Banished by C.J. Archer

Author:C.J. Archer [Archer, C.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-02-16T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 9

"Redbeard's here too," I told Quin. "What shall we do?"

"We wait. When the family returns inside, we must find a way in and stop Redbeard and the others."

"But they'll lock up the house. We can't go around breaking windows and sneaking in. We'll be discovered."

He remained silent for a long time, perhaps contemplating his options. When the footman returned and spoke to Mr. Butterworth, Quin swore under his breath. "There is no alternative."

I watched the family closely. Mrs. Butterworth appeared to be the only one up in arms about an intruder. Her husband was trying to placate her by having the footman search the house, but I suspected he didn't believe her. Her elder daughters looked bored, and her youngest paid them no mind at all. She stood on the bottom step, facing the garden, her gaze scanning the fence line. She was the only one looking our way.

On impulse, I stepped in front of the gate as her gaze swept past. Quin grabbed my hand and dragged me back into the shadows.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

"Getting Jane's attention."

"Who's Jane?"

"The little girl. She knows me. She'll probably let us in."

"Why would she do that?"

"Her head is full of fanciful notions." Jane was ten years old with an adventurous spirit. Where the members of her family were rather silly and irritating, she was whip-smart and lively. She could also keep a secret. "She'll believe me when I tell her we're hunting evil ghosts. Look at her. She clearly thinks her mother isn't imagining things."

He followed my gaze to Jane who was now approaching the gate at the end of the drive. Her family took no notice of her. "I still think it's a terrible plan."

"At least it is a plan. Have you got a better one?"

He merely grunted.

"Miss Moreau?" whispered Jane. "Is that you?"

"Yes," I said, revealing myself to her before stepping back into the darkness again. "Jane, I have something very important to ask of you."

"Is it spies? Were they after my mother?"

"No, not spies."

"Not that Myer fellow?" She wrinkled her nose.

"No. It was ghosts."

"Ghosts!"

"Shhh."

But it was too late. Her father had heard her. "Jane? Come away from there."

"I'm just picking flowers," she called back. She plucked a rose from the bush. "We don't have long," she said to me, all seriousness. "Tell me about the ghosts."

"They're intent on doing harm. Quin and I must stop them."

She peered past me, scrunching up her eyes and nose at Quin's outline, just visible beside me. "He's a very large fellow."

"With special powers that send evil ghosts back to the afterlife."

"You can see them, can't you?"

I nodded. "Jane, I need you to unlatch this gate. Then you must leave a door or window open for us to get inside the house. We have to stop them before they do harm."

Her father called again. When she didn't answer, he stepped down from the porch.

"Quickly, Jane," I whispered. "You must decide now if you will help us. But please, even if you decide not to, you must not tell anyone that you saw Quin or I here.

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