The Missing Mortals, page 3
“And that very castle is now Dinswood Academy!” Sebastian blurted out.
“He doesn’t need any help, Sebastian. Stop interrupting,” Martha said. Sebastian had never been one to sit quietly for very long, and it seemed that this was one area in which he had not changed.
Sebastian gave Martha a sour look but had the good sense not to say anything. Lord Dinswood simply smiled. “You’re right, Sebastian. The castle took several years to complete, and during that time, Darius and Rebecca lived in a little cottage not far from here. Miraculously, that little cottage still stands today.”
“Were they very much in love?” Martha couldn’t help asking.
Seeing a chance to get back at Martha for her reprimand a moment ago, Sebastian said quickly, “Honestly, Martha, let the man talk.”
If looks could have killed, Sebastian would have expired that very second. Fortunately for Sebastian, this was not the case. He continued to breathe and proceeded to aggravate the situation further by grinning wickedly at Martha. What Martha would have done next will forever remain a mystery, for at that moment, Dean Harwood cleared his throat and gave both Martha and Sebastian a warning look. Thankfully, they both heeded the warning and said no more.
With the kind of patience that only comes with age and experience, Lord Dinswood smiled kindly at Martha and answered her question. “Yes, my dear. Darius and Rebecca were very much in love. They were two peas in a pod. That is to say they shared many things in common. Rebecca was a vivacious young woman, and Darius loved her more than life itself. She and Darius had many adventures during their years together.”
This time, it was Emma who interrupted. “How many children did they have?”
“Ah, now that is where my story takes an unhappy turn,” Lord Dinswood replied sadly. “You see, Darius and Rebecca tried for many years to have a child but were unsuccessful. Darius accepted it as penance for the sins he’d committed as a pirate, but it grieved his heart to see how saddened Rebecca was at her inability to conceive. They had both reconciled to the fact that they would never have any children when miraculously, on their ninth anniversary, Rebecca learned that she was pregnant. Of course, she and Darius were ecstatic. The pregnancy, however, was fraught with difficulty, and during her last months, she was confined to bed. Rebecca stoically endured any ills and discomforts that came her way and looked forward to the birth of her first child with a joy matched only by that of her husband. Finally, the time came for her to deliver. Rebecca’s labor was long and difficult, and at times, Darius feared that he would lose both Rebecca and the baby. Imagine his joy and relief when Rebecca gave birth to a healthy baby boy. They named the baby Christian, and for a short time all was well, but the long labor had taken its toll on Rebecca. She died three days later from complications.”
Lord Dinswood stopped speaking then, and a profound silence settled over the room. Unbidden tears welled up in Emma’s eyes. Her heart ached for the Darius and Rebecca of long ago and the little boy who would never know his mother. She looked over at Martha and saw tears glistening on her cheeks. Sebastian had a look of disbelief on his face. He hadn’t expected the story to end so tragically. Then Emma risked a look at Doug. It was evident from his expression that he had been equally affected by the story.
How long they sat there like that Emma couldn’t say, but the silence was finally broken when Doug asked quietly, “Sir, what is it you want us to do?”
“Well, as I told you earlier, Rebecca was a devout Catholic. Her faith was very important to her. Over the years, she tried to convert Darius, but he was stubbornly set against it. I believe it was because he could never forgive himself for the things he’d done as a pirate. He probably reasoned, as many still do today, that if he couldn’t forgive himself, how could God forgive him? Rebecca, not knowing of his pirate days, was never able to understand why he refused to accept God’s wonderful gift of grace. Darius, however, understood Rebecca’s love for the Lord and supported it. During their ten years of marriage, he commissioned seven pieces from the famous sculptor, Luciano Marnatti. He asked Marnatti to sculpt important women from the Bible—women he knew his wife admired. The first piece was a sculpture of Ruth. Next, Darius commissioned a sculpture of Sarah, then Esther, then Martha, and then Martha’s sister Mary. When he and Rebecca learned of Rebecca’s pregnancy, Darius asked Marnatti to sculpt Hannah, the mother of Samuel. Hannah, like Rebecca, had been barren. But after praying at the temple, God had granted her request and she had conceived.
“Darius intended to give the seventh and final sculpture to Rebecca after the birth of their child. Reportedly, it was Marnatti’s finest work. The sculpture was completed in plenty of time, but Rebecca died before Darius could give it to her.”
“Who was the subject of the last sculpture?” Emma asked.
“I’m afraid only Darius and Luciano Marnatti know the answer to that question, and since they are no longer with us, the subject of the last sculpture remains a mystery.”
“I don’t understand,” Emma said.
When Lord Dinswood didn’t respond to Emma’s comment, Doug asked again, “Sir, what is it you want us to do?”
Lord Dinswood didn’t answer Doug immediately but instead looked at the expectant faces of the youngsters sitting before him. The suspense in the room was palpable. Finally, Lord Dinswood was going to reveal why he had called them back to school early. Martha shot a look at Sebastian, clearly warning him not to interrupt. Sebastian, however, had no intention of saying anything. Like the others, he was anxious to hear the reason for their early return.
“After Rebecca died, the sculptures disappeared. It was believed that in his profound grief, Darius went into a rage and destroyed them all. The generations of Dinswoods that followed held to the conviction that the Mortals, as Marnatti called them, were gone forever. I must admit that I believed it myself. Then about a month ago, while the construction crews were digging the foundation for the new gymnasium, a metal box was discovered.” Lord Dinswood paused for effect and then continued, “And in that box was the sculpture of Ruth.”
An audible gasp arose from the four youngsters seated on the couch. Lord Dinswood sat back to let the information sink in for a moment, but Sebastian couldn’t keep quiet any longer. “Do you think the others are still out there somewhere?”
“That is precisely what I believe,” Lord Dinswood confirmed.
“And you want us to find them,” Doug added.
Lord Dinswood simply nodded.
After Lord Dinswood’s revelation, everyone began talking at once. It seemed they all had questions. Finally, Lord Dinswood held up his hands to restore some order. When silence reigned in the room once again, he said, “I know you must have a lot of questions, and I intend to answer them all, but one at a time please.” Then, seeing that Sebastian was about ready to burst, Lord Dinswood took pity on him and said, “Sebastian, you may go first.”
“Why us, sir?”
“That is an excellent question. Why would I entrust a task so important to four young people? The answer is quite simple. First and foremost, I know I can trust you. Last year, you found a treasure unlike anything you could have imagined, and yet you made no attempt to keep any of it for yourselves. Second, you have all proven that you have a great deal of intelligence. In order to find the treasure, you had to solve many riddles. Last but not least, you have shown that you have courage and can maintain your composure even in extreme circumstances. Trust me, I did not choose you four lightly. I gave it a great deal of thought. I have also discussed it at length with Dean Harwood, and he feels that you are very well suited to the task.”
“Will it be as dangerous as the treasure hunt was?” Sebastian asked with a nervous swallow.
“I don’t foresee any danger. After all, you are simply trying to locate the other six sculptures. Life, however, has a way of presenting us with situations and obstacles we didn’t expect, so I can’t really say for certain.”
At this point, Dean Harwood entered the conversation. “I’ve agreed to Lord Dinswood’s plan only if I’m allowed to accompany you on your searches. I can’t, in good conscience, let you proceed without some kind of adult supervision. I told each of your parents that at least one adult would be with you any time you left school grounds. I did not, however, explain the exact nature of the job you would be doing for Lord Dinswood.”
“But how are we going to know where to look for the other sculptures?” Sebastian asked quickly before any of the others could pose their questions. Martha frowned at him, but Sebastian appeared not to notice. His attention was fixed firmly on Lord Dinswood.
“Well, now, that’s where your intelligence and problem-solving abilities come into play. You see, I believe that Darius may have hidden the other six sculptures in places that were special to him and Rebecca.”
“How are we supposed to know what places were special to them?” Sebastian asked again, this time with an apologetic look at the others. Emma, for one, didn’t care that Sebastian was asking all of the questions. They were exactly the same questions she would have asked. Martha, however, threw up her hands in exasperation. But because she was eager to hear the answer to Sebastian’s question, she said nothing.
“Another excellent question, Sebastian,” Lord Dinswood replied with a smile. “You see, Rebecca kept a journal.”
“And you have that journal,” Martha guessed, raising an eyebrow at Sebastian as she spoke.
“Actually, there’s more than one, and they’re all in my personal collection in the library,” Lord Dinswood confirmed. “You will have full access to the collection. Perhaps you can find clues as to the location of the other sculptures from some of Rebecca’s writings.”
“Sir, what if the other sculptures no longer exist?” Doug couldn’t help asking.
“That would be sad indeed. Of course, the sculptures are priceless, but that isn’t why I’m so eager to find them. They are a part of my family’s history and thus a part of me. They have a sentimental value that far outweighs their monetary worth, at least as far as I’m concerned. It would give me great pleasure to know that they are all safe and sound before I die.”
At this last comment, Emma couldn’t help wondering once again if Lord Dinswood was ill, but she didn’t want to question him directly. Instead, she asked, “Lord Dinswood, would it be possible for us to see the sculpture that was discovered?”
“I was waiting for someone to ask,” Lord Dinswood replied, smiling broadly.
At a nod from Lord Dinswood, Dean Harwood left the room and returned a moment later with a plain gray metal box approximately two feet tall and a foot wide. After setting the box down on the floor in front of Lord Dinswood’s chair, he removed the lid. A marble sculpture of a woman was lying in a bed of straw. Gently, Dean Harwood lifted it from the box and raised it high so that everyone could see. The four youngsters gazed at it with expressions of awe. Emma had never seen anything so beautiful. The pure white marble was perfectly smooth, and the lines were clean and bold. Marnatti had given Ruth an angelic face that managed to convey both beauty and strength. The figure was dressed in a flowing robe with a belt that hung loosely around the narrow waist. Her head was covered with a scarf, and her sandaled feet were small and perfectly formed. Emma looked over at Martha to see her reaction. Martha was the artist of the group and would probably appreciate the skill required to produce such a work more than the others.
Martha was staring at the sculpture with a look of rapture on her face. “It’s beautiful!” she said on a sigh. “I can’t wait to see the others.”
“That’s precisely what I was thinking,” Lord Dinswood agreed. Then with a sigh of his own, he said, “And now if there are no more questions, it’s time for this old man to get some rest.”
Saying their goodbyes, the youngsters got up and headed to the door while Dean Harwood packed the sculpture of Ruth away. Emma was surprised to see that it was still storming outside. She’d been so engrossed in Lord Dinswood’s story that she hadn’t even been aware of the thunder and lightning.
Doug was the last one to leave the suite. When he got to the door, he hesitated for a moment. Looking back, he saw the frail figure of Lord Dinswood slumped wearily in his chair, and compassion prompted him to say, “Don’t worry, sir. We’ll get started first thing in the morning. If those sculptures are out there, we’ll find them.”
“That’s what I’m counting on,” Lord Dinswood replied softly as the door closed behind Doug.
The next morning, Emma and Martha were eating breakfast in the dining room. Some of the teachers, including Emma’s favorite teacher, Miss Jennings, were also in the dining room at the moment. Emma had been surprised to learn that most of the staff lived at the academy year-round. When she thought about it, however, it made sense. It would be silly to keep a separate residence for only three months out of the year, and the teachers’ residences were spacious and modern. The kitchen and custodial staff also remained in house to see to the cooking and cleaning. It’s better than staying in a first-class hotel, Emma thought.
Emma’s thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Doug and Sebastian. As the two boys took their seats on the bench across from the girls, Emma expressed her concern about Lord Dinswood’s health. “Doug, is Lord Dinswood sick? He didn’t look well last night.”
“I know,” Doug said, nodding. “He’s been getting weaker all summer long. I asked Dad about it, and he says he’s tried to get Lord Dinswood to see a doctor, but he refuses. Lord Dinswood claims it’s just old age catching up with him.”
“What do you think?” Emma asked, not at all convinced that it was simply a matter of old age.
“I don’t know,” Doug replied with a sigh. “It seems to me that Lord Dinswood has given up. I mean, now that the treasure has been found and the school is going to be okay, he feels like his work here is done.”
“Did he actually say that?” Martha asked in surprise.
“Not in so many words, but I sort of got that impression.”
“Maybe if we find the other sculptures, he’ll perk up,” Sebastian suggested.
“That’s just what I was thinking,” Doug agreed. “Last night when we left his suite, he said he was counting on us finding the other six pieces.”
“Whew,” Sebastian said, letting out a big breath. “Talk about pressure. We’d better get to the library as soon as we’re done with breakfast and start looking for some clues.”
The others agreed and quickly finished eating. When they entered the library, they found that they had it all to themselves. A new librarian had been hired, but as school didn’t start for another three weeks, he or she had not yet arrived. Emma’s thoughts drifted back to the school’s last librarian, Mr. Hodges. He had always given her the creeps. The others had thought she was just being paranoid, but later they’d learned that she’d been right about him. There was no one behind the checkout counter at the moment, and Emma couldn’t help giving a little sigh of relief.
“Lord Dinswood’s personal collection is on the second floor,” Doug informed them.
Behind the counter, a small spiral staircase led up to the library’s second story. Lord Dinswood’s private collection included some very valuable books, so the second floor was generally off limits to the student body. Only those with special permission were allowed upstairs; and a locked gate, which reminded Emma of prison bars, prevented access to the area in which Lord Dinswood’s collection was housed. As Doug’s dad had already given him the key, the locked gate would not be a problem for them.
Quickly, they climbed the stairs and went directly over to the gate. A sign next to it read “No Students Allowed.” Noticing the sign, Sebastian said, “This is really cool. For once, we aren’t going to get in trouble for breaking a school rule.” He was thinking back to last spring when they’d broken several school rules during their search for the treasure.
“We didn’t really get in trouble last time,” Martha reminded him.
“Yeah, thanks to good old Lord Dinswood,” Sebastian agreed. Then in an effort to prove his point, he grinned at Martha and added, “But we thought we were going to get in trouble.”
Deciding it wasn’t worth arguing over, Martha sighed and shook her head, which made Sebastian grin even more. He knew exactly how to push Martha’s buttons and seemed to enjoy doing it. Emma had long suspected that Sebastian liked Martha, but at times, he sure had a funny way of showing it. I’ll never understand boys, Emma thought.
While Martha and Sebastian were debating the issue of breaking school rules, Doug inserted the key in the lock and turned it. It opened easily with a faint click. Doug pushed on the gate, and it swung soundlessly inward. He held the gate as everyone filed past him and, as there was no one else in the library, left it open.
Emma looked around at the multitude of books that comprised Lord Dinswood’s private collection and felt a little overwhelmed. There were thousands of books. How were they ever going to find Rebecca’s journals? It was going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Martha must have been thinking the same thing.
“Unless somebody knows where we’re supposed to look, we could be here a very long time.”
“Yeah, this could take weeks,” Sebastian groaned.
“Well, then, I guess it’s a good thing that Lord Dinswood told dad where we could find Rebecca’s journals,” Doug said, smiling at Sebastian and Martha. “Most of the books have been organized and catalogued according to the Dewey Decimal System, but the journals are in a section marked Family History. It should be pretty easy to find. We’ll split up and each take an aisle. Once we find the right section, the journals all have a red binding.”
Before the others could start searching, Doug added, “Remember, Lord Dinswood asked us to be really careful with all of the books in here, especially the journals. They’re very old, and he doesn’t want them damaged. Also, some of the books are first editions and are very valuable.”
