My Shadow

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

“You do realise that this is not going to work.” They span round until they saw Louis leaning against one of the nearest stables. “Mother and Father will find out and then you will be in big trouble.”

“What do you suggest?” Thomas asked.

“That Anne and Eddy go back inside and Thomas takes Lizzy to the village as was planned. Eddy cannot leave now. Not yet. Lizzy must go, though, otherwise Mother and Father will get angry. I shall figure something else out for Eddy when the time comes.” Louis said.

“But we had all this planned out!” Thomas said.

“Exactly. Mother and Father will know that this was organised and they only have four suspects as to whom it was who organised it: Me, Anne, Matilda and Thomas. They will not think that Eddy and Lizzy just ran off. This sort of thing had to be prepared. They would know, for instance, that Eddy would do it in plain sight and in daylight.”

“He is right, I am afraid.” Eddy said. “I would do it in daylight.”

“Then wait for tomorrow!” Anne cried.

“No, Lizzy must go now before our parents realise anyone else is out of their beds. They will be glad Lizzy had gone. Go, Thomas, take her now. Anne and Eddy get back inside.” Louis pushed Eddy and Anne towards the servant entrance again and followed them. Louis never looked back as Thomas and Lizzy continued the planned journey.

“I am sorry the plan did not work out.” Lizzy said as they walked.

“It is fine; there were many flaws in it anyway. There was bound to be something that would go wrong.”

“How did Louis know about it?”

“He must have overhead Anne and Matilda talking about it.” Thomas answered.

In fact, Louis hadn’t overheard any conversation but had guessed from people’s actions what was going to happen. He wasn’t sure at all about whether he was right or not but decided to take the chance. If anyone wanted to escape they would have to pass the stables no matter through which door they left.

It was just a stroke of luck that he had been right and he had had enough time to plan what he had been going to say, had he been right which he was. He felt quite smart talking like that, pointing out the obvious when the others who were much older than him had forgotten.

He felt sad that Lizzy had to go but he knew it would be better. Maybe then Eddy would get over her and start liking Anne instead. He knew it was a false hope. Eddy had never taken a real interest in girls until Lizzy came along. Louis’ hopes of Eddy getting over her were dashed as soon as he thought them.

~*~

It was just beginning to get light by the time Lizzy and Thomas arrived at the village. Already, some people were awake and working but not one of them paid any attention to the two new people. If they had they would have seen the missing girl that they had all been looking for.

Thomas led Lizzy to Mary and George’s house. He knocked on the door and it was a while before anyone opened it. “It is too early for the food.” Thomas heard George say before it was opened.

“It could be that boy again. He said he might come sooner.”

“He said that last week and he never did.”

“I’ll open the door anyway...” the door opened after that and the woman squealed. She lurched forward and hugged Lizzy tightly. Lizzy didn’t know what to do. She could barely remember these people. This must be her mother.