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

Chapter 22 - Deep Things From Darkness

Chapter 22 - Deep Things From Darkness

As they prepared for breakfast the next day, the boys promised Maggie they would explore the folly only after she had finished with her studies. The children sat alone at breakfast, the Countess absent once more.

Afterwards, as Maggie opened the study door to begin her tuition, she saw the Countess slumped in her chair, with Sexton kneeling at her side, administering a tincture of some sort. She looked pale and almost lifeless.

"I do apologise," said Maggie and turned around to leave.

As she left the room, she heard the Countess fragile voice. "No study today, Margaret. I promise, I shall be fine in a matter of hours."

After the late night the previous evening, Maggie's mind felt hazy, her body insipid - but she rushed

to seek out the boys. She searched in all the usual spots they habitually inhabited when at play, but could not find them. She searched for over an hour and had covered much of the estate in that time.

She spoke to Sarah, one of the servants, and she suggested the lake.

It was a still, bright sunny day, as she walked back towards the lake and down to the dock. There were two boats tied up. They must be somewhere on the lake, Maggie thought. She took the rope and uncoupled the knots. She positioned herself inside the boat and took the oars in both hands, knowing there was only one place they could be.

They had gone to the folly.

She grew more and more furious, the further she rowed. They had promised to wait until she was finished with her studies. She felt betrayed, especially by Tom, who she thought had now drifted away from her, and was more inclined to follow Jack's lead these days.

She lifted up her head as she rowed and on the horizon saw a black cloud glowering in the distance. A storm was coming, thought Maggie. Out on the water alone, she was reminded of the days when she would watch distant storms sneak their way up the Thames estuary and she would have to persuade Tom to leave the muddy water and head for shelter.

She continued to row across the lake, and as the looming tower came in to view, she could see them both by the door of the tower, talking, more like arguing - or so it seemed from this distance. She rowed on toward the dock near the folly. She could not see a boat. She realised they had hidden it, like they had the previous evening. Her heart beat to the rhythm of a quickening anger, as she docked the boat.

As she left the boat she saw the two traitors walking back to where they had hidden their boat.

"Thomas, why did you come here without me?" she demanded. The boys stopped, surprised at her presence.

Tom was quiet and ignored her question. He walked and sat down on a small mound of grass. She looked to Jack, he looked away and joined Tom and sat next to him on the grass.

"What's wrong with you two?" she asked. "Did you go down and look around? Why didn't you wait?"

The two boys seemed deep in thought and acted as if Maggie had not even spoken.

"Do you have candles? I'm going to look in there on my own, if you do not wish to respond to me."

"You don't want to know what's in there, Maggie," said Jack. "Believe me, I don't think I ever want to spend another second down there. That place gives me the shivers. Something strange about it. Don't go inside, you won't like it."

"I want to see inside. Either you join me or you don't. Give me one of those candles." She marched over and took a candle and the matches from Tom's hands. "Well are you coming or not?" asked Maggie.