The Mirror Mage

50. Break In!

"But-"

Crack!! The sound of breaking glass from somewhere above their heads, cut Ben off before he could voice a protest.

"What the-?"

"The mirror!"

As one, Ben and Lucian raced for the stairs. The Rider might be prepared to stay here but they had no such desire.

"Someone's in the house!" exclaimed Melissa, her chest heaving. "That didn't happen by itself."

The Rider grabbed one of the kitchen knives while Melissa went for her shotgun, locked in the broom cupboard. She took a couple of deep breaths, resisting the urge to run after Ben and Lucian. Turning to the Rider, she placed a finger on her lips. Then glided soundlessly out of the room, her gun held in both hands.

Once out of the confines of the kitchen, she paused and listened, trying to determine what was happening and where. She could hear footsteps pounding up the stairs to the top floor, making no attempt to be quiet, and guessed that was Ben and Lucian. She looked both ways along the passage but could see nothing out of the ordinary. She made her way cautiously to the staircase leading up to the first floor, the Rider close on her heels.

Lucian called down, relief sounding in his voice. "The mirror is safe. We'll check the other rooms. Perhaps a bird or something broke one of the windows."

Melissa didn't think so. She thought someone was inside the house. A thief. She guessed they had found their way inside when she and Rider were outside in the summer house. How brazen!

Treading softly on the carpeted stairs she climbed to the first floor, prepared to search every room. She was just about to start with the bedrooms when she heard the shouting. She froze. From the slightly muffled effect, she thought the sound came from the other end of the house.

"That's Lucian... I think. Can you understand what he's saying?"

The Rider shook his head. "No, but he sounds angry."

"He does! I can't tell exactly which room they're in, but I'd guess either the Library or the Smoking Room."

"Smoking room?"

"We still call it that, though nobody smokes there anymore. It used to be a sanctuary for the men of the house, back in the last century."

"What's in it now? Anything of value? I wouldn't expect a thief to be after books, would thou? Not here, at any rate, where thou have so many. In Rhillion, now, that would be a different matter!"

"No, you're right. The Smoking Room is far more likely. It's mainly a store room these days, for memorabilia, items that are too valuable for the attic. Lots of paintings, antique china, some furniture...the gun cabinet!"

"Guns? Like that one?" The Rider pointed to the shotgun.

"No, the ones in the case are antiques, guns from previous centuries."

The guns were stored in a locked display case with a glass top. She hadn't looked at the case and its contents for a quite a while, but she knew there were a pair of duelling pistols and a musket from the 18th Century inside, as well as a few firearm related accoutrements.

Melissa was almost certain now that had been the breaking glass she'd heard, but why would anyone want to steal antique weapons? The answer came to her immediately. For the money, of course, some of them would be quite valuable, possibly thousands of pounds.

"Do they still work?"

Melissa was startled. "I don't know. I suppose so, if someone had the right ammunition. But I wouldn't want to try them without a proper examination first. They'd need a good clean, at the least."

Another shout caught their attention again.

"We'd better go and see what's happening." The Rider was primed for action. He grinned fiercely at Melissa. "Seems like our friends need our help."

Crackk!

The deafening sound came from inside the house and Melissa and Rider froze.

"What?"

"Gunshot!"

The two exchanged a shocked look then began to run toward the Smoking Room.