Read Online Green Darkness by Anya Seton - Free Book Online Page B

those of the guide, Lily and Sue who were examining the window in the solar through which ladies of bygone times might discreetly watch male revelry in the Great Hall below.
    “And now,” said the guide, “we go through towards the priest’s room and the Tudor chapel. That chapel is a gem. It was built in fifteen-twenty-one during the reign of Henry the Eighth; it contains priceless linenfold paneling, a painted barrel roof and part one 1968 some fine stained glass . . .” Her voice died away as the party moved on.
    Celia emerged from the corner. “They are gone,” she murmured.
    She walked slowly through the solar and an anteroom, while Akananda followed. She was now totally unaware of him, and talked to herself as she entered a dark passage. “Where is the door? He would not have locked it against me. Might he be at the altar? Yet not at this hour, so late at night. Though he
does
pray overmuch.”
    She entered a small cubicle which contained a fireplace and led into the chapel. “Stephen . . .” she whispered urgently. “’Tis unkind to hide.” Suddenly she raised her head and looked up at a dark beam on the ceiling. “What’s that . . .” she whispered. “Black, hanging there . . . what’s that?”
    Akananda stood rooted. Sunlight filtered through the bare empty cubicle from the chapel windows.
    Celia moved a step nearer the fireplace. She raised her arms high, her hands fumbled over something in the air. She fell to her knees and, as she did so, gave a scream so piercing, so eerie that it shrilled through the peaceful manor rooms like an air-raid siren.
    The guide came running back, with Lily and Sue. They stood for an appalled moment staring at Celia who was crumpled on the floor, with Akananda bending over her, his hand on her wrist.
    “Dear Lord, what happened?” cried Lily, kissing her daughter and distractedly smoothing the brown curls.
    “She has fainted,” said the Hindu, “but she’ll be all right. Perhaps we can carry her to a bed.”
    “What was that terrible noise?” cried Lily. “Surely, not
Celia!
”
    Akananda did not hesitate. There would certainly now be no escape from suffering, but he would spare the poor mother what he could. “Was there some special noise?” he asked. “I was preoccupied with Lady Marsdon.”
    The guide at once showed exasperated relief. “You can depend on it, ’twas the plumbing. You’d be surprised at the whistles and bangs we get from the plumbing. These old places were never built for bathrooms.”
    She went to help Akananda and the others lift Celia. “Nearest bed’ll be in the owner’s private wing,” she said. She stared at Celia. “Poor thing, does she get these spells often? I had a cousin used to have fits.”
    Lily, though much alarmed, was able to say indignantly, “Celia doesn’t have
fits.
I never knew her to faint before. But, of course, you know young wives . . . one might expect . . .” She smiled faintly and shrugged.
    The guide accepted this, as did Sue, who instantly reviewed all the things she had heard about pregnancy, and examined the unconscious Celia with awed interest.
    Within twenty minutes Celia had completely recovered, and felt almost normal. She concealed from everyone that she had no idea of anything that had happened since getting out of the car at the moat bridge.
    The guide showed the party out through the tower entrance, accepted the fees and her tip, then vanished.
    They found Igor still snapping pictures; Myra and Harry flirting on a bench near the ornamental pool.
    As the party gathered by the bridge Myra greeted them amiably. “Well, was the tour interesting? You’ve been gone scarcely an hour.”
    Sue began, “Oh, it was fascinatin’ but I don’t think we saw everything because Cousin Celia—” She broke off, gaping at the lawn beyond the moat. “What’s
that?
It’s fabulous!”
    They all gazed where Sue’s finger pointed.
    Myra laughed. “That, my sweet, is a peacock, and