far.”
Unfortunately, it was close to five miles. It took us well over an hour to reach the B&B. When we arrived, there was a note on the door from Anya saying that she was sorry we’d missed dinner, but that she’d have a hearty breakfast waiting for us in the morning.
Once we’d tiptoed inside, Meg asked, “Should we use the other van to go alert the authorities about Gopher?”
I was beyond exhausted by then, and every muscle in my body ached, but thoughts of Gopher’s welfare made me say, “Yeah. We need to see if they’d be willing to send a search party to the castle.”
But Heath reminded me about the permissive-access paper Gopher had shown the constable. “They’ll never go for it. We assumed all risks when we went to the rock. You heard what that constable said, that the village wouldn’t help us if anything happened. Plus, if they do go, that phantom’s likely to make mincemeat out of them.”
“We can’t just leave Gopher there alone,” I argued. “Seriously, Heath, we’ve got to do something .”
“I can go,” said John. “You two did more running around than me. Plus, the keys to the van are in my room. I can go file a report at least.”
Heath sighed wearily. “Yeah, okay, John. Thanks.”
John moved quickly and quietly up the stairs, and everyone else worked their way up at a much slower speed. “I’m so tired I don’t even think I’ll change. I just want to do a face-plant into my pillow,” said Meg.
“Me too,” said Kim.
“Me three,” said Gil.
Heath and I did not play along this time, but I was thinking, Me four ... big-time.
I don’t remember my head hitting the pillow. I don’t even remember the final steps to my room. I do remember falling immediately into a deep and blissful slumber, and somewhere near daybreak Lord Dunnyvale visited me again. “Hello, good lady Holliday,” he said cordially.
“Lord Dunnyvale,” I replied, with a dip of my chin.
“Have you considered my offer?”
“I have,” I told him. “And I don’t think I like the terms.”
Dunnyvale appeared taken aback. “Why, I thought they were quite agreeable,” he said to me. “Don’t you want to see your friend again?”
“Of course I do. But it hardly seems fair that the longer you hide his whereabouts from me, the more likely it is that he’s in mortal danger.”
“Ah,” said Dunnyvale. “Yes, that’s a good point. Shall I sweeten the deal with a little bullion?”
I blinked at him. “A little what?”
“Gold, dear. A little gold.”
Was he for real?
“I don’t want your gold, Lord Dunnyvale. I want my friend.”
But Ranald eyed me with a look that suggested he didn’t believe me. “Everyone wants the gold, lass.”
I glared at Dunnyvale. “I said I didn’t want it, Lord Dunnyvale. I just want my friend.”
“Yes, well, start with Alex, then follow the trail to the gold, and there you shall find the clues that will lead you to your friend. You can’t have one without the other, I’m afraid, and you can’t do the last without dealing with the phantom.”
I rolled my eyes. “You talk in riddles, my lord.”
Dunnyvale gave me a look of mock surprise. “Do I?” he said coyly. “Why, I believe I’ve spoken quite plainly.”
And with that, I woke up to the thin pink light of dawn seeping in through the blinds, and Gilley’s soft snores in the next bed.
“Gil,” I whispered.
“ZZZZZZZZ ...,” he said.
I frowned. He looked really deep in sleep, and he was a bear to wake at times like that, but I really wanted to talk this whole visitation from the lord of Dunlow Castle over with someone.
“Gilley!” I said, right into his ear.
“ZZZZZZ ... snort ... ZZZZZZZ,” he replied.
“Fine,” I told him. “Have it your way.”
With that, I moved off to the shower and soaked up all the hot water.
A bit later, showered, in clean clothes, and feeling quite refreshed, I tiptoed out of the room in search of food. As I closed the door softly behind
Unfortunately, it was close to five miles. It took us well over an hour to reach the B&B. When we arrived, there was a note on the door from Anya saying that she was sorry we’d missed dinner, but that she’d have a hearty breakfast waiting for us in the morning.
Once we’d tiptoed inside, Meg asked, “Should we use the other van to go alert the authorities about Gopher?”
I was beyond exhausted by then, and every muscle in my body ached, but thoughts of Gopher’s welfare made me say, “Yeah. We need to see if they’d be willing to send a search party to the castle.”
But Heath reminded me about the permissive-access paper Gopher had shown the constable. “They’ll never go for it. We assumed all risks when we went to the rock. You heard what that constable said, that the village wouldn’t help us if anything happened. Plus, if they do go, that phantom’s likely to make mincemeat out of them.”
“We can’t just leave Gopher there alone,” I argued. “Seriously, Heath, we’ve got to do something .”
“I can go,” said John. “You two did more running around than me. Plus, the keys to the van are in my room. I can go file a report at least.”
Heath sighed wearily. “Yeah, okay, John. Thanks.”
John moved quickly and quietly up the stairs, and everyone else worked their way up at a much slower speed. “I’m so tired I don’t even think I’ll change. I just want to do a face-plant into my pillow,” said Meg.
“Me too,” said Kim.
“Me three,” said Gil.
Heath and I did not play along this time, but I was thinking, Me four ... big-time.
I don’t remember my head hitting the pillow. I don’t even remember the final steps to my room. I do remember falling immediately into a deep and blissful slumber, and somewhere near daybreak Lord Dunnyvale visited me again. “Hello, good lady Holliday,” he said cordially.
“Lord Dunnyvale,” I replied, with a dip of my chin.
“Have you considered my offer?”
“I have,” I told him. “And I don’t think I like the terms.”
Dunnyvale appeared taken aback. “Why, I thought they were quite agreeable,” he said to me. “Don’t you want to see your friend again?”
“Of course I do. But it hardly seems fair that the longer you hide his whereabouts from me, the more likely it is that he’s in mortal danger.”
“Ah,” said Dunnyvale. “Yes, that’s a good point. Shall I sweeten the deal with a little bullion?”
I blinked at him. “A little what?”
“Gold, dear. A little gold.”
Was he for real?
“I don’t want your gold, Lord Dunnyvale. I want my friend.”
But Ranald eyed me with a look that suggested he didn’t believe me. “Everyone wants the gold, lass.”
I glared at Dunnyvale. “I said I didn’t want it, Lord Dunnyvale. I just want my friend.”
“Yes, well, start with Alex, then follow the trail to the gold, and there you shall find the clues that will lead you to your friend. You can’t have one without the other, I’m afraid, and you can’t do the last without dealing with the phantom.”
I rolled my eyes. “You talk in riddles, my lord.”
Dunnyvale gave me a look of mock surprise. “Do I?” he said coyly. “Why, I believe I’ve spoken quite plainly.”
And with that, I woke up to the thin pink light of dawn seeping in through the blinds, and Gilley’s soft snores in the next bed.
“Gil,” I whispered.
“ZZZZZZZZ ...,” he said.
I frowned. He looked really deep in sleep, and he was a bear to wake at times like that, but I really wanted to talk this whole visitation from the lord of Dunlow Castle over with someone.
“Gilley!” I said, right into his ear.
“ZZZZZZ ... snort ... ZZZZZZZ,” he replied.
“Fine,” I told him. “Have it your way.”
With that, I moved off to the shower and soaked up all the hot water.
A bit later, showered, in clean clothes, and feeling quite refreshed, I tiptoed out of the room in search of food. As I closed the door softly behind
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