Chapter 13 - The Fourth Piece

Lara arrived back at Croft Manor, feeling more at peace with herself than she had in a long time. For once, she felt that Chase was actually a friend.  She knew however, from the last few scraps of conversation that she had heard over the speakerphone, Chase had no idea where the 4th piece was, and Lara knew that whoever had hired him, were still looking. 

"Lara!" came Hillary's voice when she stepped in the great hall from the huge oak front doors.

"I've been worried sick.  When I saw your car had gone, and your favourite guns. I…I was so worried"

Then, to Lara's complete surprise, Hillary threw himself at her, and hugged her.  Composing himself, and blushing red, he apologised.

"If your father knew what you got up to.  I promised to look after you, and how can I do that when you run off everywhere and don't let me know what's going on?"

Hillary turned around, and still murmuring to himself, and ringing his hands, went down to the kitchen to fetch a cup of tea for Lara.  Lara smiled and then turned, walked up the giant staircase, and went to her room.  After a hot shower, she chose a pair of loose muslin trousers, and floaty muslin shirt, and went to her father's study. On the way, she met Hilly who was just coming up the stairs.

"You look nice" said Hilly.

"Thanks.  I thought I'd try something different for a change"

"It looks really nice - very feminine"

Lara frowned, promptly turned around, and went back to her room.  She emerged 2 minutes later, wearing blue khaki trousers, fitted to her legs and hips, and a black tank top. 

"Still feminine, but more masculine in a way" she said, and smiled.

"Where's Alexa?"

"Swimming pool.  Why'd you have to change"

"I don't want to look nice, just deadly feminine"

"Oh!"

"Where's Bryce?"

"Lab?"

"Doing what?"

"Designing a watch"

"Ha!"  Lara snorted with laughter. 

"I can't believe he actually listened to me!"

They had arrived at the study door.

"Hilly?"

"Yes Lara?"

"Come in.  I think I'm gonna need to tell you some things.  I might need you to help with…..stuff"

"OK.  Lead away"

Lara and Hilly sat in the study for 2 hours, and in that time, Hilly found out more about Lara than he had ever thought was possible, and in turn, Lara learnt more about Hilly in that time than she had thought possible.  Finally, she told him of this new adventure regarding the Miran.

"I know about that!" said Hilly, unexpectedly.

"You father told my father, and my father told me. There is a cavern below the house, and a secret room near the cellars.  I found the one in the cellars, but never the cavern"

"Hilly" screamed Lara, full of excitement, "I found the cavern"

She got up, and opened the door to the corridor leading to the cavern. Hilly leapt up…and again, Lara was surprised.

"Hilly. I never knew you were interested in such things"

"Butlers have dreams to, you know"

"Where is the other room? What's in it?"

"There is a chest, and a shrine of sorts. It's not a shrine, but I don't know how to describe it"

"Take me to it"

Together, they wandered through the house.

"Hello Lara"

"Alexa. How are you?" said Lara, smiling happily.

"Fine, thanks" said Lexa smiling back.

"What's happening peeps?" said Bryce coming up.

"God! One big happy family" said Lara.

"Come on, Hilly is going to show us a secret room he found"

Like children, they ran after Hilly.

(Authors note - You may think that this is getting a little silly - but please note - they are all aged from 35 - 20 - not as in other stories when Hilly is an old guy)

They finally arrived at the door to the cellars

"This way" said Hilly, and led them to a small corner.  Just above the floor, was a small rose.  He bent down and gently turned it clockwise.  A scraping sound was heard, and the wall slowly opened.

"How did you find that?" asked Lara

"I was cleaning one day and I accidentally pulled it right when I dusted around it"

"You clean and dust down HERE?!" said Bryce

"Yes"

"Oh..OK!"

Hillary picked up a torch, and a lantern and handed them to Lara. Next he produced a box of matches and lit the lantern.  They followed him down to the bottom of the corridor, fairly similar to the one that Lara had gone down before.  They finally emerged into a larger room, where a chest stood in a corner, and a pedestal stood in the centre of the room.  On it, lay a box. Lara picked it up.  It was cold, and shiny and…

"It's made of sapphire!!"

She opened it…inside lay a small circular piece of what looked like mirror glass, except a lot thicker.

"Lara?" said Alexa.

"What is it?"

"That" she replied

"Is the fourth piece!"

And then she smiled.

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Authors note - Disclaimer - I do not own any of the characters in this story EXCEPT for Alexa Munroe.  If you wish to use the name or character in any of your stories, please contact me at athlete@talk21.com

This story is dedicated to my best friend Jaina

(who also has her own fic called "The 5th Marauder" - It's brilliant)

As always - see you in NYC

Lara

X

PLEASE R+R - THEY MEAN LOADS TO ME.