The Rose Red Bride JK2 Read Online Free PDF Page B

light marked the bottom edge of the portal to the smaller chamber. Vivienne guessed that Alexander was yet at work.
    She crept past his door, then continued silently to top floor of the tower. The staircase emerged in the center of that level, with a chamber on either side beneath the pitched roof. A ladder led to the peak of the roof, a trapdoor there allowing access to the flag. The portal to Vivienne’s left was slightly ajar, and she knew the room was full of items that had seemed useful and thus had been saved, only to have been forgotten and abandoned to dust.
    The portal to the right was barred and locked. Vivienne had just bent to consider the lock when she heard men’s voices behind her. She snuffed her candle and slipped into the protective shadows of the second chamber. The light of a lantern became visible on the walls of the staircase so quickly that she feared she might have been spied. Her nose tickled at the dust she had stirred and she fought the impulse to sneeze.
    “The old tale has made me think about this chamber,” Alexander said, as if explaining his ascent to another. His shadow was thrown on the wall as he approached and Vivienne eased back into the chamber behind her. “I cannot think why we do not use it.”
    “Perhaps because you have a houseful of maidens,” Anthony suggested, clearly somewhat put out to be called for this errand at this hour.
    “It is but a tale! A mere whimsy,” Alexander scoffed. He paused then, and sniffed audibly. “Do you smell a snuffed candle?”
    Anthony sniffed dutifully while Vivienne fought the twitch of her nose. “It must have carried from the hall, for no one has climbed to these chambers in years.”
    “Hmm,” Alexander said. Vivienne held her breath, certain he would fling open the door of the second chamber and reveal her there. “It must be as you say,” he said and she breathed a sigh of relief.
    “We should not even be here, my lord,” Anthony said.
    “And what harm is there?” Alexander demanded. “I would like to at least see the chamber beyond. Perhaps it would be a more cheerful place to study the ledgers.”
    “If you will forgive my forthright speech, my lord, I suspect you would spend more time watching the sea, were that distraction available.”
    Alexander laughed. “Perhaps it would not be all bad to have a distraction from those cursed ledgers. ‘Item: one pound of butter, three pounds of leeks, two hens, one laying, all due to the laird at Michaelmas by Cornelius Smith for the share price upon his plot. Paid and witnessed. Item: two shillings owed by the ale master of Kinfairlie for selling short of the measure on the Feast of the Annunciation, not paid due to a lack of coin before midsummer.’” Vivienne heard the laughter in her brother’s voice. “Truly, a man could lose his wits verifying the endless stream of such entries.”
    “And a man who did not take the time and trouble to do so might well see himself robbed blind,” the castellan said stiffly. Vivienne could readily imagine him shaking a finger at Alexander as he scolded. “Your father spent every morning at the ledgers, my lord, and was known far and wide as a just man who could not be cheated.”
    Alexander heaved a sigh. “So you have told me a thousand times, Anthony. I fear you will never find me fitting my father’s measure.”
    “I can but try, my lord.”
    Vivienne peeked and found the two men with their backs to her: Anthony held the lantern, which illuminated the tight disapproving line of his lips. He also carried several tools. Alexander bent and peered at the lock. He jingled a brass ring of keys and tried to fit one into the lock.
    The castellan cleared his throat. “Do you think this wise, my lord?”
    Alexander spared the older man a smile. “Are you not at least curious? This chamber has been locked for more than twenty years. As it is within my suzerainty, it is my right and my duty to explore it.”
    Anthony sighed.
    Alexander tried