tell us all about The Widow tomorrow.’ He began to make ushering gestures, but Rookwood wasn’t having any of it.
‘What? What are you talking about? I’m not standing around to listen to this nonsense. I need to save my son.’
He snatched up Leo, who was still crying. I put a warning hand on Jones’s arm. Rookwood was far too unstable to wind up. His colour was jumping in all directions, flashing from one shade to another. His agitation was setting my teeth on edge. He was obviously in the grip of some strong emotions. Was it apprehension? No, it was more than that. Anticipation? Was he actually hoping to see The Widow?
I whispered to Jones, ‘What shall we do?’
‘Get you out of here for a start.’
‘We can’t go off and leave them.’
‘I promised I’d keep you safe. I’m not losing another one.’
‘I don’t think it’s me that’s at risk.’
A wind rippled the tapestry on the wall, but that might have been just another cold draught in this cold and draughty hall.
Jones turned back to me. ‘We should at least get Alex out of here. He’s the one at risk.’
‘Agreed, but where? Where could he go?’
‘Anywhere but here.’
He turned to Rookwood, who was still whirling around as if he expected The Widow to materialise at any moment. What he would have said to him I don’t know, because at that moment, Rookwood looked at his wife and said deliberately, ‘I think we’ll find Alex isn’t in any danger, is he, my dear?’
He began to stride up and down the hall, Leo still clinging to him like a monkey to a stick, and shouting at the shadows. ‘I’m not afraid of you or what you can do. I’m taking my son out of here. Do you hear? You’ll never catch us. You’ll never be able to find us.’
He turned back to Helena. ‘You and Alex can go or stay. Your choice.’
Jones blocked his path. ‘Don’t do this, Rookwood. You’ll be making a huge mistake.’
Rookwood ignored him. Looking around the hall, he shouted, ‘I defy you, whoever you are.’ Carrying Leo in his arms, he disappeared out of the door, leaving Alex standing like a small statue, staring after his father in disbelief. It hurt my heart to look at his face.
Helena put her arm around him. ‘It is no matter, mon cher, I am here. Your father didn’t mean anything. He just thinks it best if we …’
She stopped, unable to go on. After her husband’s actions, I could hardly blame her.
Jones crouched beside Alex. ‘Your father thinks it best if you and Leo split up. He’s taken Leo and you’re staying with your mother. It’s clever thinking, Alex. If The Widow is here – and I don’t think she is – but if she is here, then she can’t follow both of you.’
He looked so lost and bewildered. ‘I didn’t mean this to happen. Daddy said it was just a legend. He said it couldn’t happen. She wasn’t real. I thought if I did something brave then he would like me. And it was for my book as well.’
‘Of course it was,’ said Jones, calmly. ‘Top marks for dedication to research, by the way. All great writers research their masterpieces. But for the moment it’s probably best if you’re not here. Your mother will take you to a safe place.’
He looked at her over Alex’s head and she nodded.
‘Do you have your own car? If not, you can take mine.’ He paused briefly while we both wondered what Dr Sorensen would say to that.
This was all getting away from me. I took his arm and said quietly, ‘Jones … if it turns out that Leo is the eldest son …’
‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I know what you’re going to say but despite everything Rookwood is trying to persuade us to think, we both know that Alex, not Leo, is the one in danger here. We need to get him and his mother to safety. Helene, can you guide us out?’
She made a huge effort at bright normality. ‘Of course.’
A good plan. I wasn’t in any danger and getting Alex off the premises seemed an excellent idea.
He looked down at Alex who had his eyes squeezed tight shut. Such a typical child’s reaction. If you can’t see it then it can’t see you. Because he seemed much older than his years, I had forgotten he was still a little boy, vulnerable and afraid.
Without showing any signs of haste or alarm, Jones crouched at his side. ‘Alex, look at me, please.’
Reluctantly, he opened his eyes.
‘My job is to get you to your car. Yours is to look after your mother. Can you do that?’
Wordlessly, he nodded and reached for her hand.
‘Excellent. Off we go then. Just a few minutes, Alex, and everything will be all right again.’
The lights went out. There was no preliminary flicker. No sort of warning. The lights went out and the darkness was complete. Thick and black and pressing down upon us. Alex cried out. Helene screamed and even I might have squeaked slightly.
‘No cause for alarm, everyone,’ said Jones calmly. ‘I have a torch and Alex, I believe, has several.’ He picked them up and dished them out. ‘Off we go.’
Jones went first, Helene at his shoulder with Alex, each with a torch, and I brought up the rear, remembering to look behind me every now and then. And whether I was watching out for The Widow or something else, I had no idea. Both Alex and his mother knew the castle like the back of their hands, warning us about low doorways, uneven stairs and the like. We were making good progress. In a few minutes, we would be out under the stars and running for the car.
‘Not long now,’ said Jones cheerily. ‘I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m starving. I’m thinking we’ll head to the nearest motorway services and fill up on burgers and chips. Green vegetables have their place in this world but not tonight, I think. What do you say, Alex?’
‘Pizza,’ he whispered, gazing up at Jones.
‘Excellent choice,’ said Jones and at the same moment, I said, ‘Stop. What’s that?’
‘Where?’
‘There.’
He focused his torch. We were at the top of a flight of very narrow steps that twisted down into darkness. At the top, curled neatly on his side, lay Leo, quite unconscious. Of Rookwood, there was no sign.
‘Damn,’ said Jones softly. ‘I did warn him not to …’
He was nearly knocked off his feet as Helene pushed past him.
‘Oh my God. Is he dead? Leo? Leo? What happened?’ She fell to her knees and shook him. ‘Leo wake up.’ Looking wildly around, she shouted, ‘Thomas? Where are you?’
Deep in the shadows, something moved. Something was here. I flashed my torch around. Just for a moment, I had the briefest glimpse of a small dark shadow standing below us on the stairs, looking up. Helene screamed and threw herself over Leo. I thrust Alex behind me and an arm, black clad and with nails so long they were almost talons came out of the dark.
It was the last thing I saw for quite some time.
&nbs
p; I felt a sharp, white, searing pain in my eyes and the next moment I was in agony, hands to my face, clawing at my eyes, fighting for breath. My whole face was on fire. My eyes streamed rivers. And my nose. And I couldn’t see. My world was dark. There was nothing. I couldn’t see a thing. I was a blind woman in a world of thick, black, impenetrable nothingness. Something I’d never seen before. Even with my eyes closed there was always a constant kaleidoscope of shifting colours. Colours had always filled my life and now they were gone and I was blind in every sense of the word. For the first time in my life I couldn’t see anything. My eyes no longer saw what others couldn’t see. Now they saw nothing at all. I was in the dark. Adrift and terrified. I had lost my place in the world. I was disoriented. There was nothing to ground me. I wasn’t even sure I was the right way up. Someone screamed. Something hit me hard and I staggered to one side. For one terrifying moment, I thought I was about to fall down the stone steps and then something so heavy it could only be Michael Jones fell on top of me and I sprawled on the cold floor. Helene screamed again. I heard Alex cry out for his mother. His voice seemed a long way off. And then there was silence.
Chapter Sixteen
I never would have thought that this could happen to me. That I could be attacked and never see it coming. All my life I’d known when things meant me harm and this time – the time it really mattered – I’d sensed nothing. The Widow had got me and I never saw it coming. I felt Jones beside me. I could hear the rustle of his clothes as he pulled my hands away. ‘Cage. Let me see.’
I was panicking. ‘She’s blinded me. I can’t see. I can’t see anything at all.’
He held my hands in a crushing grip. ‘Cage, stop. I’m here. Listen to me. I’m here. Stay as still and quiet as you can. Alex has … had an accident. I have to see to him. Stay still and don’t touch your face.’
‘You don’t understand. I can’t see. I can’t see anything.’
‘I do understand, but I have to see to Alex. Stay calm for me, Cage.’
I heard him move away. I sat in the dark, gripping my hands together so I wouldn’t touch my face. And because I was shaking violently with shock and cold and pain. The last thing I remembered was that arm – reaching out of the dark. Reaching out for me.
Unable to bear it any longer, I called out, ‘What’s happening? Tell me.’
Helene replied from quite close by. She must still be with Leo at the top of the stairs. ‘It was The Widow. I saw her. She pushed me. I would have fallen if Mr Jones had not caught me. And then she threw Alex down the stairs.’
‘Oh my God. Is he all right?’
I could hear the hysteria in her voice. ‘I think he has hurt his leg.’
‘Broken?’
It was Jones who replied from far away at the bottom of the stairs. ‘No, I don’t think so, but he can’t walk.’
Helene’s voice was pitched high with fear. ‘What shall we do? Even if you take Alex and I take Leo, who will help Mrs Jones? And where is Thomas? Oh dear God, what is happening?’
Jones was calm and reassuring. ‘Is there anywhere near here where you can lock yourselves in? Somewhere with a bolt?’
‘A bolt? Wait – yes. Yes, I think so. Just down these stairs and around the corner.’
‘Right. Come down here and stay with Alex. Don’t leave him for even a second.’
‘What about Leo? He won’t wake up. What did she do to him?’ Her voice trembled on the edge of panic again.
‘Leo is perfectly safe, I promise you. Cage, you stay put – I’m coming for Leo and then for you. How’s your face?’
‘On fire. I still can’t see. What did she do to me?’
I could hear him climbing the stairs. When he next spoke, he was close by. ‘I’ll tell you in a minute. Wait here.’
‘No,’ I said, panicking at the thought of being left alone with whatever was here in the dark with us. ‘I’ll shuffle down on my bottom behind you.’
‘Sure?’
Anything was better than being alone. I nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘Stairs curve to your left. Take it slowly. You’ll never be more than a few feet away from me.’
I heard him grunt slightly as he picked up Leo.
‘I’ll be all right.’ And I was. I kept to the outside wall, felt for each step carefully and shuffled down on my behind, bumping my way down until finally I arrived. Jones pulled me gently to my feet.
‘Not far to go, Cage. Just another half dozen steps down this passage.’
It’s a terrifying thing, not being able to see. I swallowed down thoughts of being lost for ever in this thick, black darkness. Of being stalked by something that could see me while I myself was blind … I tried hard to keep it all together as I clung to his arm. ‘Where are we?’
‘Do you remember the dungeon? With the skeleton and the rat?’
What a long time ago that seemed. ‘I do.’
‘Well, guess where we are. One last step, then turn to your right.’
‘You’re very calm.’
He actually sounded faintly amused. ‘Believe it or not, Cage, this is not the worst situation I’ve ever been in.’
‘What are you going to do now?’
‘I’m going to leave you …’
I clutched at him. ‘No …’
He put his warm hand over mine. ‘Hush, don’t frighten the Rookwoods. ‘I’m going to leave you, to find the way out. I’ll get the lights back on, find the nearest exit, bring the car round and get everyone out safely. Then, as I said, a burgerfest to end all burgerfests. I don’t know about you but I’m starving. How’s your face? No, don’t touch it.’
‘My eyes are streaming. And my nose. Everything is running.’
‘It certainly is. You’re a proper little phlegm phactory, but don’t touch it. And don’t let Helene try and wipe your eyes either.’
‘Why not?’
‘It might make them worse. Just leave it. So long as your face doesn’t fall off, you’ll be fine. Here we are. Turn to your right.’ He raised his voice. ‘It’s me, Mrs Rookwood.’
Someone took my arm. ‘Yes, I’ve got her.’
‘Good. I’m going to leave you here. You’ll be safe. Cage, keep an eye on them.’
‘Very funny. Where are you going?’
He didn’t reply directly. ‘I’ll be gone for about ten minutes. Lock yourselves in and don’t open the door to anyone but me. Do you understand, Mrs Rookwood. No one but me.’
There was a pause, and then she said quietly, ‘Yes, I do understand.’
‘Right. Back in a few minutes. Don’t go upsetting the rat. And I’m going to take Alex because he knows the best way.’
‘No.’
‘He can guide me through the castle. I promise you he’ll be quite safe with me, Mrs Rookwood.’
‘He will,’ I said, heroically not touching my face. ‘My husband just looks like an idiot.’
‘Thank you, Cage. Come on, Alex, up you come.’
I heard Helene close the door and slide the bolts home and no sooner had she done so than something rattled the handle and pushed hard against the door.
A small cold hand crept into mine and we held our breath.
Jones’s voice came from the other side of the door. ‘It’s all right. Only me. Just checking you’re safe. See you soon.’
We stood in silence. Occasionally, I heard Helene whisper something encouraging to Leo.
‘Is he awake yet?’
‘No, but he has just stirred. I thought he might be able to hear me. How are you feeling?’
I said, ‘Getting better,’ and put my hands in my pockets so I didn’t touch my face.
‘Do you know … what happened?’
‘Yes, I do. So does Mr Jones. And so do you.’
There was a long, long silence and then she said something in French and came to sit alongside me. I waited. She sniffed a couple of times and then said, ‘It was Thomas, wasn’t it?’
‘I’m afraid so, yes, but you don’t have to talk abou
t it if you don’t want to.’
There was another long silence. I guessed her thoughts were oscillating wildly between the shock of being attacked by her own husband, being locked in a cellar with a possible madwoman who said she could talk to ghosts, and frantic anxiety for her children. I thought she was holding things together very well, all things considered.
Finally, she shifted her position slightly and said, ‘At the top of the stairs … just now … Leo …’
‘Leo was never in any danger. We were supposed to think The Widow had got him, but I suspect he’s been lightly drugged. Just enough to knock him out. Did you not see how carefully he was laid out in the recovery position? Your husband left Leo there as a distraction and waited.’
‘To do such a thing to his own son. I thought he loved Leo.’
He does, but …’ I gathered myself. ‘He hates you more. And Alex most of all.’
I waited.
‘He has no cause,’ she said bitterly. ‘But someone made a remark once – long ago – and it took root. He cannot now rid himself of the suspicion …’
‘But there are tests …’
‘I think it is something he wants to believe.’
‘Yes,’ I said slowly. ‘To give his actions validation. To justify what he tried to do tonight.’
She drew a breath that was almost a sob. I felt very sorry for her. It can’t be easy to discover that the person you once loved, the person whom you trusted most in the world, means you harm.
She continued. ‘Yes, you are right, I think. And then there is his obsession with this castle, of course. It eats money as you can imagine. It has certainly eaten most of mine and as my money disappeared, so did his affection.’
Another motive. He would rid himself of a troublesome wife and child and begin again with Leo – his true heir.
‘Anyway, while we all gathered round Leo – that was his opportunity.’
To throw his wife down the stairs. Only Jones caught her so he pushed Alex instead. The man was far more of a monster than The Widow. She was just a small, sad shadow who was neither vicious nor vindictive, only a mother who wanted her son.
Helene was still struggling to piece events together. ‘But surely – it was The Widow – everything went dark.’