The Golden Maze Read Online Free

like a tall scarecrow, her grey hair drawn tightly back from her forehead and neck with wisps of hair that had escaped. Her high cheekbones made her face almost like a skull, the skin taut and grey, her month drooping at the corners, her chin spotty, and her eyes— ! Her eyes were a strange grey and cold with hatred.
    "Mrs. Stone," Cindy said politely, smiling a little nervously. "I'm Miss Freston."
     
    "You were to come yesterday," the shrill impatient voice accused.
    "I know, Mrs. Stone, but there was a bad fog and I had to spend the night on the way."
    "You could have let me know."
    "I tried to, but I was told the phone at Claife Castle was out of order."
    Mrs. Stone frowned. "Is it ?" she said accusingly, almost as if it was Cindy's fault. "I'll get Paul to go down to the village and complain." She turned away, putting her hands to her mouth and bellowing : "Paul . . . Paul !"
    Cindy fidgeted a little and put down her case, for what else could she do ? Short of pushing her way past the housekeeper, she had to wait.
    In a moment, a long-legged man in blue jeans and a pullover came running. His fair hair curled on his shoulders, his eyes as he looked at Cindy were angry.
    "So she's here now," he said.
    "Paul, the phone isn't working. Go down to the village," Mrs. Stone told him.
    Paul looked Cindy up and down, his eyes narrowed.
    "I'll go now."
    He bounded off to the car Cindy had seen parked and with a great roar and strange hooting, went off down the drive. Mrs. Stone looked at Cindy.
    "The phone was working in the morning."
    "Well, it wasn't in the late afternoon," Cindy said, trying not to be annoyed, though Mrs. Stone's voice had almost implied that she was a liar. "At least that's what the exchange said."
    Mrs. Stone didn't answer and then turned away.
     
    "You'd better come in," she said reluctantly, almost as if she wished she could think of an alternative.
    Cindy followed, carrying her suitcase. In the hall, she paused, looking up at the lofty rafters, the stationary soldiers in armour that stood about, the wide curved staircase.
    Mrs. Stone paused on the stairs, looking round. "Are you coming now ?" she said crossly.
    "Of course." Cindy followed the older woman up the uncarpeted stairs, looking round curiously. Everything was old but also very shabby, she noticed, as if no money had been spent on the castle in years. Perhaps it hadn't been, for according to Keith Ayres, Uncle Robert had had financial troubles.
    Mrs. Stone opened a door, stood back dramatically to let Cindy in, staring at her as if wondering what Cindy's reaction would be.
    Cindy gasped, because it was like going into a museum—a huge four-poster bed with a torn but clean apricot-coloured silk bedspread, a dark brown' carpet, heavy dark green curtains hanging either side of a big window. Cindy acted impulsively. Dropping her suitcase, she ran across the room. It was indeed a beautiful view, for they 'were above the trees and she could see the whole steep slope down to the lake with the gentle mountains on the other side. It was so beautiful.
    "The bathroom is down the passage. The door is open," Mrs. Stone said, but Cindy only heard her as from a long distance. "Lunch will be served at one o'clock," then a pause and Mrs. Stone's voice rose so shrilly that Cindy was jerked back to the present and turned round to meet the cold suspicious eyes that
     
    glared at her. "And how long will you be staying now?" Mrs. Stone demanded.
    "A week, Mr. Ayres suggested," Cindy told her, wondering at the animosity she saw.
    "Ugh !" Mrs. Stone grunted, turned away and left the room, closing the door with a gentle bang that was far more expressive of her temper than a loud slam might have been.
    "But why is she so mad at me?" Cindy wondered as she hastily unpacked. Glancing at her watch, she saw she had an hour to spend before lunch. She decided to stroll around, hoping to keep out of Mrs. Stone's way.
    The castle was every bit as fascinating as Cindy had