padded to her closet and quickly dressed, donning her travelling clothes, for they were suitable for what she had in mind. She stepped from her chambers and quietly slipped down the stairs and out the main door and ran lightly across the dew-wet grass, morning mist swirling in her wake, the sun not yet risen.
To the hedge maze she went and ’round to the entry, then, taking a deep breath, she stepped within. Along the shadowed path she trod, keeping track of twists and turns, noting openings left and right, and using the trick of which Fra Galanni had spoken—that of keeping her right hand always brushing along the right-side hedge-wall. She knew that in some mazes this was the key to finding the center . . . but this maze was not one of those, for she found herself back at the entrance.
Ah, then, another strategy is needed.
Camille once again followed the right-hand way, but at the first opening into another row on the left, she stepped across and entered, and moments later came to a dead end.
Back to the first row she went, and to the second leftward opening.
Again and again she repeated her tactic, exploring more and more of the maze.
Now rightwards she tended from leftwards, and the layout became clearer to her, and then she was quite certain where the center must lie, and toward this end she went.
As she came nigh the last of her journey, she thought she heard what seemed to be the soft sound of weeping.
Oh, my, it would not do to come upon a saddened someone unawares.
“Allo!” she called. “Is anyone there?”
Abruptly, silence fell.
Hesitantly, as the sun beyond the hedges lipped the horizon and day came upon the land, Camille stepped forward and ’round the last turn, to see—
“Oh, Bear, I have missed you so!”
10
Masque
W ith sudden tears springing to her eyes, Camille rushed forward and threw her arms about the neck of the Bear and hugged him fiercely, murmuring, “Oh, Bear, oh, Bear, where have you been?”
She stood a long while with her face buried in fur, the Bear sitting quite still as she did so. Finally she released him and glanced ’round, scarcely noticing the stone benches placed about the green sward and the statues of a man and woman on a low pedestal in the center. “Oh, Bear, are you lost? Is that why I heard you moaning?”
The Bear gave a low rumble somewhere between that of a whuff and a deep growl. At this Camille laughed gaily, saying, “Tell me, O Bear, is that rrrumm a yes or a no? Ah, tchaa, but never mind, for I shall set you free of this maze. You see, I know the way out. Come along.”
With Camille strolling beside the Bear, down the shadowed way between hedgerows they went, Camille chatting gaily of her explorations throughout the manor and surrounding grounds, and her working with Andre to plant camellias, and the terribly lonely dinners she had eaten surrounded by dozens of servants. The Bear made no comment whatsoever, but merely padded along.
As they neared the exit, Camille heard voices calling, dozens of voices, and they all seemed to be crying her name.
“Oh, Bear, I wonder whatever could be the matter?”
Camille hurried forward, the Bear lagging behind, and she exited the maze to see servants scattered throughout the grounds, all calling “ Lady Camille !” Nearby, she espied Blanche and Renaud. “Blanche, I am over here!” cried Camille. “Whatever is this clamor all about?”
“Oh, my lady, my lady,” cried Blanche, as she rushed toward Camille, Renaud following, “we thought you had been kidnapped, or vanished into thin air, just like Lord Valeray and Lady Saissa.”
“Valeray? Saissa?”
“Prince Alain’s dam and sire,” said Blanche, puffing up, Renaud right behind, just as the Bear stepped out from the hedge. The handmaid and blacksmith curtseyed and bowed in deference, even as Camille frowned and asked, “Is that the why of this fuss? You thought I had been taken? Stolen away or some such?”
Blanche gulped and glanced at
To the hedge maze she went and ’round to the entry, then, taking a deep breath, she stepped within. Along the shadowed path she trod, keeping track of twists and turns, noting openings left and right, and using the trick of which Fra Galanni had spoken—that of keeping her right hand always brushing along the right-side hedge-wall. She knew that in some mazes this was the key to finding the center . . . but this maze was not one of those, for she found herself back at the entrance.
Ah, then, another strategy is needed.
Camille once again followed the right-hand way, but at the first opening into another row on the left, she stepped across and entered, and moments later came to a dead end.
Back to the first row she went, and to the second leftward opening.
Again and again she repeated her tactic, exploring more and more of the maze.
Now rightwards she tended from leftwards, and the layout became clearer to her, and then she was quite certain where the center must lie, and toward this end she went.
As she came nigh the last of her journey, she thought she heard what seemed to be the soft sound of weeping.
Oh, my, it would not do to come upon a saddened someone unawares.
“Allo!” she called. “Is anyone there?”
Abruptly, silence fell.
Hesitantly, as the sun beyond the hedges lipped the horizon and day came upon the land, Camille stepped forward and ’round the last turn, to see—
“Oh, Bear, I have missed you so!”
10
Masque
W ith sudden tears springing to her eyes, Camille rushed forward and threw her arms about the neck of the Bear and hugged him fiercely, murmuring, “Oh, Bear, oh, Bear, where have you been?”
She stood a long while with her face buried in fur, the Bear sitting quite still as she did so. Finally she released him and glanced ’round, scarcely noticing the stone benches placed about the green sward and the statues of a man and woman on a low pedestal in the center. “Oh, Bear, are you lost? Is that why I heard you moaning?”
The Bear gave a low rumble somewhere between that of a whuff and a deep growl. At this Camille laughed gaily, saying, “Tell me, O Bear, is that rrrumm a yes or a no? Ah, tchaa, but never mind, for I shall set you free of this maze. You see, I know the way out. Come along.”
With Camille strolling beside the Bear, down the shadowed way between hedgerows they went, Camille chatting gaily of her explorations throughout the manor and surrounding grounds, and her working with Andre to plant camellias, and the terribly lonely dinners she had eaten surrounded by dozens of servants. The Bear made no comment whatsoever, but merely padded along.
As they neared the exit, Camille heard voices calling, dozens of voices, and they all seemed to be crying her name.
“Oh, Bear, I wonder whatever could be the matter?”
Camille hurried forward, the Bear lagging behind, and she exited the maze to see servants scattered throughout the grounds, all calling “ Lady Camille !” Nearby, she espied Blanche and Renaud. “Blanche, I am over here!” cried Camille. “Whatever is this clamor all about?”
“Oh, my lady, my lady,” cried Blanche, as she rushed toward Camille, Renaud following, “we thought you had been kidnapped, or vanished into thin air, just like Lord Valeray and Lady Saissa.”
“Valeray? Saissa?”
“Prince Alain’s dam and sire,” said Blanche, puffing up, Renaud right behind, just as the Bear stepped out from the hedge. The handmaid and blacksmith curtseyed and bowed in deference, even as Camille frowned and asked, “Is that the why of this fuss? You thought I had been taken? Stolen away or some such?”
Blanche gulped and glanced at
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