Chapter 10

Jack and Sue headed back to their rooms where they could talk without anyone overhearing. They discussed what had been said in the study, but could come up with no new ideas, it seemed very coincidental that there should be concerns about smuggling at the same time that Dessa had escaped but for the life of them they could not see how they could be connected. Smuggling seemed a little tame for Dessa.

"I'll text Bobby straight away then we can find something fun to do for a couple of hours," said Jack.

"I have just the thing," replied Sue. "How do you fancy a long walk followed by a picnic by the river?"

"Sounds good to me," answered Jack. Though if he were honest anything would have sounded good to him if it involved spending time with Sue.

"Good, I'll get that sorted whilst you contact Bobby. See you in half an hour in the outer hall?" She flashed a smile and headed to the kitchens, Levi following closely looking forward to snaffling more treats when his mistress was otherwise occupied.

Mrs Roseveare, the cook, greeted Sue with a bright and breezy "good morning". She quickly got Maisie, her assistant, to put together a picnic lunch and gave Sue directions to the best route down through the woods to the river. Sue thanked her for her help and was about to leave with the picnic basket when Millie came out of the scullery twirling happily at seeing Sue again. Millie and Levi renewed acquaintances before Millie began to follow Sue towards the door.

"I think you may be taking another dog with you!" laughed Mrs Roseveare.

"I think you could be right, it won't be a problem will it?" replied Sue.

"No, she tends to do that, finds a guest that she likes and glues herself to them. She'll enjoy the walk." Laughed Mrs Roseveare. "Take her lead, it's on the back of the door, she isn't too sensible when it comes to crossing roads."

Jack was seated in the outer hall when Sue and the dogs walked in. He immediately took the picnic basket from her and grabbed a blanket from a cupboard. They set off down the drive and through the arch of the gatehouse towards the river. The air was still a little cool but the clear blue sky promised a warm sunny day. Sue took a deep breath and smiled turning her face towards the sun. "It is so peaceful here," She commented before, self-consciously, taking hold of Jack's hand. Startled, Jack took a few nano-seconds before tightening his hold. Hand in hand, they walked across the parkland until they reached a gate leading into the woods. Levi had permission to be on holiday and he and Millie ran ahead sniffing at every tree. As they rounded a bend in the path the ground turned blue as thousands of bluebells basked in the sunlight glinting through the trees. Sue stopped, whipped out her phone and took a photograph, "Beautiful," she whispered. Jack looked at her, "I agree," he whispered, not meaning the bluebells and ensuring that Sue didn't notice his comment. They continued on, always taking a left turn when the path forked as Mrs Roseveare had suggested. "You do realise that if you always turn left you will end up back where you started," Laughed Jack. Sue grinned back, "Well if we do," she said, teasingly. "We can always get a map!"

However, Mrs Roseveare's instructions proved true and eventually they arrived at a gate leading onto the road. Directly ahead was a car park and to the left a path leading to the riverside and the picnic area. There were one or two families already there, playing in the water, and an ice-cream van that Jack eyed eagerly.

"When you have eaten all your lunch!" stated Sue sternly, Jack pouted and tried the puppy eyes, as did Levi and Millie. Sue burst out laughing and quickly snapped a photo.

Although they were there to have fun, Jack and Sue also paid a great deal of interest in the boats which were moored either in the river or against the pontoon deck. Most seemed to be local but there were one or two from further afield. They tried to work out which one might be Lionel's but Sue couldn't remember if Lionel had told her its name so they played a guessing game, deciding that 'Carpe Diem' sounded pompous enough though Jack was edging towards 'Aquaholic' because he said that it reflected Lionel's florid appearance. Levi and Millie spent the time playing together in the water's edge before finally coming and flopping down on the grass by Jack and Sue. Sue began to unpack the picnic food and they spent a long while munching away and watching the world go by. The sun felt quite hot by now and both Jack and Sue began to feel drowsy and before long they were snoozing contentedly on the rug.

Sue was woken abruptly by Levi and was startled at how cold it had become. The sun had vanished and dark rainclouds covered the sky. Quickly Sue woke Jack and they agreed that perhaps they ought to set off back to the house. The other families were of the same mind, though they all seemed to have come by car and so would avoid the soaking. Jack stared at the ice-cream van with longing but Sue dragged him past promising him one another day. They headed back into the woods which looked far more gloomy and sinister than earlier. The wind had started to rise and the trees swayed around them, then the first raindrops began. They were about half way back when Sue noticed that Millie had disappeared, she called her name loudly but nothing. Jack lent his louder voice and finally Millie appeared from slightly higher up the hill but refused to come closer, indeed she ran further away towards a rocky outcrop. Sue and Jack called again and were about to head on hoping that Millie would follow when Levi also took off. Sue was cross and stomped after him, it was at that moment that the rain really came down but Sue had seen something, a gap in the rock that looked big enough to shelter in. She called to Jack who ran towards her and they headed towards the gap. If it hadn't been for Millie they would not have seen it as it was well hidden from all angles. The narrow entrance opened out into a narrow tunnel, just slightly taller than Jack and wide enough for one person. Millie barked and carried on.

"Got a torch?" asked Sue. Jack shook his head.

"I do have a flashlight on my phone though," he announced.

"Me too, "said Sue. "We'll use yours first and then mine if yours runs out of battery."

"You aren't thinking of following the tunnel surely!" exclaimed Jack.

Sue shrugged, "Why not? It could be one of the smuggling tunnels Jason spoke about. Who knows where it goes."

"Exactly! Which is why we should just wait here for the rain the stop." Protested Jack.

"Party pooper," signed Sue with a grin. "Besides, we have to find Millie," She wheedled. "Do you want to tell Alex that you lost his late mother's dog?"

Jack pulled a face and was about to argue that Millie would be well able to find her own way home but realised that he would soon cave and that Sue would get her way so he switched on his phone's torch and they set off down the tunnel one behind each other.

The tunnel went downhill for a while before the path levelled out, though it remained as narrow and Jack caught his arm several times on the rough walls making him wince. They had caught up with Mille and she seemed overwhelmingly pleased to see them twirling and barking and almost tripping Jack up. Jack managed to get her to quieten down, he felt apprehensive about the tunnel and constantly scanned the walls for other passageways but the walls remained unbroken. Finally the tunnel came to an end. Sue bumped into Jack when he stopped abruptly.

"Is it blocked?" she asked. Jack turned, shining the light onto his face so that she could read his lips.

"No," he replied. "There are stairs going up. Be careful it is very narrow and uneven. It looks like these stairs have seen a lot of use." Cautiously he made his way up listening carefully, just in case. At last a wooden door blocked his way and Jack waited, wondering what was on the other side and listening intently for any noises, but Millie took over and jumped with both front paws against the door and it swung open easily. Jack tiptoed forward and saw another door of better quality to the side of him. This one Millie nosed open.

"You'll never guess where we are!" said Jack in amazement.

"Where are we?" demanded Sue.

Jack pushed the door open further to reveal Sue's bedroom!