The Silence Of The Library

Veronica threw back the covers and prepared to get out of bed. There wasn’t a moment to lose. She must go back to that spooky old mansion and discover the fate of poor Mrs. Eden.

Lucy easily divined Veronica’s intention, for she had known the courageous girl long enough to be aware that Veronica relished a challenge. Common sense, however, dictated that she remind her chum of the lateness of the hour. “It is nearly midnight now, my dear, and you cannot rush forth from here at such an hour. You must wait until morning.”

“I suppose you are right,” Veronica responded reluctantly. “Still, I must get up.” She moved away from the bed, and her steps, though tentative at first, rapidly became more assured. She walked around her large, airy bedroom while Lucy watched her anxiously.

“Now that I have my memory back, I feel ever so much better,” Veronica declared. “Also hungry. Let’s go down to the kitchen and see what Cook might have set aside.”

“Now, dearest, you know that Fontaine will scold if you do such a thing,” Lucy admonished her friend. “Besides, he instructed me to ring for him should you want anything when you awakened. I shall do that now.”

“Oh, very well,” Veronica said with an impish smile. “I suppose it wouldn’t do to upset Fontaine tonight, for he will be cross with me for days afterward.”

Haviland Fontaine, formerly of the British Army, served as Mrs. Buff-Orpington’s butler and secretary. Though fond of his mistress’s young ward, he often deplored her tendency to find adventures. He was also firmly of the opinion that Miss Veronica should remain above stairs and leave the lower regions to the servants as befit a properly reared young lady.

He appeared quickly in response to Lucy’s ringing of the bell in Veronica’s room. His stoic countenance revealed little emotion as he beheld his young mistress seemingly recovered from having been drugged and abandoned beside the highway. Lucy told Veronica later that she would have sworn the butler’s lips twitched into a brief smile, but Veronica scoffed at the notion.

“You rang, miss?” Fontaine was a man of few words. He did not believe, he had once told Veronica, in wasting time or breath on unnecessary conversation.

“Yes, we did.” Veronica nodded at Lucy. “I am frightfully hungry, Fontaine. Perhaps you could find something for us, some victuals that Cook has not yet discarded?”

“Of course, miss.” Fontaine coughed discreetly. “I will also inform Madam that you are awake. She has been anxiously awaiting the news.”