Lie by Moonlight Read Free

“You will recall that we took great care in the placement of the devices so that the stables would not be immediately affected.”
    â€œThe die has been cast,” Hannah declared. “We are in the hands of fate.”
    When she was not obsessed with a seemingly endless list of anxieties, Hannah showed a remarkable gift for drama. She was the youngest of the group, having turned fifteen quite recently, but she often surprised Concordia with her intuitive ability to slip into a role or mimic a person’s mannerisms.
    â€œNo, we are not in the hands of fate,” Concordia said briskly. She looked back over her shoulder. “Do not forget that we have a plan. The only thing that is necessary is to stick to it, and that is precisely what we are going to do.”
    Theodora, Edwina, Hannah and Phoebe took visible strength from her show of confidence. She had been drilling the importance of The Plan into them for days. It was their talisman in this hour of crisis, just as she had intended. She had learned long ago that as long as one had a plan, one could keep going against great obstacles.
    â€œYes, Miss Glade.” Hannah appeared decidedly more optimistic. Her expressive dark eyes were still very wide but her voice had steadied. “We have all studied The Plan.”
    â€œRest assured, it will work.” She reached the bottom of the stairwell and turned to face them once more. “Step One has already been accomplished successfully. We are now ready for Step Two. I will open the door and make certain that the way is clear. Does everyone remember what to do next?”
    â€œWe will proceed together to the stables, keeping to the shadows of the old storage sheds along the south wall,” Phoebe recited dutifully.
    The others nodded in agreement. The hoods of their cloaks were thrown back, revealing the heart-wrenching mix of anxiety and determination in their solemn young faces.
    â€œDoes everyone have her bundle?” Concordia asked.
    â€œYes, Miss Glade,” Phoebe said. She clutched her small canvas bag in both hands. It bulged suspiciously in one or two odd places, betraying the scientific instruments stuffed inside.
    The apparatus had been part of the collection of books and supplies that Concordia had brought with her to the castle last month.
    Earlier that afternoon she had tried one last time to impress upon each girl that only absolute necessities should be packed for this venture. But she was well aware that when one was dealing with young persons, notions of what constituted a necessity varied widely.
    Hannah Radburn’s sack appeared heavier than it should have. Concordia suspected that she had disobeyed instructions and packed one of her precious novels inside.
    Theodora’s bag was bloated with some of the art supplies she had been told to leave behind.
    Edwina’s bundle was stuffed with one of the fashionable new gowns that had arrived from London earlier that week.
    It was the gift of the expensive dresses that had alerted Concordia to the fact that the situation had become critical.
    â€œRemember,” she said gently, “if anything goes wrong, I will give the emergency signal. If that occurs, you must all promise me that you will drop your sacks and run as fast as you can to the stables. Is that quite clear?”
    All four immediately tightened their grips protectively around the canvas bundles.
    There was a dutiful chorus of “Yes, Miss Glade” but Concordia got a sinking feeling. If disaster befell them, it was going to be difficult to persuade the girls to abandon their possessions. When one was alone in the world, there was a tendency to cling very tightly to whatever had personal meaning.
    She could hardly fault her students. She had certainly not set an exemplary example of emergency packing. She would confront the devil himself before she dropped her own canvas sack. It contained a mourning locket with a photograph of her dead parents