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someone on the roof waving in my direction.’
‘I saw someone too,’ whispered Tallitha, ‘maybe it was you?’
Tyaas shrugged. ‘I got hopelessly lost and climbed onto the roof through a trapdoor at the back of the house.’
‘But if it wasn’t you, then who was it?’ asked Tallitha, looking anxiously at her brother. Perhaps the shroves were watching them. ‘Have you found anything?’
‘Just this old book, it was by that trunk,’ he said, passing it to his sister.
In the meagre light she could just make out the spidery handwriting.
‘This book belongs to Asenathe Morrow.’
     
‘But who’s she? I’ve never heard of her!’ exclaimed Tallitha.
    Tyaas hushed his sister, ‘Some relation of the sisters, I suppose. But whoever was here this morning may be back. I thought I saw Marlin creeping around.’
    ‘Me too, he scared me! Let’s take the book and get out of here.’ whispered Tallitha.
They held hands on the ramparts, steadying each other in the wind as they climbed into the small turret and back down into the main house.
‘Come on,’ said Tallitha, disappearing down the nearest staircase.
Tyaas caught up with her many floors later.
‘Wait, can’t you?’ he whispered as he bumped into her.
The walls were painted in pale gold and the chandeliers cast a creamy glow in the dim hallway.
‘I know this place,’ said Tallitha staring around, ‘Mother brought me up here on my seventh birthday.’
Before them was a large oak door ornately carved with bird motifs.
‘Come on,’ said Tallitha, ‘let’s take a peek, this is the Jewel Room.’
The door creaked open to reveal an ornate state room.
‘Wow,’ said Tyaas, ‘I’ve never seen so many precious stones.’
The walls were lined with glass cases filled with sparkling jewels graded in order of their size. There were diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds all glinting in the bright sunlight.
‘Who do they belong to?’ asked Tyaas in awe of the dazzling stones, ‘there are hundreds of them!’
Tallitha shrugged, ‘Great Aunt Agatha I suppose.’
They would be hers one day. They were pretty enough but not worth wasting her life over. In the centre of the room were two jewel boxes and Tallitha opened the smallest box. As the dazzling sunlight struck the magnificent gemstone, a kaleidoscope of sparkling colours sliced the room, one after another. There was aquamarine, emerald, cerulean blue, rose quartz, diamond white and viridian. Tallitha was awestruck by the brilliant lights and entranced by their intensity. She shaded her eyes from the piercing brilliance of the jewels but her head began to swim. Tyaas opened the second box.
‘What’s this old thing?’
Inside was a dull green stone with ruby thread markings. Tallitha banged down the lid.
‘What’s wrong?’ asked Tyaas.
Tallitha looked pale and clutched her forehead.
‘I feel dizzy.’
She couldn’t look at the gemstones any longer.
‘Come on, let’s go,’ she said, ‘someone may come.’
The room felt stuffy. Something was wrong with her, had been all day. She closed the door behind them and stroked her aching head as the colours continued to dance before her eyes.
‘This way,’ said Tallitha, beckoning to Tyaas to follow her.
‘Where are we?’ asked Tyaas, peering down the darkened passageway.
‘We’re on the fourth floor,’ she said, trying to sound convincing, but in reality the house was a complete mystery to her.
‘Can you hear that?’ he asked suddenly.
The sound of muffled voices could be heard across the landing. ‘Quick, in here,’ she whispered as she dragged Tyaas behind her.
The bedroom smelled of mothballs. As Tallitha put her ear to the door, she heard the unmistakable sound of Shroveling wending its way down the corridor. Marlin and Florré were inspecting the rooms and were heading in their direction. In a heartbeat they dived onto a huge poster bed, hiding behind the heavy curtains and burying as neatly as possible beneath the quilts. They lay in the