Her ankle has greatly improved and she has just walked into Deacon House. She sees Tam on his regular morning rounds, “I havnae seen Mr. Will. He must already be oot of the hoose but wee Miss Rebecca is waiting inside.” He zooms past her in his tweed suit and Wellington boots to water the outside plants.
All last week, Melody didn’t have a single chance to explore the indent in the wall, though she did come close a couple of times. With Will gone and Tam busy working outside today, she just might get her opportunity. She just has to find something to keep Rebecca occupied with.
When Melody walks in to the study, Rebecca is already sitting with her classmate, Sarah. “Today, we’re going to have our quiz!”
“Miss, I don’t think Sarah is ready yet.”
“Is that so? Why not?” Melody puts her bag down and turns her attention to Sarah.
Rebecca giggles, then she presents her explanation, “You see, Miss, yesterday we went to get some ice cream with Uncle Max. I sort of… I mean Sarah forgot to study for the quiz and now she’s not ready.”
“Hmmm, we do need to take our quiz today, but it doesn’t have to be right away.” Melody pretends to think, “How can we help Sarah?”
Rebecca copies her teacher with her hand on her chin looking up, “I have an idea Miss!”
“Let’s hear it.”
“Can we review just a little first?” Rebecca sees her teacher considering the idea, “Pleeease? She won’t forget again, I promise.”
“Okay, then we have a deal.” Melody lays her quiz to the side and continues class like she is none the wiser, but Will had already informed her last night. Rebecca celebrates a win, happily kicking her legs as they fly in the air. Her act is over and it’s now time for class.
Melody finally sees her chance to explore during their lunch hour. She will have to be discreet with Tam suspicious of her already.
Sitting at a quartz table with her lesson book and half-drunk glass of water, Melody admires the three round plates on the wall. They are blue earthenware flat plates with gold trimming. The face of the plate opens with blue decorative vine edges outlined in black on a cream background; between the vines are fine, hand-painted brown coils kissing an inner trimming of miniature globe eggplants culminating in a dark blue ring encircling a leafy backdrop which accentuates an ancient sail boat. She is sure the design is a very close, possibly rare replica because these designs were commonly used in 7th century AD art on basins not plates. But what are the plates doing here?
She asks Tam, who is eagerly serving lunch for Rebecca, Melody and himself on three standard, white ceramic plates with gold trims. “Tam, how long have you had those plates?”
“Lovely aren’t they? Not long. Mr. Will asked me tae put them up a couple of months ago. Why do you ask?” Tam inquires.
“I wouldn’t mind getting a set myself. Are they common around here?”
“I cannae say I’ve seen ‘em aroond, but I quite fancy them.” He says, staring longingly at the display of decorative relics.
Melody looks at her watch. “Say, Tam, would you mind looking after Rebecca while I take care of something before our next lesson?”
“Aye, Miss. Come along Miss Rebecca. Let’s take our lunch outside and sit by the fountain.” He takes Rebecca’s plate, decorated with a chicken salad sandwich, potato crisps and an apple. Then he rushes to catch her as she runs out of the kitchen door and around a corner to the back of the house. Tam quips, “This wee bairn will keep me young. She sure can bolt it.”
Melody did not expect to have the whole house to herself, but all the better for her. She pours out her water glass, then takes her lesson book through the corridor and plops them on the bottom stair, then she whizzes past the coat closet, this time staying close to the indent.
The nearer she gets to the indent, the more she sees it. Someone has been here and they have left an opening wide enough to see a dark slit. She burrows her fingers through and slides the wall, keeping her feet steadily apart and maintaining her balance. The wall is surprisingly light. It slides with very little effort.
Once the wall slides out of her way, Melody caresses the wall in search for a light, but she finds none. It is the light reflecting from the hallway that reveals what looks like a corridor, but it’s still too dark to tell. She knows she shouldn’t but she really wants to search inside it. A brush to the side of her slacks reminds her that she can use her phone flashlight.
Like an eager young detective, unable to resist a good mystery, she takes a couple of steps forward, anticipating what’s ahead, while she digs into her pocket for her phone. Suddenly, the floor caves from under her and she is yanked down into the open ground. Melody yells as she falls, but she is the only one in the house. As a frightful memory of the ground almost swallowing her whole in the forest flashes before her mind, the horror of repeating the experience almost engulfs her.
That is when the ground below catches her. The sharp dig to her bottom lets her know she is sitting on something raised, but blunt enough to not pierce through skin. A responsive roll to her side relieves her cheek
