The Bluebeard Room by Carolyn Keene

Author:Carolyn Keene [Keene, Carolyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

11

Spook Attack

Hugh leaped to his feet. “What the deuce was that?!”

“Someone’s been hurt!” cried Lisa.

The three ran from the drawing room into the great hall of the castle.

Landreth the butler and one of the maids came rushing into the small anteroom that lay between the great hall and the front door.

“What’s happened, Landreth?” Hugh inquired.

“I don’t know, m’luv. I’ll turn on the ground lights.”

The whole courtyard was brightly illumined as they stepped outside, but no one was in sight.

“Perhaps someone’s outside the gateway,” said the butler after peering around.

He and Hugh hurried to check. Moments later they returned, supporting a woman between them. She looked close to sixty and was somewhat disheveled, with her broad-brimmed felt hat askew over one eye, but seemed otherwise unhurt.

“Why, it’s Ethel Bosinny!” gasped Lisa.

“A friend of yours?” Nancy asked.

“Yes, one of the few I’ve made in Polpenny! She’s a retired games-mistress from a girls’ school near here. She instructed the girls in sports there. A bit dotty, but she’s been a great comfort to me!”

When Miss Bosinny was seated in the drawing room and given a cup of tea, they learned that she had been bicycling up to the castle gateway when a startling figure loomed out of the darkness.

“Was it anyone you recognized?” Hugh asked.

“I—I really couldn’t say.” Ethel Bosinny gave a hoarse, embarrassed laugh. “Perhaps it was all my imagination. Anyhow, my bicycle went off the path and turned over, and I lay there stunned until you and Landreth came and helped me up.”

She said she had been coming to pay a neighborly call on the Penvellyns, and the village postmistress had asked her to deliver a letter to their young American visitor. Unfortunately, she had dropped it when her bike overturned. Landreth retrieved the bicycle, but neither he nor the maid could find the letter.

Miss Bosinny was much distressed. “Oh my! I’m dreadfully sorry, Miss Drew. I don’t know how I could have been so careless!”

“Never mind,” Nancy smiled. “I’m sure it’ll turn up. It was good of you to bring it.”

The next morning Lisa showed Nancy around the castle.

“The original stronghold was built by the Normans back in the twelfth century,” she explained. “Most of it has crumbled away, but the central keep has been preserved. Beginning in the 1500’s, wings were added, connecting the keep to other buildings inside the bailey, or outer wall. We’re living in the newest wing, which I’m told was built in 1650 or thereabouts.”

Nancy chuckled. “1650 is close enough for me. I must say, it’s withstood the centuries very well.”

“We’ve added a few modern conveniences, of course, like central heating and plumbing.”

Nancy was glad to hear her friend laugh. Her visit already seemed to have cheered Lisa up.

The older, unoccupied parts of the castle were now open to public tours. Much of the woodwork in these areas had long ago rotted away, and most of the furnishings, too, had decayed or been removed, leaving little behind but drafty, echoing stone ruins. But as the

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