Oracles of Delphi Keep (22 page)

The cupboards in the kitchen had been rebuilt and sparkling china lined the shelves. The classroom at the very back of the keep, behind the west wing, hadn’t been touched by the beast, and yet all the old rickety desks had been replaced by sturdy, larger ones.

Upstairs the earl’s generosity was even more apparent. Ian made his way up to his dormitory and discovered several sets of freshly purchased clothes placed on the crisp clean sheets covering his new bed. He was also surprised to discover that even though he had never turned in a list of the personal items he’d like replaced, the earl had seen to it that he was given a pocket torch, a Swiss Army knife, and a compass, with a personal note that read
For future explorations
.

Ian smiled and tucked the compass, the knife, and the pocket torch into his trousers, feeling the necklace that he was keeping safe for Theo there too.

Next he pulled out the storage trunk that had been placed under his bed and lifted the silver box from his mattress, where he’d set it while he looked over his things.
Before placing the treasure box inside the trunk, he inspected it closely for perhaps the hundredth time, trying to figure out how it opened, but he was still at a loss as to how to get the lid up.

With a sigh he finally placed the box into the trunk along with his clothes and pushed the trunk back under his bed. Sitting on his mattress for a moment, he stared out the window, which had a brand-new pane in it, lending a much clearer view of the grounds outside. He was surprised to see a motorcar traveling up the road leading to the keep. And more surprised when Theo burst into the room. “Ian!” she said with a touch of the panic he’d seen in her a few days before. “No matter what, when that couple arrives, you do
not
want to be adopted and you do
not
know me!”

Ian’s heart sank. “Oh, no,” he said as he put his hands on her shoulders. “Theo, are you having another attack?”

Theo shook her head hard. “No,” she said in an urgent whisper. “Just listen to me and do as I say!”

Ian didn’t know what to do. The expression Theo wore was so similar to the look she’d had out on the lawn at Castle Dover that he was worried she might be having a relapse. He knew that if she had another attack, the headmistresses would take the doctor’s advice and ship her off to the sanitarium. “Theo, please try to calm down,” he whispered, feeling the knot of fear forming in the pit of his stomach. “We can’t let the headmistresses see you like this again.”

But Theo was having none of it. “Ian, don’t be daft!” she snapped. “There is a couple coming to our door asking to adopt two children, one boy and one girl. Whatever you do, whatever you say, you cannot allow them to adopt
you. And you
cannot
mention that you and I get along, all right?”

Ian nodded dumbly, thoroughly confused, because although Theo looked distressed, her eyes didn’t have that far-off cast that they’d had when she’d been speaking about the Fury and his army. “Yes, yes, Theo,” he said, deciding it was best to trust that she wasn’t having another attack. “Whatever you want, as long as you promise to be calm, all right?”

Theo’s intense expression relaxed, but then she said, “Oh! And I have to tell Carl too!”

Ian smiled and nodded over her shoulder at Carl, who had come into the room a few moments earlier and was hovering anxiously on the edge of his bed, taking in every word.

“Sorry,” Carl said with a blush. “Couldn’t help overhearing you two.”

“No, it’s fine,” said Theo, turning to him. “No matter what, Carl, don’t agree to go away with the couple. And you hate girls, simply
hate
them. You don’t want a sister and you don’t want to be adopted by anyone who would want you to have a sister, all right?”

Carl looked sideways at Ian, clearly unsure how to respond. Behind Theo’s back Ian nodded vigorously, urging his friend to agree. “Yes, of course, Theo,” Carl said, to Ian’s relief. “Whatever you say.”

Just then there was a loud knock at the front door downstairs and all the boys in the dormitory went silent. The keep rarely received visitors. A moment later, Madam Scargill’s heavy footsteps clomped across the floor of the front hallway and the newly built front door squeaked open. “May I help you?” they heard her ask.

There was a bit of mumbling; then Madam Scargill said, “Oh, my! This is a surprise. You’re interested in adopting two of our children? Why, won’t you please come in?”

Relief and surprise washed over Ian. Theo hadn’t had another attack; her powers of sight were simply working as they used to. He gave her an admiring smile.

She returned his look with her mouth set in a firm line and her eyes narrowed. “Remember what I told you,” she whispered. “You don’t want to be adopted, and you never play with any of the girls here at the orphanage.” Then she turned and darted out of their room.

“What do you make of that?” whispered Carl in awe.

“I don’t know,” admitted Ian. “But I suspect we’re going to find out.”

Two hours later all the older boys with blond hair had been corralled into the dorm room that Ian and Carl shared. “Now, remember what I told you about minding your manners,” advised Madam Dimbleby, sitting on a bed. “This couple has been peculiarly specific about what type of child they’re looking to adopt. One boy of at least ten and one girl of that same age, both with blond hair. They plan to interview each child who fits that description until they find the right pair.”

“Do you know anything about the couple?” asked James, a boy slightly younger than Ian.

“Madam Scargill and I have interviewed them extensively Their names are Herr and Frau Van Schuft. They are from Austria, but are living here in England now, in the North Country near Newcastle.”

“That’s a long way away,” said Phillip, the boy sitting next to James. “If we go with them, we won’t be able to come back and visit.”

Ian understood the boy’s reservation. This was the only home and family that so many of the orphans at Delphi Keep had ever known, and while a good portion of the children dreamt daily about being adopted by people they could finally call Mummy and Daddy, some, like Ian and Phillip, were quite happy where they were.

“Now, now,” Madam Dimbleby said to Phillip. “You know that this opportunity doesn’t come round to you older boys very often. You may miss us at first, Phillip, but after you’ve had time to adjust to your new family, you’ll hardly think of we sorry lot at all. And besides that, you’ll have a sister from Delphi to remind you how lucky you were to be adopted.”

Phillip seemed to brighten and the other boys grew more excited too as they chattered on about the possibility of finally being taken in by a real family. All except Ian and Carl. The two of them sat in uncomfortable silence, wondering about what Theo had told them. Searle spoke up then. “I for one can’t wait to meet my new parents. I shall convince the couple that I am the perfect boy for them.”

Madam Dimbleby gave him a serious look that suggested she dearly hoped so too and Ian hid a smirk. “That’s the attitude, Searle,” she said encouragingly. “But you might want to appear a bit more humble during your interview.”

There was a knock on the door, and Ian looked up to see Madam Scargill pop her head in. “Is it the boys’ turn now?” asked Madam Dimbleby.

“Yes,” said Madam Scargill, a look of deep concern on her face. “But before we send them down, might I have a word with you, Maggie?”

Madam Dimbleby got stiffly up off the bed and went out into the hallway with her cousin. The boys were very quiet as they strained to hear what was being said. James put his ear to the door to listen, and the other boys looked at him expectantly. “They’re talking about Theo,” he whispered, and Ian felt a nervous shiver run through him. “Madam Scargill says that during Theo’s interview, she threw a temper tantrum and had to be carried out of the room!”

“Uh-oh,” whispered Carl, and Ian swore under his breath. He’d been right the first time: Theo must be having another one of her episodes. She was
always
polite and well behaved in public.

“Madam Scargill says that the couple want nothing to do with her,” James continued.

Just as James finished speaking, the door opened again and Madam Dimbleby asked, “Who’s first, then?”

Searle shot his hand up into the air. “I’ll go, Madam!” he said.

“Very well,” she answered with a sigh. “I’ll walk you downstairs; then I must visit the girls’ dormitory.”

As soon as she shut the door, there was much nervous chatter as all the boys raced around to check their appearances and smooth out their clothing, each of them wanting to make a good first impression. But Ian and Carl didn’t pay any attention to how they looked. Instead, the two sulked on their beds, worried about Theo.

Faced with the prospect of an interview with the couple
downstairs, Ian wasn’t sure how to behave. He decided that it was best to follow Theo’s directions. Even if the thought of having a real mother and father to call his own was somewhat appealing, Ian had no interest in being taken away from Theo.

“Do you think she’s gone over the edge again?” Carl asked Ian quietly, pulling him out of his troubled thoughts.

“No!” Ian said defensively, then softened his tone. “I just think that what happened with the beast has caused her to lose …” Ian’s voice trailed off as he searched for the appropriate words.

“Yes?” asked Carl.

“Perspective,” Ian finished. “I think she’s having trouble with her perspective.”

Carl gave him a look that suggested Ian might be the one having trouble with perspective. “So I’m supposed to go down there and try to avoid getting adopted, knowing that Theo’s a little off her nutty?”

“She’s not off her nutty!” snapped Ian with a hard glare at Carl. It was fine for Ian to think it, but for someone else to say it was unacceptable.

“Fine,” grumbled Carl. “She’s having perspective problems. Still, I really want a family, Ian. What if these people like me? I mean, I can be quite charming, you know.” Carl bounced his eyebrows up and down for emphasis.

Ian rolled his eyes, not remotely amused, and turned away toward the window. “Do what you want, Carl,” he grumbled. “I promised Theo that I’d follow her instructions, and I intend to keep my word.”

Ian continued to stare out the window moodily as the
other boys were called down one by one for their interview. The afternoon sun had started its descent when he heard Carl’s name called, and Ian—feeling bad now—turned to wish him luck, but his friend was already disappearing out the door.

Ian sighed and turned back to his window to wait for Carl’s return, as he was the only boy left to interview with the couple. Just ten minutes later Carl came back to the room and said curtly, “You’re next.”

Ian looked at him, hoping to get a hint about what the couple was like, but Carl simply went to his bed, lay down, and stared at the ceiling.

Ian sighed again, got up, and walked with slumped shoulders out of the room and down the stairs where Madam Scargill was waiting for him. “They are in the drawing room, Master Wigby,” she said.

“Yes, ma’am, but might I ask how Theo is? I heard there was some sort of incident with her.”

Madam Scargill raised one eyebrow. “Theo is perfectly well,” she said. “However, her behavior will not be tolerated. She’s in her room, where she’ll stay for the next week. You may visit with her after your interview, if you’re concerned, but only for a few minutes.”

Ian felt a rush of relief. “Thank you, ma’am,” he said, turning toward the drawing room.

“And remember,” Madam Scargill called after him, “we expect you to be on
your
best behavior.”

Ian flashed a smile over his shoulder. “Of course,” he assured her. After all, Theo never said he couldn’t be polite,
just that he should insist that he didn’t like girls and didn’t want to be adopted.

When he got to the door, he knocked softly and heard a woman answer, “Enter!” Ian pulled open the door and stepped through to the keep’s drawing room, which was primarily used as a study for the two headmistresses.
“Guten tag!”
said a beautiful woman with platinum blond hair, pale skin, and ruby-painted lips.

“Hello,” said Ian, nervous about meeting the strangers.

“I am Hylda Van Schuft, and zis is my husband, Dieter,” The woman nodded to the man next to her. Herr Van Schuft was as handsome as his wife was beautiful.

“Hello,” Ian said again as he stood stiffly by the door.

“And you are?” Frau Van Schuft asked with a hint of mirth.

“Er … Ian Wigby, ma’am,” he said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“Come sit vith us,” Frau Van Schuft said sweetly in her thick accent as she gestured to a chair on the other side of the table where they were seated.

Herr Van Schuft was smiling broadly at him and turned to his wife and said, “He looks like us, doesn’t he,
liebling
?”

Ian wasn’t sure why, but his insides turned icy cold. He didn’t like the couple, even though they seemed perfectly nice. He couldn’t help feeling that their smiles were forced and their words rehearsed. “Ja,” Frau Van Schuft said. “He could easily pass for von of us.” Turning to Ian, she said, “Vee vould prefer to have children zat look like vee do. There are always fewer … qvestions, ja?”

Ian said, “Yes, but I don’t sound like the two of you, do I?”

His tone was abrupt and rude and Frau Van Schuft gave him a sharp look. “’Tis no matter,” she said, pushing the edges of her lips up into an even more forceful smile. “Vee are living in England now, so of course our children vill speak like you.”

Ian shrugged. He had already decided to trust Theo’s instincts and play this exactly as she had instructed.

In the awkward silence that followed, Herr Van Schuft said, “Tell us about yourself.”

Ian looked down at his hands, nervously picking at his trousers. “What would you like to know?” he asked.

“How old are you?” Frau Van Schuft asked.

The question seemed harmless. “I’m thirteen,” he said.

“Vhat is your favorite subject in school?” asked Herr Van Schuft.

Ian smiled to himself. This was a good opportunity for him to appear difficult. “I don’t have one. In fact, I’m a dreadfully poor student.”