Dark Remains: A Maggie Power Adventure (Maggie Power #1)

Chapter 21 - The Folly

Chapter 21 – The Folly

As they readied themselves for dinner that evening, Sexton approached and told them to go straight into the dining room and wait to be served. He explained that, unfortunately, the Countess was not feeling herself tonight and had taken to her bed for evening and was unlikely to be up again until the morning. "I myself shall be looking after her for the rest of evening," he said.

So they ate alone. It was the first time they had done so, without the Countess, with a couple of servants coming in and out, indulging all of their whims and requests. It felt quite odd, for it was the Countess who gave specific orders to the servants, and none felt in a position to take on her role.

Dinner finished earlier than usual; without the Countess in attendance, there was not much conversation to be had around the table. The children simply ate what was served in front of them and finished it swiftly, no longer feeling they had to perform for the Countess that they had finally mastered the art of good table manners.

Afterwards, they would usually be dispatched to their rooms for a while after eating. Maggie took this opportunity to read. However, on this occasion, with nobody there to tell them what was expected, or indeed, what they should do, they decided upon their own course of action.

They left the dining room and sneaked out of the house and ran down to the lake. It was a warm evening and the sun was making its slow descent below the horizon. They climbed into one of the boats and Jack rowed them over to the far side of the lake, passing by the island on which stood the folly - as forbidding as ever - and set a course beyond to a grassy area, directly opposite the docking point for the island.

They abandoned the boat on the shore and walked up the embankment to a smoother plain of grass sloping downwards to the lake. The open sky above let the emerging moon shine down upon them but it was still light enough to see without its aid. The children lay flat and looked up to the clear sky, up towards the stars which were beginning to penetrate the dusk.

"I've lost track of time, of how many times the sun has set, and what shape the moon should be. On the riverside, I watched closely every night. I counted the days and knew exactly when its next full moon would occur," said Maggie. "I may have not known the exact day of the week or even the date, but I knew what shape the moon would take. It's so nice to see an old friend keeping an eye out for us once more."

"I never want to leave this place," responded Tom.

Awoken from her daydream, Maggie sat up and exclaimed, "Oh but we have to. We must go on to Sanctuary. Remember Father's letter to Mr Turner? He could be there waiting. I know he will try and -"

"May be waiting, Maggie," replied Tom. "But probably not."

"I would rather stay here, Maggie. We are treated well. I can't ever think that your Sanctuary will be a match for what we have here," replied Jack. "We have everything, everything we could ever want."

"I know the Countess has been ever so kind. But we - or Tom and I at least - must find Father. We have a chance -"

"Do you think your father or that place, Sanctuary, would be able to offer us all this?" asked Jack.

"And I have forgotten what hunger feels like now," said Tom. "This is paradise, Sis. This is our Sanctuary. Like Jack, I think we would be best off staying put."

"I know we don't go without anymore...but we can have a good life and a good education at Sanctuary too."

"You are getting the best education of all, Sis. We sometimes feel we must bow in your presence now. Isn't that right, Jack?" said Tom.