Sabbath's 2 Darlings- The 12: Book Two

36. Vixen in the Rye

The dark tunnels had a slight familiarity to Providence now. She tiptoed behind Mr. Idris as the light from their lantern cast their shadows across the ceiling.

Idris paused at the fork and looked down at the book. "It looks like the tunnels starts somewhere near Mr. Richmond's house," he said. He walked on following the path all the way up to the stairs under the house. He turned in circles shinning the light into all the corners."There is nothing here." He looked up as footsteps sounded above.

"Probably a maid," Providence said.

"I don't think so," Idris whispered back. "They must be right above our heads which means they have to be in the secret bedroom you told me about." There was a creak and then a scuffle as the latch above the steps moved. "Go." Idris pushed Providence back into the tunnel. They ducked around the corner and he turned out the light. Darkness would be the only thing to hide them. "Keep moving," Idris said as a dim light started to glow behind them.

Providence felt her heart racing along with her mind. What if they were caught down here? What would happen to them? Would they ever see the light of day again? She thought her legs would fall off when they reached the steps below the mausoleum. She crawled up them and into the dark tomb.

"Who was that?" she asked out of breath.

"Whoever it was must have taken a different tunnel or they would have caught us." Idris said through breaths. "Come on, we have to go back down, it's the only way out."

"But what if they see us?" Providence asked.

"We won't be able to use the lantern," Idris said. "But they'll have a light so we'll see them before they see us." He went back down the steps then turned and helped Providence. "It sounded like only one person so they can only be in one of the tunnels. We'll have to hurry." He took her by the hand and used the wall to guide them.

Providence prayed hard. There was no use to keep her eyes open anyways. She prayed, surrounded by the sound of her mind's voice and the sound of the rocky earth beneath their feet.

/

Jude stamped the dirt off his feet at doormat then went inside the house where he found Ida in the parlor reading a letter.

"Oh there you are," she said. "We thought you might not ever get back."

"Where's Esau?" Jude said curtly.

"Don't use that tone with me," Ida snapped back. "It took my money to help get those men off your back so the least you could do is speak to the lady of the house with more respect."

"I would if said lady didn't try to steal babies."

"Jude!" Ida spun around in her chair but the younger brother-in-law no longer stood in the doorway.

Jude popped into the kitchen and stole himself some meat before going upstairs to his bedroom where he dug in his closet until he found a bear trap. He started back out again but stopped when he noticed the door to the spare bedroom was open. He stepped inside and found Esau standing at the closet.

"Where have you been all day?"

"Is that any way to great your brother?" Jude said with a smile. "Say, why didn't you tell me you used Ida's money to bail me out?"

"She told you, did she?" Esau said with a laugh. "What did you say to make her angry this time?" He stepped through the closet and down the steps where darkness surrounded him until he lit a candle.