The Secret of Moonacre - SECRECY

Chapter 42

"And I warned you" the voice echoed, coming from the side door of the church.

My eyes snapped to the figure and there was John, shakily holding a pistol in his hands. His eyes met mine and he pointed the gun at me.

"Whoa, let's take it easy now" Robin said, running up from behind me. He slowly approached John and lowered the pistol in his hands, whilst I ran to Uncle who was in a heap on the stone floor.

I turned his head face upwards and put my ear to his nose to listen for breathing. I sighed in relief as his breath tickled my ear. "Uncle? Uncle are you well? Talk to me Uncle, please" I lightly tapped his cheek and his eyes slowly opened.

"What is all this fuss about?" He croaked.

"I think you've fallen and hit your head slightly" I told him.

Robin was towering over us and kicked Duncan's limp body. "He's a gonner" he smirked.

"Come on Uncle, we need to get you out of here" I took his hand and he sat up, looking completely dazed.

There was a knocking at the door and I was surprised to see Digweed stood with his old hat in his hand. "I've brought the carriage, miss" he announced.

I looked to Robin and he shrugged his shoulders, then helped Uncle to his feet. We carried him down the aisle and Digweed held the coach door open for us as we piled in.

The coach lurched forward and Robin and I were thrown against the back.

"Ow" Robin groaned as he held his hat on his head.

Uncle was sat opposite us, staring blankly ahead.

"Uncle, are you alright?" I asked worryingly.

"Quite alright, thank you Maria" he replied, only moving his eyes to me.

I knew better than that, but I didn't pry.

We sat in silence for a moment until Robin called my name from staring out the window. "Maria..."

I scrambled to the door and peered out. Everything was being turned to ashes. Only a few buildings were still stood but everything else was slowly being burnt down.

"Uncle, what are we going to do?" I panicked.

"There's nothing to be done now" he bluntly replied.

How could he say that? "We need to help those people, Uncle. Offer them our hospitality, our warmth, our home. We can't let them suffer. They've lost everything they ever had"

"Do what you wish, child" Uncle said.

"Digweed!" I called. The coach pulled to a stop and I jumped out. "I'm not a child anymore, Uncle" Robin stood behind me and I slammed the door shut as they pulled away.

"What exactly do you want to do?" Robin asked me.

"Help" I replied, skipping forward. I could already feel the heat from the fires on my face.

It was about to become a little wet about the place. I looked up to the sky and raised my arm. Grey clouds rolled in and the sky became dark. A smirk grew across Robin's face and he shrugged his jacket over his head as the first droplets of rain started to fall.

The heavens then opened and terential rain fell from the sky. The ground quickly started to turn to mud and the temperature dropped.

I found anybody I could and told them to follow me. Robin didn't mind me using the castle as a make shift home for the desperate people. Uncle on the other hand, would just have to stuff it.

After discovering everybody I could, we set off to the castle. I had more than one hundred women, children and men following me and Robin at the front of the crowd; some injured, some heartbroken and some in need.

The rain kept falling and everyone was drenched from head to toe. We led up the great hill to the castle, where the gates were fully open and torches dimming in the rain. I heard sighs of relief behind me as everyone filed into the warm dining hall.

Loveday and the maids were kindly handing out blankets and warm drinks from Marmaduke's kindness as the people entered. It all seemed so familiar, the days from the battles not so long ago, with injured men and a desperation to help and save everyone. It seemed like an endless cycle.

I brushed through the families to Loveday and picked up another pile of blankets to hand out. "How many injured people are there?" I asked her.

"Not as many as I had expected. But enough. I'd say around twenty to thirty people at most" she explained.

"That's still a lot" I sighed. "I shall help as much as I can Loveday, I promise"

"Thank you dear Maria" she lightly kissed the top of my head and turned back to her work.

I eventually ran out of blankets as everyone was kitted out. Food was being served but I knew for sure we couldn't live for long like this. Uncle and the Couer De Noir were busy deciphering what exactly the next plan was in the study whilst Loveday and I were taking care of the wounded in the spare room. There were a lot, luckily all I had to do was offer them water and check for any bleeding.

By the end of the night I was exhausted and collapsed onto the huge bed at the top of the castle. As I sighed, I felt a prodding lump in my back and jumped up off the bed. That curly brown hair poked up from under the covers and I panicked.

"It's all right Maria. I'll sleep on the floor" he croaked.

"No no, I'll sleep on the floor, it's your home" I protested.

"Do you have anything to sleep in?" he asked.

I glided to the drawers and opened the night clothes drawer. I shook my head and sighed. I heard a few shuffles and a black shirt flew on to my shoulder.

"You can sleep in that" Robin said.

"Thank you" I slipped into the bathroom and changed into his shirt which hung halfway down my thighs. I kept my under garments on but the shirt helped me feel more comfortable.

I walked back out after sorting my hair and took the pillows off the bed and settled them on the floor. I nestled down without a blanket as they had all been taken and a shiver ran up my spine. The weather was turning cold out which didn't help sleeping on a wooden floor. My teeth started to chatter slightly and I pulled the shirt more tightly over my body. I had settled until the cold became almost unbearable and I felt arms lift me up and pull me on to the bed. I was pulled into Robins warm chest and his arms wrapped around me keeping me snug.

"I love you Maria" Robin murmured.

I only smiled and buried my head into the sheets and pillows.