The sister in the dark

Chapter 5

RRose could be alive. That's the first thought that goes into my head when Hirah tells me the truth about my sister. She could be alive. But no matter what state she is in, this still gives me no clues to where she could be now. Hirah must be thinking the same thing, because she says,

"We should search the clearing for clues, there might be something that hints to where she is now."

"Good idea," I agree, "You look at the plinths and I'll search the statues."

So we set to work. I climb up to eye height with the large stone figures and begin to search, like I am a policewoman and the statue was a criminal. Nothing on the one of the founder of the school, or the next one (Some man holding a diploma, probably a scholar). Nor the next one, a little girl clutching the leg of a fat woman. I am beginning to give up hope by the time I reach the 4th one, a man with a missing arm, which after a thorough body search proves fruitless.

It is beginning to get dark by the time Hirah and I reach statue number 5, a life size figure of the first female to graduate from Stowe. Rose's apparent favourite. The base reveals nothing, and at first I thought the statue itself would do too, but buried in a hole in the crook of its arm was a slip of paper.

"Hirah!" I shout excitedly, "I've found something!"

"Yes!" smiles Hirah, "I knew it! What does it say?"

"Um..." I reply, fumbling with the note, "it says... East of the octagonal tower, across the wooded ridge, another clue sits waiting underneath the river bridge."

"Hmm... that must mean the Palladian Bridge, where the body was found. Shall we go there now?"

"Yeah. Before it gets completely dark."

Hirah walks beside me, out of the circle of statues, through the orchard and back down to the stream. But before we can get across, the way is blocked by what looks like a muddy ten year old walking down the path towards us. I recoil in confusion. This is meant to be a posh place. Who gets dirty like that in a private school?

"Milly Driver, gardener's daughter. She was with me when I found the body..." Hirah whispers to me.

"I still don't trust her," I murmur back, "Rose told me to trust no one..."

I follow Hirah across the stream, past Milly, who hasn't noticed us, and down the path along the side of the front lawn until we reach the Palladian Bridge. It is much bigger than I expected, a lot bigger actually. How are we going to search it before sunset? How?

"You know," says Hirah, "It was useful of Rose to tell us that the next clue was under the bridge, wasn't it?"

I had forgotten about that. In my hesitation, I miss the grubby girl jumping down from the top of the bridge and landing in front of me.

"Come on!" Milly urges, "Its easy to climb under the bridge. There are wooden beams for support, but they work well as monkey bars too!"

I look over at Hirah, who nods briefly, and slide myself across the mud. I swing across the bottom of the bridge into the gap above the river and below the wooden beams. Not much space down here. Not much space at all.

The shine of silver catches my eye. My sister's aquamarine necklace is dangling about a foot away, hanging from a rusty nail embedded in the unstable planks across the bottom of the Palladian Bridge. I reach out, grab it and pull myself up to the ground.

"Why, Miss Hyde, are you crawling underneath the Palladian Bridge?" I start, looking over from where the voice came from. It is Eliza Bond, the head girl. "In case you didn't know, we do not allow this kind of behaviour here at Stowe. I am going to take you to see the headmaster."

You're in trouble, mouthes Hirah

Miserably I accept my fate.

I hope the headmaster will welcome me...