beneath our feet, but the walls were lined with stone. It was damper here as well, and smelled sharply of mold, lichen, and moist earth.
“It’s along this tunnel and in the hallowed chambers ahead that our castle’s most amiable ghost resides—Friar Thatch,” the Lord of Misrule prattled on over his shoulder. “He was once a canon at Kirkbryde Abbey. One who supposedly met a rather ignoble end by falling out of the bell tower after imbibing too much ale. You’d think he might be cross to be consigned to the catacombs for all eternity, but he’s a jolly fellow. Performs his own bit akin to Hamlet’s poor Yorick.” He pivoted to walk backward, calling out to his brother at the end of our tiny procession. “Perhaps you should take care, my Fool, lest he mistake you for his decayed former companion.”
I didn’t see Lord Henry’s response, but from Lord Edward’s sudden bark of laughter, I gathered it was a rather crude gesture.
“Now, now, Fool. Don’t shock the ladies.”
However, it was not his brother who needed to take care at that moment, but Lord Edward himself.
“Look out!” Gage cried, just as the back of Lord Edward’s heel connected with a stone.
He stumbled, but contrived to remain upright with the help of the wall.
“Are you injured?” I gasped, hastening forward to help him.
“No, no,” he assured me. “Just my pride.”
We turned to glance at the offending piece of rubble that had tripped him, only to discover it hadn’t been a stone at all. A lucky thing, for had it been, he likely would have broken his ankle. Rather, the offending item was a gentleman’s leather boot—a Wellington by all appearances, and one of recent origin.
Gage bent down to retrieve it, giving it a precursory examination before handing it to Lord Edward.
His brow furrowed and I could tell he was puzzled, and perhaps even a little troubled by the boot being found down here of all places, but he did not comment upon it, except to make a quip. “It looks like our friar has developed a fondness for modern apparel. And who can blame him?” He tucked the boot under his arm and led on, facing resolutely forward this time with the lantern lifted before him.
Gage’s gaze met mine, and I could read in his eyes that he had observed something, though now was not the time and place to discuss it. I considered whether it could have been the boot or something about Lord Edward’s demeanor. Either way, it had worked a sobering effect on my husband. His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me more securely to his side as we followed Lord Edward.
The deeper we walked, the more unnerving our surroundings became. I kept glancing upward at the shadowy dirt ceiling, wondering how sturdy this tunnel truly was. What if it caved in around us or on top of us? What if we were trapped?
The disturbing thought made my heart beat faster, and I had to consciously order myself to take slow, deep breaths, lest I become frantic. I’d never imagined myself to be claustrophobic, but then I’d never been in a dank, dark tunnel, far from any means of escape. Cocooned between the light cast by Lord Edward’s lantern in front of us, and that of his brother’s lantern behind us, it seemed like nothing beyond them existed.
The slight strain in my legs told me the tunnel had begun a gradual slope upward, and soon we passed a series of recessed shelves built into the stone. These were largely empty, but I knew that wouldn’t be the case the further we ventured into the crypt. Not that the sight of old bones would normally disturb me. I’d seen much worse on my late husband’s dissecting table. But coupled with my anxiety from being in such a tight, enclosed space, they weren’t exactly reassuring.
The tunnel opened into a small chamber, its walls slanted to form a small hexagon with two entrances—one led back the way we came, while the other presumably progressed further into the catacombs and out into abbey ruins. It was in this chamber that Lord Edward turned with a theatrical flourish, waiting as we all gathered together to hear the tale he would weave for Friar Thatch. As Lord Henry brought up the rear, carrying the second lantern, the space was illuminated with more light than our eyes had grown accustomed to. I blinked, turning my head to the side to gaze into the shadowy recesses