Prologue
Twilightfare Manor, 1802
She ran along her family’s beautiful, lush green lawn and looked up. The sun shone in her clear blue eyes. It was impossible to see the shuttlecock that was flying through the air, having been hit with force by her younger sister just a moment ago. Ruth swung her racket through the air, hoping to connect with the shuttlecock, but missed. Instead, the racket flew out of her hand and somersaulted through the air, coming to a stop on the lawn between herself and her Sophia.
“Horsefeathers!” At once, she slapped a hand in front of her mouth and looked around for Mrs. Hascomb, their governess. She did not permit any such language from the two young girls and was always quick to chastise them.
Fortunately, the woman was entirely unaware of the outburst as she was seated in a chair under her parasol, fast asleep in the sunshine.
“Ruuuth! Can’t you at least try to hit it properly?” Her sister whined and stomped her feet in frustration. A moment later she threw her racket in the air with force, sending it flying through the afternoon air. Her beautiful blonde hair bounced as she stomped angrily, her pale cheeks turning red. Ruth shook her head. At eight years old, her sister tended to behave much younger than her years, while at aged ten, Ruth was quite the opposite. She had what her mother called an old soul.
“Stop upsetting yourself Sophia, it is only a game,” she said as she approached her sister, stopping only to pick up both rackets. She reached her hand out, attempting to entice her sister to take it back. However, she was in no mood and instead plopped on the grass in the most unladylike manner.
“It is not a fun game if you don’t try to play properly. We haven’t been able to keep it in the air more than three times in a row because you keep dropping the shuttlecock.”
Ruth shrugged, as shuttlecock was not her favorite game and she only played it to please her little sister.
“Then let us play something else. How about seesaw? Or hide and go seek?”
Her sister shook her head, her blue eyes full of dejection. Ruth had a good idea that this tantrum wasn’t about the errant game at all. No, her sister was upset for other reasons altogether.
“This is not fair. Yes, I declare it is entirely unfair. We should be at the seaside with all our cousins and friends, not stuck in Coventry. There isn’t even a lake nearby!”
Sophia sighed heavily. This was of course the real reason for her sister’s malcontent. Ruth sat down beside her sister, making sure her gown did not smudge in the grass, and rubbed Sophia’s arm.
“It is not, but it cannot be helped. Grandmother is too ill to go to Bath this year and Mama has to look after her.”
“We could have been sent with Aunt Viola. It isn’t right that everyone is at Bath and Brighton, swimming and frolicking while we have to remain here.”
“We can’t leave Mama here all alone. With Papa in London for Parliament, she’d be here all by herself. That wouldn’t be very nice, would it? Besides, we can go to the seaside when grandmother is recovered. We will all go.”
Her sister lay back in the grass, looking at the sky.
“And what will become of us in the meantime? I am tired of all our games; I wish there was something different we could do.”
Ruth was about to suggest they take up water coloring when her sister sat up with a snap. A grin spread on her face and at once, Ruth knew there was mischief on her sister’s mind.
“Ruthie!” She nodded, “I know just what adventure we should undertake.”
Hesitantly, Ruth tilted her head, her thick brown hair falling to one side. “You do?”
“Let us venture into the wine cellar.”
Ruth shook her head, sending her hair flying around her face.
“No! We are not allowed in the wine cellar. Papa will be ever so mad.”
“Papa is in London and Mama is occupied with grandmother. And Mrs. Hascomb -” She nodded toward the still sleeping governess. “Nobody will know. It isn’t locked.”
Ruth bit her bottom lip hard. The wine cellar was never locked. It was assumed that Sophia and Ruth would obey their father’s orders not to go into the wine cellar unless accompanied by an adult. Usually, that would be the case, but she often found herself led astray by Sophia who was by far the more mischievous one of the two. Ruth found herself often unable to resist her sister’s ideas, although this particular one made her feel more uncomfortable than usual.
“I don’t know, Sophia. It seems rather dangerous to be going down there. And there is nothing exciting to do there but look at barrels upon barrels and bottles.”
Her sister grabbed her wrist. “But Ruthie! We can play hide and go seek! It will be a delight to play it down there instead of up here in the boring garden.”
Ruth pursed her lips. She loved hide and go seek. It was among her most favorite games. And playing it in the dark, mysterious wine cellarwasappealing.
She nodded at last. “Very well. Come, let us go!”
