Starting down the staircase, she was careful to step so that as much of her foot was on the outside of the stair and step down carefully. It was cold and dank up here, and she suddenly wanted to be on solid ground. Just as she reached for something to steady herself she slipped and nearly tumbled head first down the rounded staircase. She caught herself just in time, but her heart was pounding with fear when she began to recognize how stupid it was to be exploring alone. If she had fallen, she could have killed herself or lain there helpless and injured. There was no chance anyone was going to come by, and no one knew where she was. As all this came to her she had a vague feeling of some force pushing against her back. She turned to look back up the stairs. Of course there was nothing there, and she was just being crazy. Still, she was now truly freaked out and carefully got herself down the stairs as quickly as she could, grasping holes in the stone wall to steady her.
|
The windows at the back were not open, and the shutters had not been disturbed. The fireplace looked untouched. He could not imagine where she was or any way she could have gotten out. She was probably hiding, but he couldn’t find where. He went through most of the house continuing to call her but got no answer. Thinking she might have gone back to the car, he finally went back, but she was not there. He really didn’t know what to do now, as he had a rising feeling of panic. She obviously didn’t want to go back with him. She could take the path back to the village and get there in about twenty minutes, if she chose to. Okay, if that was the way she wanted it, he would leave her to her own devices. He started his car, heading home, a bit bewildered, angry and also hurt. That was the last he ever saw of Meghan. In fact, it was the last anyone ever saw of her.
|
As she worked her way to the other side of the fireplace something clicked under her hand, and with a creaking sound, a panel opened inward. As Megan was pushing against it at the time, she fell forward against the inside wall and onto a small landing. . . . . When she had descended about twenty stairs, she could see something below her. Something was most definitely there but her light was not strong enough to discern any details. Continuing down slowly, she saw what appeared to be an old leather shoe. Following the light up from the shoe, she could see it attached to something, and her heart began to pound.
|
