soul on earth or the biggest fool she had ever known.
His further actions did not hint as to which was correct.
He appeared before her, holding a small lantern. “We
must hurry. We have a great distance to travel and we want to be well on our
way before sunrise.”
“Why did you not—” She began then switch questions
in mid-thought. “How—”
“There is no time to explain, we must be off.” He
reached out to aid her deeper into the tunnel that led far below. Eugenia took
hold of his outstretched hand and they began their journey.
They spent hours winding through the man-made,
cavernous tunnels under Taramore. During this escape, Eugenia did not dare
voice fatigue. She would prove tireless for as long as Edmund needed her to
continue.
They traveled through passage after passage of
hewn, cold-chiseled rock, framed with old, decaying wood supports. The dank,
uncirculated air hung stale and heavy to breathe.
Then Eugenia heard the faint sound of water, not
dripping, nor flowing like that of a crisp moving stream. It was the loud roar
and crash of waves breaking against rocks. Up ahead she made out the moorings
of a makeshift dock.
The welcome scent of cool salt air wafting in from
ahead blew against their faces. The ceiling had risen to a grand height,
towering over their heads, opening out to the sea far beyond their sight.
“Let us stop here for a few minutes, shall we?”
Edmund suggested. Whether he wished to further admire the seascape, take pity
upon her, or perhaps take in her precarious condition, she did not know.
“How are you holding up?”
Eugenia could not manage words but nodded and did
her best to smile that her condition was tolerable. She huffed and puffed every
step of the way behind him, and was most grateful for the respite.
Light from the half moon glittered, casting silver peaks off the wave caps just outside the cave,
highlighting the undulating swells rolling toward them.
He found them a place to sit and set the lamp upon
the ground near their feet.
Eugenia stretched her ankles and wiggled her toes
inside shoes that were not meant for travel of this sort. Nor was she, truth be
told.
“What is this place?” She looked around them, still
trying to catch her breath. The lamp illuminated very little. Eugenia could not
see what lay beyond the end of the dock.
“It’s a smuggler’s cave. It hasn’t been used for a
very long time. Unless my brother has recently.” From the darkened look on his
face, he must have thought it not an unreasonable assumption.
A sharp snap pierced the air, followed by the sound
of crunching gravel. Eugenia’s sharp glance met Edmund’s, both uncertain of the
sound’s origin, both afraid of the implication that it meant an uninvited
visitor. Seconds passed, the crunching grew louder.
Eugenia reached out for Edmund’s sleeve and stood
with him as he rose to his feet.
“Well, well, look who’s returned.” Thomas’ voice
echoed lightly in the cavern. “My word, you’re the last person I’d expect to
see.” He leveled his pistol at them, stopping within firing range.
“Don’t you dare hurt Eugenia, Thomas, I’m warning
you.” Edmund made the slightest shift of his body, placing himself in front of
her.
“You’re threatening me? You’re very brave for a man
without a gun. Don’t make any hasty moves, Edmund. I wouldn’t want to shoot
anyone by accident.” He gave wild laugh.
The sound of the ocean came in with the tide,
growing louder as time went on, providing a background for the pointed remarks
the brothers threw at one another. Anger and animosity, hatred and accusations,
remarks that had been suppressed for years. All meaningless words to her but
clearly full of significance to them.
Eugenia glanced back and forth between the two. She
studied how these brothers on the exterior seemed very much alike. Thomas may
have stood a bit taller and Edmund’s jaw might have been a little wider, but
all in all remarkably alike without
His further actions did not hint as to which was correct.
He appeared before her, holding a small lantern. “We
must hurry. We have a great distance to travel and we want to be well on our
way before sunrise.”
“Why did you not—” She began then switch questions
in mid-thought. “How—”
“There is no time to explain, we must be off.” He
reached out to aid her deeper into the tunnel that led far below. Eugenia took
hold of his outstretched hand and they began their journey.
They spent hours winding through the man-made,
cavernous tunnels under Taramore. During this escape, Eugenia did not dare
voice fatigue. She would prove tireless for as long as Edmund needed her to
continue.
They traveled through passage after passage of
hewn, cold-chiseled rock, framed with old, decaying wood supports. The dank,
uncirculated air hung stale and heavy to breathe.
Then Eugenia heard the faint sound of water, not
dripping, nor flowing like that of a crisp moving stream. It was the loud roar
and crash of waves breaking against rocks. Up ahead she made out the moorings
of a makeshift dock.
The welcome scent of cool salt air wafting in from
ahead blew against their faces. The ceiling had risen to a grand height,
towering over their heads, opening out to the sea far beyond their sight.
“Let us stop here for a few minutes, shall we?”
Edmund suggested. Whether he wished to further admire the seascape, take pity
upon her, or perhaps take in her precarious condition, she did not know.
“How are you holding up?”
Eugenia could not manage words but nodded and did
her best to smile that her condition was tolerable. She huffed and puffed every
step of the way behind him, and was most grateful for the respite.
Light from the half moon glittered, casting silver peaks off the wave caps just outside the cave,
highlighting the undulating swells rolling toward them.
He found them a place to sit and set the lamp upon
the ground near their feet.
Eugenia stretched her ankles and wiggled her toes
inside shoes that were not meant for travel of this sort. Nor was she, truth be
told.
“What is this place?” She looked around them, still
trying to catch her breath. The lamp illuminated very little. Eugenia could not
see what lay beyond the end of the dock.
“It’s a smuggler’s cave. It hasn’t been used for a
very long time. Unless my brother has recently.” From the darkened look on his
face, he must have thought it not an unreasonable assumption.
A sharp snap pierced the air, followed by the sound
of crunching gravel. Eugenia’s sharp glance met Edmund’s, both uncertain of the
sound’s origin, both afraid of the implication that it meant an uninvited
visitor. Seconds passed, the crunching grew louder.
Eugenia reached out for Edmund’s sleeve and stood
with him as he rose to his feet.
“Well, well, look who’s returned.” Thomas’ voice
echoed lightly in the cavern. “My word, you’re the last person I’d expect to
see.” He leveled his pistol at them, stopping within firing range.
“Don’t you dare hurt Eugenia, Thomas, I’m warning
you.” Edmund made the slightest shift of his body, placing himself in front of
her.
“You’re threatening me? You’re very brave for a man
without a gun. Don’t make any hasty moves, Edmund. I wouldn’t want to shoot
anyone by accident.” He gave wild laugh.
The sound of the ocean came in with the tide,
growing louder as time went on, providing a background for the pointed remarks
the brothers threw at one another. Anger and animosity, hatred and accusations,
remarks that had been suppressed for years. All meaningless words to her but
clearly full of significance to them.
Eugenia glanced back and forth between the two. She
studied how these brothers on the exterior seemed very much alike. Thomas may
have stood a bit taller and Edmund’s jaw might have been a little wider, but
all in all remarkably alike without
Similar Books
