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So I plopped down on the chair. Aza put vegetables, potatoes, and glazed chicken on my plate. In record time, I had devoured the portion and could not resist a second portion.
I was wonderfully full and satisfied when I finally went up the stairs to my room. After the heavy training, the meal had done very well. I was already looking forward to a hot shower and my cozy bed. Although Alex would not come over tonight, I was so tired that I would fall asleep immediately.
With dragging steps, I entered my room and closed the door behind me. But when I reached the center of the room, I was immediately wide awake again.
With widened eyes, I stared at the little table where I had already found the piece of jewelry that hung faithfully hiddenbetween my breasts under my clothes. Now, in the same place was an unknown document.
Hastily, I looked around the bedroom but could not find anyone. At the moment, I was alone, but apparently, someone had sneaked into my room. For the second time already, and with each visit, he left me something. It's almost like a gift.
Curious, I walked toward the paper and picked it up with trembling hands. I immediately saw what it was: the ground plan of a house. And it was our house. I was sure of it as I recognized our conservatory and the covered pool. It was very striking because of its unusual shape, which ensured it nestled against the foundation walls from the 19thcentury.
Concentrated, I studied the document. These plans were unknown to me. Father framed and hung the original construction plans on the wall in his study. Countless times, I had stood before them and traced the lines that represented the walls and formed the individual rooms.
My parents left the room layout in its original state, as did the previous owners and those before them. No homeowner had made even the slightest change to the walls for hundreds of years.
Strained, I looked at the slightly yellowed drawing. I tried to recall everything I had discovered on my father's cards as a young girl.
But the blueprints I had were nothing like my dad’s, I was surprised to discover.
Excitedly, I turned and turned the large paper. Did I see it right? Could this be possible?
A passageway was clearly marked on this map in the library on the first floor. It was impossible to see where it led, either out into the garden or the adjoining music room. Both were to be considered. On my father's plans, there was no such thing. I was pretty sure of that.
Confused, I put the documents on the table and sat in the corresponding armchair. Panting, I let myself fall back into it. My thoughts and questions were whirling through my head. Who had put these blueprints here? What exactly was this passageway that was only drawn in this version of the floor plan? Did it really exist? And if so, why did someone want me to know about it? Thoughtfully, I squinted my eyes. It was hard for me to make the proper connection. The whole thing was like a riddle that was urging me to be solved.
Without further ado, I jumped up, rolled up the papers, took off my shoes, and ran to the room door. However, my expansive dress rustled in the silence that surrounded me. How can I carry out my plan like this? I had to take off the garment and slip into a nightgown. Since the ground was quite cold, I kept my tights on.
Once again, I went to the door, opened it carefully, a crack, and listened out into the hallway. There was no sound to be heard anywhere. By now, it must be past midnight, so I assumed the staff on the upper floors had already gone to bed. Only in the hall could it happen that I encountered one of the guards from the security company my father had hired. I had to avoid that somehow.
I quickly stuffed the paper roll under the waistband of my tights at the back. This way, I had both hands free, and in case I was discovered after all, no one would notice it there.
Then, I turned off the light in my room and crept out into the hallway. Quietly, I closed the door behind me and hurried toward the stairs. There, I held my breath to listen again, but I only heard my rapid heartbeat, which almost rolled over with excitement.
Step by step, I slid down the stairs to the first floor. Nowhere was a guard to be seen or heard.
So I gathered all my courage and ran down the hall to the part of the house where the library was. Driven by the fear ofbeing discovered, I tore open the room door and rushed in. Out of breath, I closed it behind me and crawled directly between two shelves, where I first sat down exhausted on the floor. The panic of having been seen was deep in my bones. So I remained there for a few minutes. Only when I was sure no one had followed me did I take the blueprints out of their hiding place. I was sitting right next to the window, and the moonlight was so bright today that I could easily make out the lines of the floor plan.
The passageway was marked to the right of the large fireplace at the room's far end. From my position, I couldn't see anything there that indicated a door or something like that. One thing was sure: I had to venture closer.
With the documents, I crept from shadow to shadow through the room. But even when I stood directly in front of the place where, according to the plans, a secret passage was supposed to be, there was nothing to be seen. I did not dare to knock on the walls because I had to avoid any noise. So I leaned against the wall covered with wallpaper. One ear pressed against it; I remained like that until suddenly, an audible click went through the brickwork.
Surprised, I jumped back and saw that a gap had formed where nothing had been visible a moment ago. A narrow beam of light made its way through the opening.
Unsure whether I shouldn’t turn back and flee to my room, curiosity finally won out. My heart beat furiously as I carefully pressed all my weight against the wallpaper until the gap was large enough for me to slip through.
On the other side, a tunnel with a stone staircase leading downward awaited me. To my amazement, an already burning torch was stuck in a holder on the wall. Strange? Where had it come from? I wondered if someone had already been here.
"Hello?" I whispered into the tunnel. But everything remained silent, and nothing else indicated another person here besides me.
Hesitantly, I grabbed the light, took a deep breath, and descended the steps into the unknown. I was drawn by an inner urge that ignited my courage.
CHAPTER 20
With the torch held far out, I was swallowed up by the darkness in this underground tunnel. I felt the heat of its flame under the sleeve of the nightgown and hot on my skin. Smoke rose to my eyes and brought them to tears. Nevertheless, I kept walking, step by step.
Suddenly, I heard a soft click behind me, and when I turned around, I saw only a smooth wall at the beginning of the stairs. The crack that led into the library had disappeared.
The torch's heat spread throughout my body as panic possessed me. Hastily, I ran back up the stairs and threw myself against the brickwork, cursing, but it did not give an inch. Repeatedly, I drummed my free hand against the closed doorway, shouting Aza's and even Stephan's names.
