Page 3 of Hidden Raphael
"No." Meg shook her head. "I was born and raised in Scotland, but Master Raphael moved us here to Maine."
Maine. Kimberly let out a breath. She was in the continental United States again after eight years. If she had to walk to Miami, she'd find her way home.
Meg stared at her feet. "We don’t have any slippers that would fit you, and you didn’t have any shoes. The socks will have to do. I'm to ensure you find your way to the study."
Kimberly swallowed then rushed to follow Meg's directions. On the second foot, though, she slowed down a bit. Questions never helped her get on people's good sides. She ought to meet the aged man that Meg worked for.
"Socks don't take this long, miss." Meg tapped her foot a bit.
Kimberly folded the top then stood up. Dizziness hit her hard as she stared at Meg, but she fought against the notion. She nodded at Meg and asked, "What is Mr. Raphael like?"
"You'll see soon enough." Meg walked in front of her. "And don't dawdle, Miss Kimberly. I have a lot to do."
Kimberly picked up her pace, but the long hardwood floor with the blue carpet that ran down the middle made her feel small. This place was huge and dark. The stone walls were cast in shadows. She stared at the huge mahogany doors that circled at the top. How many bedrooms did this place have? She shivered. This had to be a real castle. The hallway floor was meticulously kept, but her eyes were drawn to the portraits. Long-dead European nobles from throughout the ages littered the walls. One portrayed a man on horseback holding a bag full of heads to present to a woman in front of the castle. Kimberly swallowed and turned away. Her heart felt like it would explode in her chest.
Her gaze adjusted to the darkness, though she followed Meg, who picked up a candelabra from a corner table near her room. Kimberly held her breath then stared at the polished banister that overlooked the first floor. There was nothing scary about modern.
She cringed at another gargoyle in the corner near the stairs, but she kept her head up. "At Christmas, I bet you have a huge tree on the first floor."
Meg lifted her long skirt and went down the first step. "Last year Master Raphael skipped Christmas, but this year might be different."
Who skipped Christmas and why? Kimberly nodded, held the banister, and followed Meg. Even if Raphael was Ebenezer come to life, she still owed him her thanks.
Meg then led her down another hall toward double doors. She pointed and said, "Master Raphael is inside the library."
Kimberly nodded as Meg walked away, the draft in the hall causing the lights to flicker. Kimberly's hand trembled and her heart skipped.
Kimberly reached for the handle and crossed her fingers behind her back. She hoped she was safe and that she could call home. Mom might make her feel better, because the murders of her friends in that plane kept flashing in her mind.
