Chapter 19

She watched him descend the huge staircase, then reach the first landing in the big hall. Then she saw him open the door to the cellar. She quietly, swiftly moved down, following him. 'Maybe he's just getting a bottle of wine?' she thought, 'This is silly of me to be spying on him like this!' Her heart was beating so fast in her chest.

She waited till he went down the second narrower set of steps into the dusty old basement. She waited at the top with the door cracked open a little, 'if he was getting a bottle, he'd be back up soon, ' so she wanted to play it safe.

He was down there for some time, she could hear him, but could not see. She had to go now! She opened the door and walked down a few steps, then stopped and crouched behind the railing. she could see him good now. 'What was he doing?' Her heart was pounding so loud, she thought for sure he would hear it!

He grabbed a bottle of wine and reached his hand in the back and undid the latch. The secret door opened. She could hardly believe her eyes! Then he disappeared from sight!

She composed herself now and regained her courage and quietly walked down. It was very dark and she could barely see two steps in front of her. She made it to the bottom. 'Now what to do?' she thought. She decided to wait it out a bit. 'If he did come out, she could easily hide in the darkness. She found an old trunk to sit on. It smelled all dusty and dank down there and her feet were cold from the hard floor.

A mouse scurried out and ran over her foot. 'Oh my God!' she thought and almost fainted. 'Only a little mouse.'

She waited it out for about half an hour then decided to see what was going on. She listened for awhile close to the door behind the racks of wine. It was very still and quiet behind the door. 'Well, it's now or never!' she thought and undid the latch. The door swung open!

She expected to see him somewhere in the room, doing what, she did not know! But when she entered it was very dark and quiet, save for one candle burning down on a small table next to a big chair. She walked up to it and carried it to look around. The room wasn't overly big. She wondered where he could be. "Eric?" she softly called out, the words getting stuck in her throat. She turned around and couldn't believe what she saw!

There in the middle of the room on a raised platform was a jet black coffin! All shiny and lacquered with brass handles on it's sides. 'What on earth?' she thought to herself and crept closer to have a better look. Her heart beating so fast.

The candle was dripping down onto the red oriental carpet and burning quite low. She took a deep breath and decided to open the lid.

Quietly, steadily she lifted it's heavy cover, still managing to hold onto the candlestick. It creaked open and she peered down and saw Eric lying in it, ashen white, peacefully sleeping with his arms crossed in front of him!