Chapter 1 — “Quiet. Don’t Say Anything.”
Little Eudora stood beside the enormous wooden wardrobe with tears running down her cheeks.
The wardrobe had been inside the mansion’s east bedroom for longer than anyone could remember.
Dark walnut.
Heavy brass handles.
Carved flowers running along the doors.
To Eudora, it had always been nothing more than the place where old coats and winter blankets were stored.
Until that afternoon.
Celestine stood directly in front of her.
“Stop crying.”
Eudora shook her head.
“I want Daddy.”
Celestine immediately looked toward the hallway.
“No.”
“Please.”
“Eudora, listen to me.”
The little girl pointed toward the wardrobe.
“But what’s back there?”
Celestine’s face tightened.
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
“I saw it.”
“You shouldn’t have opened it.”
“The back moved.”
Celestine crouched.
“You are not telling Daddy about this yet.”
Eudora’s eyes widened.
“Why?”
“Because I need to explain it to him properly.”
“Then tell him now.”
Celestine looked toward the hall again.
Footsteps.
Someone was approaching.
Eudora immediately opened her mouth.
“Daddy—”
Celestine covered her mouth.
“Quiet.”
“Don’t say anything.”
Eudora froze.
The bedroom door opened.
Roderick stepped inside.
He immediately stopped.
His daughter was crying.
Celestine’s hand was still near her face.
“What is going on?”
Celestine stood quickly.
“Nothing.”
Roderick stared at her.
“She is crying.”
He rushed toward Eudora.
“Sweetheart?”
He knelt.
“What happened?”
Eudora looked toward her mother.
Celestine’s expression gave her another warning.
Eudora began crying harder.
Roderick’s face changed.
“Why is she afraid to answer me?”
Celestine reached toward Eudora.
“Come downstairs.”
She tried to pull her away.
But Eudora resisted.
Then pointed toward the wardrobe.
Roderick followed her finger.
“What’s inside there?”
Celestine answered too quickly.
“Nothing.”
Roderick slowly stood.
“Then why is our daughter pointing at it while she’s crying?”
“Roderick, leave it.”
He walked toward the wardrobe.
Celestine stepped in front of him.
“Please.”
That stopped him.
Not because he intended to obey.
Because of the fear in her voice.
“You know what’s in there.”
Celestine said nothing.
Roderick moved around her.
He grabbed both brass handles.
Then pulled the doors open.
Coats.
Blankets.
Several garment bags.
Nothing unusual.
Roderick looked toward Eudora.
She pointed behind the clothes.
“Back.”
He moved the hanging coats aside.
At first he saw only the dark wooden rear panel.
Then he noticed a narrow gap along one edge.
He pressed it.
The panel shifted.
Roderick stared.
He pulled harder.
The entire false back swung inward.
Behind it was a dark opening.
A narrow stone corridor disappeared into the wall.
Roderick did not move for several seconds.
Then he slowly turned toward Celestine.
“You knew about this?”
Eudora immediately grabbed his arm.
“Daddy…”
Roderick looked down.
Through her tears, she whispered:
“Mommy said don’t tell you.”
Roderick’s expression turned cold.
Then, from somewhere deep inside the hidden passage…
he saw a faint light.
Someone had been using it recently.