Private Universe

Beginning of an End

After the self-defense class that morning, Jack went to his room, thinking to wash and change. As he got to the door, he realized that Hilary was just behind him.

‘Hello.’

‘This castle has a secret passage, did you know?’

‘Umm, no I didn’t.’

‘Do you want to see it?’

‘Umm, well…’

‘Come on.’ She grabbed his hand and towed him along after her.

Oh, God no, there aren’t any more days in the week. I can’t do this.

Hilary pulled him into the library and on towards the shelves.

‘Dee showed me this last year. Her father showed her once and I think it’s a secret from everyone else.’

She stopped at the inside end of the shelves and looked at the books carefully.

‘Here. Can you see this one looks off?’

She reached forward, took hold of the top of the book – Jack could see that it was wood, painted to look like paper – and pulled. There was a click and a panel beside the shelf popped open a crack.

Hilary pulled at the crack with her fingernails and got the door open. It was narrow, with a handle on the other side.

‘I’ll show you where it comes out,’ she said, pulling a candle and a box of matches from the band of her skirt. She lit the candle and squeezed through the gap. Got to do it, thought Jack and his voice at the same time and followed her.

‘Oh, pull the door closed behind you, would you?’

The other side had a narrow crack of a passageway which turned right towards the wall and then became a steep set of stone stairs going down to what Jack guessed was below ground level while turning even more.

‘Are we going towards the river here?’

“Um hmm. I think this was a way of getting priests into the house secretly ages ago.’

They reached the bottom of the stairs and the passageway widened while kinking further round. The walls of the passage seemed to be mostly a natural crack in the rock, with sections that had been widened by chiseling. It continued for about fifty yards and then kinked again sharply round. Jack followed Hilary out and found himself beside the river. He took a few steps away from the tunnel and looked back.

‘Amazing, isn’t it? Even when you know where it is, it’s difficult to see the way in.’

‘Yes,’ said Jack, ‘That’s quite something.’

‘Oh, don’t look like that, Jack. I did want to get you on your own to talk to, but I’m not after a snog or anything. You’re nice and all, but a bit serious for me, and besides, I know you’re having it off with Eleonora.’

Jack looked at her.

‘I heard you two at it last night. I can’t stand using the bloody chamber pot, so I was going down the hall to use the loo when I passed your room. I could hear you and her talking and, er. Well. You know.’

Jack paused for a moment, but couldn’t think of anything to say about that.

‘It’s alright. I do think she’s a bit old for you, but Dee says everyone has a horrible time of it with her Uncle Quentin. I’ve met him and I think he’s a pig, so I think he’s got it coming to him.’

‘So why are you telling me?’

She shrugged. ‘You treat me like a pal some of the time and like a little girl the rest. I like the pal part, but I’d like it if you gave the little girl part a rest, so…’