(Ruby's POV)
The sound of knocking woke me.
Not loud, but insistent. Three sharp raps on the bedroom door. I sat up, disoriented. The fire had burned down to embers. Gray light filtered through the curtains. Morning.
Nicholas was already awake, his feet on the floor.
"What is it?" he called.
Mrs. MacLeod's voice came through the wood. "You need to come downstairs. The workers found something."
Nicholas pulled on his trousers. I grabbed my robe.
"What time is it?" I asked.
"Just after six."
The corridor was dark, lit only by the sconces on the walls. Mrs. MacLeod was waiting at the top of the stairs, her face pale in the dim light. She was holding her hands together, fingers interlaced.
"What is it?" Nicholas asked again.
"A box. Sealed in the chimney breast of the main hall. They were cleaning out the soot and found a loose brick."
I looked at Nicholas. His jaw was tight.
"How many workers saw it?" he asked.
