Faith (The Shackleford Sisters Book 3) by Beverley Watts

Author:Beverley Watts [Watts, Beverley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BaR Publishing
Published: 2021-09-14T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

To Percy’s consternation, Reverend Shackleford seemed to gain a new surge of energy.

‘I am not leaving here until I found out what happened to my daughter,’ he vowed, determinedly clambering to his feet. ‘I’m certain the key to her disappearance lies within these four walls, and we are going to unlock this puzzle if it’s the very last thing we do.’

Percy privately thought this escapade was very likely to be their final epitaph if the events up to now were anything to go by, but he didn’t want to put a damper on the Reverend’s enthusiasm.

That was until his superior suggested the small man be on hand to give him a leg up to a suitable window.

‘Once you’ve got me up to the correct height Percy, I’ll use the rock to break the pane closest to the fastener. And once I get the fastener unlocked, it will be but a simple matter to stick my hand in and pull up the sash.’

Percy didn’t think a comment of ‘Poppycock,’ was likely to help matters and instead began, ‘Sir… I’m not sure that’s such a goo….’

‘Tare an’ hounds Percy, don’t go all jingle-brained on me,’ Augustus Shackleford interrupted, waving his hand irritably. ‘I might have known the pluck to your deuced backbone wouldn’t last long.’

‘But I’m not sure I will be able to lift you…Sir,’ the curate muttered in desperation.

Reverend Shackleford opened his mouth to disagree then shut it again, scowling. ‘You might have a point Percy lad,’ he conceded finally. ‘Being such a fine figure of a man, I forget sometimes that you’re a bit of a jack sprat.’ He nodded to himself. ‘We’ll have to do it the other way round. Now off you go and look for that deuced rock.’

Heart sinking, Percy realised he’d protested as much as he could but clearly the Reverend was not to be deterred. Short of flatly refusing, which if he were catholic would ensure him excommunication at the very least, the curate had no choice but to go along with the Reverend’s totty headed scheme.

Five minutes later they were standing next to a large sash window round the side of the house. ‘No one is likely to observe us here,’ commented the Reverend, looking around. ‘Can you see the fastener, Percy?’

The curate squinted up at the window, nearly invisible in the gloom. He could just make out the top of the lower sash and presumed the fastener would be somewhere in that vicinity. He nodded reluctantly.

‘Right then, here you go Percy, climb onto my back.’

The Reverend got down and struggled onto his hands and knees, offering a few choice words as he placed his hand in a bunch of stinging nettles. ‘Get on with it man,’ he puffed as Percy remained still, wondering how on earth he was going to get on. At his superior’s increasingly frustrated urgings, the small man finally decided to use the Reverend’s posterior as a kind of mounting block. The slope would provide him with some purchase and the ample padding in the area made it less likely he would cause any irreparable damage.

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