Cook and her cohorts,” said Ponty, and was rewarded by almost hysterical laughter from Bennet.
It was unfortunate that Bennet, using a headache as an excuse, left the servants’ hall early and crept upstairs to the attics. She missed the stealthy arrival of a determined group of villagers led by Donner. They had learned from the fiasco of the night before, and instead of storming the Manor with shouts and flaring torches, they came quietly to the kitchen door and asked in a seemly fashion for an audience with Mr. Ponty. That worthy, anxious to reestablish ascendancy over Cook, was more willing than he might normally have been to listen to their strange tale.
Unaware of this, Bennet was in Lord John’s playroom helping Kathryn to don the orange satin gown. “It’s as well you are leaving tonight,” she admitted. “The gardener’s youngest helper saw you at the window this afternoon and thought you were a ghost. It’s put all the servants into an uproar.”
Kathryn began to explain and apologize, but Bennet brushed that aside. “It is rather fortunate than the reverse,” she decided. “Now not a blessed one of them will venture to put his nose outside a bedroom door till it’s daylight.” She stood back to check Kathryn’s appearance. “Perfect! We can go down soon. They’ll all be hurrying off to bed, none of them anxious to be the last one left in the dark.”
She stood by the round table, looking at Kathryn. She had never been close to Lady Nadine, scarcely even spoken to her. But she had glimpsed her from a distance, and it seemed to Bennet that the beautiful face, now white and tired, was more exquisite than it had ever been. Something about the eyes, Bennet thought. A shadow of pain bravely accepted, a flash of good humor, a softness of compassion, made the beautiful green eyes tender, and disciplined the whole face into lovely maturity.
“Oh, Master John,” thought Bennet, “why aren’t you here to see what your lady has become?” Even in the garish gown, Kathryn-Nadine was a triumphantly beautiful woman.
Kathryn smiled encouragingly at her. “Well, Bennet? Shall we try a little white magic?”
Bennet shuddered involuntarily. God forgive me, she prayed, I’m still hoping it won’t work! And yet she knew that the alternatives: confinement in Bedlam or in the ruined Irish castle—were worse. Sighing, she took up the lamp and led the way down the stairs to the Great Hall.
When they reached the floor above the Great Hall, they became aware of a murmur of voices. They drew back, alarmed, and Bennet blew out her lamp.
Lights flared up in the Hall. Led by Ponty, what seemed like the whole staff of servants came into sight. Nearly every one carried a candle or a lamp. A footman went quickly from one wall sconce to the next, and in a few seconds the Great Hall was aglare with light. The portrait she had come deviously to confront blazed in the harsh light, a focus of color dominating the Hall. It was so close she could read the arrogance on that beautiful face—yet it was separated from her by her enemies. For, as she hid in the shadows, Kathryn perceived with a shock of fear that Donner and Adrian Bart were standing beside Ponty.
The butler began to direct his staff and the villagers.
“Four of you men will stay here in case the witch should try to escape through the front door. Stop Mrs. Bennet if you see her. Place her under restraint if necessary; it is for her own good. The rest of you will accompany me and Donner, as we go from room to room, searching for the Lady Nadine.”
“What if she flies out a window?” called a man’s voice, obviously more than half serious. Ponty ignored the question.
“The gardeners and grooms are posted outside, all around the house. There’s four men in the kitchen. If the lady is in this house, she will not escape us.”
“She’s here!” Donner’s nostrils flared with a fine dramatic flourish. “I can sense the taint of witchcraft! Can ye not smell the brimstone?”
There were cries and groans from the women servants.
Hidden in the shadows above them, Kathryn listened incredulously. This was a witch-hunt! Did Donner mean to have her killed? And how had Donner found her so quickly?
At this moment, startling both the hunters and the hunted into shocked immobility, there sounded the heavy booming of the iron knocker on the panel of the great oaken door. The butler, conditioned