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.

Jack laughed and nodded then said, "Believe us, your ladyship, this is a thing of truth that your good brother speaks of." He bowed and the two boys laughed. "Anyways, the Countess said she would give us all a share in this. Can you believe it? We are the luckiest children alive," continued Jack.

"Yes, we may very well be lucky. But I've been thinking, don't you think it is strange she is planning to give all of us a share in this place?" She spread out her arms to signify the extent of the Countess' estate. "Why us? Why now? There have been tens of dozens of children through her home - some of them are still here now, working as adult servants. Why are we to be blessed with such fortune?"

"Haven't you seen the Countess lately? Look at how old and worn out she looks. Every so often, like tonight, she is simply too old to even get out of bed. And she looks so frail and so white sometimes - it scares me," replied Tom.

"Precisely, Tom. Sometimes. On other occasions she looks well and sprightly, looks full of colour and life. Sometimes she does not require her cane either and is full of joy -"

"Is this all because she makes you study. At Sanctuary it would be the same too," said Jack.

As he finished speaking the other two remained silent and did not answer.

But Tom was now sitting upright and looking back over to the island in the middle of the lake. He looked to Maggie who was now standing next to him. "I've just seen Sexton go inside the folly," Tom said. "Remember what the Countess said. Nobody is supposed to go inside there."

"She said it was unsafe and could fall down at any moment." Maggie responded standing upright. "I wonder what he is doing there? I thought he said he was looking after the Countess?" She was standing next to Tom and looking over towards Sexton, who disappeared once more inside the folly.

Jack joined them and signalled to keep down. They all crouched, doing their best to remain hidden from view, and watched from the shore as Sexton, with a lighted lamp in his hand, stepped from inside the folly. He then walked back to the boat and took a sack from within and walked back and disappeared once more inside of the building.

"What's he up to?" asked Tom.

"Stay down and let's watch," responded Maggie.

Within a couple of minutes, Sexton re-emerged from the tower. He glanced around the lake (in response, the children spread themselves flat on the grass) and then walked back to the boat, placing a heavy package - which he carried upon his shoulder - into the vessel. In an instant he was rowing back towards the main landing dock. The children watched as he moved through the water, back towards the house, and out of view.

"We should go and have a gander inside," suggested Jack.

"But it's dangerous. And the Countess warned us -" began Maggie.

"If it's so bloody dangerous why is it Sexton finds it so easy slipping in and out of that place?" replied Jack. "And what was he pilfering from that place? It looked heavy, see how he struggled to carry it to the boat."

"I think Jack's right," answered Tom. "We should go over and have a look around. Something's not right about that place. It doesn't look like it's about to fall down either. And you said you saw the Countess out on the lake with Sexton late last night. Maybe they were heading across there," he said pointing back toward the tower.

"How did you find out about that?" she asked Tom. She turned and stared straight back at Jack.

"No, no need to answer."

"Sorry, Maggie. It just slipped out, we was talking about-"

"Forget it, Jack. I always thought you to be a trustworthy fellow."

"I am, it just..."

"What about the folly?" Tom reminded them.

"No," said Maggie. "If the Countess finds out, she's sure to send us away, or punish us somehow."

"You needn't worry then, Maggie," replied Jack in a mocking tone. "Not ten minutes ago you said how all along you had wanted to leave for Sanctuary. If we get caught, then all the better for you, as you'll have reason to leave."

"Eventually, yes of course I wish to leave. But I don't want to leave on bad terms with the Countess. She has been good to me, to all of us indeed. I like her greatly. If we do leave and are unsuccessful in our plans, she may well allow us to return some day, in some capacity." said Maggie.

"Don't you worry, Maggie, I'll take all the blame for all of us. I'll make sure the Countess knows it wasn't your fault. Unless of course," continued Jack, now looking towards Tom and raising his eyebrows. "Unless it is because you is scared to go over there. In that case, remain here on your own. We will go - me and Tom."

"Ha! My big, scared sister!" said Tom.

"I'm not scared, it's just-"

"Well then," said Jack, as he put his arm around Tom's shoulder and headed down towards the lake,

"You best follow the men."

"Tom, come back this instant!" shouted Maggie. "Thomas, are you listening to me?"

Soon Maggie gave up protesting and ran after the boys. With the boat moored on the bank below, they all headed down the gentle slope to the lake.

They decided upon their course of action. Not back to the house, but over to the forbidden tower.

They stepped ashore the island. From the very first step, they feared the very soil beneath their feet. They left the boat hidden in bushes to the left of the dock and climbed up a steep hill and emerged below the tower. If someone should happen to come by, they wanted no outwards sign they were on the island.

The island was quiet and there was a silent acknowledgment between the children that they had embarked upon something which could land them in serious trouble with the Countess. Or might, indeed, result in an injury or worse. On the opposite shoreline, it appeared as easy as rowing across the lake and simply going inside the building. Now, as they stood below the folly, they all seemed afflicted in a mysterious way by the Countess' dire warnings. Nothing they could see before them was in itself frightening; rather it was the Countess' words, and the menacing reputation of the building - of how it could be so detrimental to their well-being - which so filled them with unease.

"Here it is then," announced Jack looking up at the illuminated tower, silver in the light of the moon. He banged a clenched fist against the outside wall, paused and announced: "Looks solid enough. Don't look at all like it's going to topple over any time soon."

Maggie stood silently and looked high up to the clear sky above the top of the tower. Crisp moonlight bathed their figures below. They moved out of its light, however, and towards the shadow, where the entrance stood. There a heavy, closed wooden door confronted them. Nervously, they pulled the door ajar and, without uttering a word to each other, stepped inside.

It was only when they were inside, they realised the foolishness of entering the tower in complete darkness. When they spoke, a hollow echo of their words resounded throughout the darkness. "It's far too dark," said Maggie as quietly as she could. "We're bound to suffer an injury to ourselves if we go walking around in this manner."

"Let's try and find the stairs," suggested Jack. "The moon's light should shine in through the windows. It will help us see a bit better."

"We need candles - then we could really explore," said Tom. "If only we had a candle," he moaned.

Maggie suggested they all hold hands and they began to trudge silently through the thick darkness. After a minute or so of slow, careful shuffling, they appeared to have reached the beginning of the stairwell and, tentatively, began to climb the stairs.

As they began to move upwards, they saw a light begin to slink through what they supposed was the first-floor window. It was still hazardous and difficult to see where their feet were landing and they continued with great caution as they moved up the stairs. But as the moonlight's illumination grew stronger, they moved more quickly until they began to walk briskly to the windowless opening on the first floor. From where they stood, they could see back down to the edge of the lake, but the trees protruding along the lakeside prevented them from seeing right across to where the house stood.

"Let's continue upwards," suggested Jack.

With more light came greater confidence and the ability to move more swiftly up the stairs. They reached each of the subsequent floors with even greater ease, until they made it to the tower's top floor and could now see out across the lake and see the lights at the back of the house.

They gasped at the height they had reached and marvelled at the moonlit view of the lake beneath them. The building appeared to be unused, as the Countess had earlier told them. After spending a few minutes at the top of tower, Maggie suggested they begin their descent back down the stairs and leave the building for home. "We don't want to give the Countess any indication we have broken our word. It's late and we should go."

"But the Countess is ill in bed, no one will know if -" Tom began.

"We are leaving this minute, Thomas. Let's go," Maggie said. She thought at that moment she had shown the boys she, too, was as brave as either of them. "Let's go, Jack, and you be careful too."

They marched in single file back down the stairwell, careful with the placement of each foot upon each stone step beneath them. They reached the final stair after a number of minutes of careful and precise walking. Such was the blackness inside the building Jack - who led the way back down the stairs - walked into a closed door. He stepped back and the others came to halt behind him

"Didn't we leave this door open?" he asked.

"Open it!" demanded Maggie. "I don't find this at all amusing." Throughout their time inside the quiet building she tried to disguise the real fear she felt. Now, however, it seemed the panic in her voice betrayed her and gave a signal to the boys of how she had really been feeling all the time she had spent inside the tower.

Jack pulled at the door and it opened with a scratching sound, as if the bottom of the door had swollen. Yet instead of it being an exit into the welcoming evening twilight, Jack was faced with an even thicker blackness. Something had gone wrong.

After a brief pause, Jack spoke, "This can't be right. We must have taken a wrong turn somewhere."

He told the others to stay put behind him and moved with a deliberate slowness. He dangled one foot inside the doorway and brought it down slowly, landing on another step. He dragged himself forward - again slow and deliberate - and reached his foot downward once more.

"There's another staircase below," he whispered back to Maggie and Tom. "This goes way down, I think. Might be a cellar. But it's far too dark to try now. We need to find the door we came in through," he suggested. "This ain't it."

"Hold on to Tom's hand, I'll try and find the exit," said Maggie. She walked forward, cautiously, the noise of her foot scraping, barely leaving the floor beneath her - the other two behind, copying her actions and sliding their feet along the stone surface. The sound of sliding, scraping feet echoed throughout the building and only added to Maggie's apprehension.

Then Maggie saw a change in the light. The door was in front of her and she moved quickly, dragging Tom and Jack by the hand - towards the lesser darkness.

As they stepped from the building and into the moonlight, they were confronted by a strange, piecing sound.

They stopped.

Something was there. It moved. It appeared to be coming from somewhere above them. The children looked towards the trees, then stood rigid, looking at the black shadow coming towards them. They were forced to duck, as a creature flew out of the darkness and across their heads and straight into the building.

"Close the door!" Maggie screamed to Jack

"What was that?" asked Tom.

"Some sort of bird, or maybe an owl," answered Maggie.

Jack closed the door. "I think we should come back over tomorrow, gather together some glimmer and really explore. There was a strange smell coming from down those stairs. We need to take a butchers tomorrow."

They began to walk back to the boat.

"We should leave it well alone," suggested Maggie.

"I'm coming back over with Jack to explore it once again," Tom said. "This building is safe, there is no way it's about to fall to the ground."

"Then why would the Countess lie about it? What has she got to hide?" asked Maggie.

"I don't think she has anything to hide," replied Jack. "But if she has, we'll soon find out tomorrow." He laughed and they climbed back aboard the boat and set their course for home.

***

Metropolitan Police Evidence: The Power Papers - Document 14

Metropolitan Police Wanted Poster.

WANTED FOR MURDER AND MUTILATION!

A WARRANT has been issued for the apprehension and arrest of: THOMAS POWER - Chartist and returnee from a prison colony.

Believed to be abroad in London, any sightings of this dangerous individual must be reported to the Metropolitan Police immediately. Power is a returned convict from Van Diemen's Land and was once a native of Galway City and still later a resident of Liverpool for many years. He was sent to transportation for life after his infamous and seditious speech to overthrow the government and monarch. He made an audacious escape from the prison colony of Port Arthur and committed further crimes, including two of the most barbaric murders that particular island has ever witnessed.

DESCRIPTION OF THOMAS POWER: On his escape from Van Diemen's Land, Power was described as tall and thin. His striking, jet-black hair is matched only by the intensity of the stare from his pale blue eyes. He regularly shaved when imprisoned and had a well-groomed appearance despite his surroundings.

APPROACH WITH THE GREATEST OF CAUTION, FOR THIS MAN HAS MURDER IN HIS HEART AND AN INBORN HATRED OF AUTHORITY.

***