The Missing Painting

CHAPTER I PART I

The sun was sinking as she crossed the bridge. She walked suddenly to the end of the field and into the forest when suddenly it started to rain. The girl ran to look for some shelter. After running for some time, she came across a cave so she rushed in, picking any branches she could on her way inside. Now it was raining heavily. She had no choice but to spend the night in that cave. She started a fire, changed into another pair of clothes and dried the soaked pair over the fire. She then took out a sheet from her bag and wrapped herself in it, then lay near the fire waiting for the rain to stop so she could return to her mansion.

She woke up as the sun rose and shone brightly on her face. It had stopped raining. As she got up, she heard birds singing from the other side of the cave, so she walked further until she could hear the birds more clearly. It was a very beautiful melody, so she walked even further, and suddenly – she fell from quite a height. A lake, pretty flowers and beautiful pebbles, birds – in trees, ever so high too. It was the most prettiest moor she had ever seen. She had been living in that mansion for three and a half years. She was not keen on staying any longer. But this! It was far beyond even the wildest of her dreams. "I absolutely must bring brother here." She thought as she got up from the ground and dusted off the dirt from her clothes. All she had to do now, was find a way back home so she could inform the maids and plan an easier route so she could bring her brother.

As she started looking around, she saw something green, hidden and covered in greasy mud and some leaves. "Ah! Vines!" She exclaimed but they didn't seem so strong enough for her to pull on. Oh, they were strong alright but the problem here was that she had no experience in climbing, you see. None at all. Despite that, given the situation, she had no choice but to do it – and so she did! She gave it a few tries but fell over and over again, at first. She then mustered all of her remaining energy "One last time!" she told herself. Her brother was to come today. "He'll be here – he must be on his way." She thought and hurried. She pulled with all her might, her hands gripped firmly each time she stepped higher. "Just a little more." Finally! She had managed to lift herself out of there and back into the cave. "I did it! I actually did it!" she yelled quite flusterdly. "I must hurry now." She thought to herself and ran as fast as she could. Though she had not once been in this forest, because of her harp sense of direction, she managed to navigate back to the mansion.

She opened the doors and called out the name of one of the maids. "Prepare a nice bath and my clothes for me. Brother must be on his way. He shall probably be here soon, so do hurry!" She demanded in a breathless voice and ran upstairs, leaving no time for the maid to question why she was in such a state.

Later, once the girl had come out of the bath, she came down the stairs elegantly, in one of her favourite dresses she had received from her mother.

"Young Miss, your lunch is ready." Said one of the maids to the girl. "Thank you! You may leave now." She replied as she smiled and turned in the direction of the Dining Hall, when suddenly – another maid came running – "Young Miss!" she yelled on the way to the girl. "What's wrong Lucy?" she asked the maid, surprised. "Are you alright? I saw you earlier – you were a mess, which is extremely rare. You were to go to your friend's house last night and return early in the morning if I remember!" Exclaimed the maid. "Yes, that's right but I had some trouble." Replied the young the miss. "Trouble? What kind of trouble?" Lucy asked. So, the girl explained everything in detail, what had happened – that even though it was troublesome and tiring, it was indeed a fun experience.

"Fun?" Lucy asked surprised. "My, I wonder what Madame would say if she were here. You would be grounded for sure, and us? Well! We would probably, no! DEFINITELY lose our jobs." Lucy said anxiously. "I'm sorry. I'll be more careful next time." was the girl's response. "Next time?" Lucy asked, throwing her hand in the air and an expression with nothing showing but worry. "Yes, I told you, didn't I? I shall go to that moor almost everyday and shall take brother on the days he'll be well too. She replied. "I understand." Lucy said after a sigh. "But! Please, do not be so reckless again and do take someone with you, be it anyone really, should you want to go. Don't go off wandering on your own." Lucy said in her usual soft voice. "I won't." The girl replied. "You won't?" asked the maid quite troubled by this response. "Ah – I meant, I won't be reckless and go anywhere like that again." She quickly responded to clear up the misunderstanding. "Oh, I see." Replied Lucy relieved. "Thank you for worrying Lucy. I'll be going to the garden now." Said the girl then walked out. She sat on a bench in a gazebo surrounded by white roses and began reading a book whilst waiting for her brother to arrive.

Meanwhile, her brother had suffered from another seizure on the way and so, was hurried to a hospital in the area. "Young Miss?" called out one of the maids as she ran outside whilst lifting her dress slightly with both hands, in order to avoid tripping as she made her way to the gazebo. "Oh dear." Mumbled the maid. The Miss was fast asleep. "Miss? Please wake up." Said the woman, as she walked up the stairs of the gazebo, walked towards her, and called out to her once again softly while nudging the Miss gently. "Mmm." Mumbled the girl as she opened her eyes whilst turning towards the maid. "Oh! Lizzie?" She asked as she got up and sat straight. "How long have you been standing here?" she asked then yawned whilst rubbing her eye. "Not long Miss. Never mind that! The phone!" exclaimed Lizzie. "Who is it?" "It's Madame." "Mother?" asked the girl while she joined both brows together in confusion. "Let's go inside Lizzie." She said as she picked up her book.

"Hello mother." She said in a cheery voice. "Yes. I'm well, thank you – and how is everyone there? She asked. "I see." She said in a dull voice with a troubled face. "Thank you for letting me know mother. Yes, take care. Bye – bye." She sighed as she put the phone down. "Lizzie, it's terrible! Brother had a seizure again."