Read Online Murder in the Monastery (Libby Sarjeant Murder Mystery series) by Lesley Cookman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lesley Cookman
Ads: Link
Abbey. But the land is still ours. It’s a very complicated situation.’ Martha opened the glass doors of the atrium. ‘We’ll keep these locked while the public are here, but the reliquary will be spotlit so they’ll be able to come and look at it. It’s quite a centre piece, isn’t it?’
‘It certainly is.’ Libby went out through the doors and turned back. ‘Thank you so much, Martha. Will you be around if we need to ask anything?’
‘Yes, of course. We’ve put our public toilets at your disposal, which are also used by visitors to the monastery, and they’re over there.’ She pointed.
‘She’s nice,’ said Libby to Peter as they strolled slowly towards the monastery ruins and their performance area. ‘What did you mean when you said you hoped they don’t regret it?’
Peter stopped and stared up at the grey stone arches.
‘I just hope nothing goes wrong. I’ve got a rather nasty feeling that something might.’
Chapter Nine
T he other actors, including Fran, began to arrive. They all drifted over to look at the reliquary, exclaiming or shuddering, according to temperament. When they had all assembled, Peter called them to order and showed them the layout of the performance area.
‘The only place you will be able to go to when off-stage is behind the Abbey building over there.’ He pointed beyond the atrium. ‘The gardener’s shed has been cleared for our use, but there isn’t much in there except a couple of benches. That’s where we’ll have to change, so don’t bring masses of belongings and make up – there just isn’t room. Right, now, everybody ready?’
‘It’s going quite well, isn’t it?’
Dominic’s voice in her ear made Libby turn sharply.
‘Yes. Although we’ll have to stop soon because the light’s going.’ Libby peered through the grey ruins to where Peter stood on the far side. ‘I hope he’s organised the floodlights.’
Dominic turned towards the atrium. ‘Makes the thing stand out though, doesn’t it? The dusk.’
Libby looked across. The reliquary in its glass case glowed under the spotlight. ‘Certainly does.’
‘Doesn’t look very safe there, though.’
‘Oh, it’s very well guarded,’ said Libby. ‘Lasers and all sorts. And a security patrol.’
‘Just as well,’ said Dominic. ‘It looks valuable. Oh, hey, that’s me. I’m on.’
Libby watched him stride on to the “stage” and declaim his lines. He was a pest in a lot of ways, but she supposed his heart was in the right place.
Peter called a halt ten minutes later.
‘No use rehearsing in the dark,’ he said. ‘Luckily, the ruins have floodlighting, which we may have permission to turn on early, and we’ve also got more lights being loaned to us by the theatre’s lighting people. We won’t have those until the week of the performance, though, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the early floodlighting. Off you go.’
‘I’ll go and find Martha and tell her to lock up the reliquary,’ said Libby. ‘And someone’s got to lock the gates to the grounds.’
She went into the atrium and called. Martha appeared immediately from a door to the left.
‘I’ve been watching out of the window,’ she said ‘It’s fascinating, isn’t it? I shall ask if we can put the floodlighting on as soon as you come for your next rehearsal.’
‘That’s just what Peter was hoping for! Who do we have to ask?’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll sort it out,’ said Martha. ‘Are you ready for me to lock the gates?’
‘You do that, too, do you?’ Libby watched Martha switch off the spotlight and switch on the security.
‘When the heritage people aren’t here, yes. The whole site has to be kept secure. It’s not like Whitby Abbey where you can just wander in.’
The main car park for the ruins was empty by the time Martha and Libby arrived, and Libby marvelled as the huge electronic gates swung slowly shut.
‘Your car’s in front of the Abbey, isn’t it?’ said Martha.
‘It certainly is.’ Libby went out through the doors and turned back. ‘Thank you so much, Martha. Will you be around if we need to ask anything?’
‘Yes, of course. We’ve put our public toilets at your disposal, which are also used by visitors to the monastery, and they’re over there.’ She pointed.
‘She’s nice,’ said Libby to Peter as they strolled slowly towards the monastery ruins and their performance area. ‘What did you mean when you said you hoped they don’t regret it?’
Peter stopped and stared up at the grey stone arches.
‘I just hope nothing goes wrong. I’ve got a rather nasty feeling that something might.’
Chapter Nine
T he other actors, including Fran, began to arrive. They all drifted over to look at the reliquary, exclaiming or shuddering, according to temperament. When they had all assembled, Peter called them to order and showed them the layout of the performance area.
‘The only place you will be able to go to when off-stage is behind the Abbey building over there.’ He pointed beyond the atrium. ‘The gardener’s shed has been cleared for our use, but there isn’t much in there except a couple of benches. That’s where we’ll have to change, so don’t bring masses of belongings and make up – there just isn’t room. Right, now, everybody ready?’
‘It’s going quite well, isn’t it?’
Dominic’s voice in her ear made Libby turn sharply.
‘Yes. Although we’ll have to stop soon because the light’s going.’ Libby peered through the grey ruins to where Peter stood on the far side. ‘I hope he’s organised the floodlights.’
Dominic turned towards the atrium. ‘Makes the thing stand out though, doesn’t it? The dusk.’
Libby looked across. The reliquary in its glass case glowed under the spotlight. ‘Certainly does.’
‘Doesn’t look very safe there, though.’
‘Oh, it’s very well guarded,’ said Libby. ‘Lasers and all sorts. And a security patrol.’
‘Just as well,’ said Dominic. ‘It looks valuable. Oh, hey, that’s me. I’m on.’
Libby watched him stride on to the “stage” and declaim his lines. He was a pest in a lot of ways, but she supposed his heart was in the right place.
Peter called a halt ten minutes later.
‘No use rehearsing in the dark,’ he said. ‘Luckily, the ruins have floodlighting, which we may have permission to turn on early, and we’ve also got more lights being loaned to us by the theatre’s lighting people. We won’t have those until the week of the performance, though, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the early floodlighting. Off you go.’
‘I’ll go and find Martha and tell her to lock up the reliquary,’ said Libby. ‘And someone’s got to lock the gates to the grounds.’
She went into the atrium and called. Martha appeared immediately from a door to the left.
‘I’ve been watching out of the window,’ she said ‘It’s fascinating, isn’t it? I shall ask if we can put the floodlighting on as soon as you come for your next rehearsal.’
‘That’s just what Peter was hoping for! Who do we have to ask?’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll sort it out,’ said Martha. ‘Are you ready for me to lock the gates?’
‘You do that, too, do you?’ Libby watched Martha switch off the spotlight and switch on the security.
‘When the heritage people aren’t here, yes. The whole site has to be kept secure. It’s not like Whitby Abbey where you can just wander in.’
The main car park for the ruins was empty by the time Martha and Libby arrived, and Libby marvelled as the huge electronic gates swung slowly shut.
‘Your car’s in front of the Abbey, isn’t it?’ said Martha.
Similar Books
