Mystery at the Manor

By Ann Wilks

In the grounds of an ancient Manor House a mystery has lain concealed for centuries. The accidental discovery of an old diary will lead Pip and Beth on a dangerous quest, as they search for hidden treasure and solve the Mystery of the Manor.

In the first of a series of childrens novels, Pip and Beth must seek to uncover the hidden meaning of a number of clues. Whilst holidaying on a caravan site in the grounds of an old Tudor Mansion in South Essex the children find themselves following in the footsteps of a young Elizabethan girl, who had to flee the Manor House for her life.

Their adventures lead them to discover local history and explore the neighbouring countryside. They make some unexpected friends as they begin to solve the clues.

Finally they must try to outwit a sinister figure they have come to know as The Shadow, and beat him to find the location of hidden treasure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Jul 17, 2008
• ISBN: 9781504941785

Ann Wilks

Ann Wilks is an ordained minister, a classically trained pianist, artist, teacher, wife mother and grandmother. She is passionate about books, and determined to encourage others to explore the depths of the written word.   Ann is the author of a series of novels following the exciting adventures of two young investigators, Pip and Beth, as they learn the importance of reading and hone their detective skills.   Ann is married to Derrick, a retired Police Detective, who helps her, by using his experiences, in moulding the storyline into an exciting challenge, a thrilling journey of exploration.

Book preview

Mystery at the Manor

by

Ann Wilks

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AuthorHouse™ UK Ltd.

500 Avebury Boulevard

Central Milton Keynes, MK9 2BE

www.authorhouse.co.uk

Phone: [phone]

© 2008 Ann Wilks. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 11/19/2008

ISBN: 978-1-4343-7133-1 (sc)

Contents

Prelude

Chapter 1 Unexpected Freedom

Chapter 2 ‘The Shadow’

Chapter 3 The Lion, the Queen and the Big Black Bird.

Chapter 4 The Old House

Chapter 5 Death in the Afternoon

Chapter 6 The Secret of the Tunnel

Chapter 7 A Letter from Elizabeth

Chapter 8 The Burglary

Chapter 9 The Diary

Chapter 10 Secret Lettering

Chapter 11 In the Footsteps of Elizabeth

Chapter 12 The Early bird catches the… thief?

Chapter 13 Code Breakers

Chapter 14 Death Under the Oak Tree

Chapter 15 A Most Unwelcome Visitor

Chapter 16 Straight Clues

Chapter 17 The Gate

Chapter 18 Digging for Treasure

Chapter 19 Worthless?

Finale

Historical Note

Nanna’s Bedtime Stories

Dedicated to my grandchildren

Especially for Jasmine

With love and thanks to

Derrick

For all your love, support, ideas

and encouragement

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Prelude

It seemed strange that it was such a beautiful autumn that year of 1556; strange because it was such a dangerous time to be alive. The golden sunlight streamed in through the open window, and bathed the girl sitting there in its glow. The late afternoon warmth soothed her troubled spirits.

She could clearly hear the masons busy at work in the gardens, but that only served to remind her how much she was going to miss this beautiful new house. She suddenly shivered as she thought of the long sea voyage that would soon be taking her across the Channel to Holland and a new home. Her family felt she must be protected from the continued persecution of Queen Mary and her court; and however much she had grown to love this beautiful place, the decision had been made and could not be altered.

She sighed, and glanced down at the small packet, which she was turning over and over in her hands.

Suddenly she heard the sound of a horse’s hooves in the courtyard below. As she reached the top of the stairs, she caught the end of the message for her stepmother.

My Lord Middleton will be here in less than half an hour, the herald was saying.

They had been expecting Middleton to arrive tomorrow to escort her to the boat. She knew now that she must make every moment count. Quickly she ran back to her room, seized her cloak, tucked the precious packet within its folds and slipped out, murmuring under her breath: I pray I have time enough!

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Chapter 1

Unexpected Freedom

This holiday is turning out to be a real surprise, in more ways than one! thought Beth, as she ran back to the caravan with Pip.

Their parents had gone to Spain to look at business opportunities over there, which had sounded so exciting that both children had wanted to go too. They had certainly not wanted to spend a whole summer down here in Essex with Nanna and Gramps, but now it was beginning to seem like living in a huge playground with an adventure around every corner.

Although their grandparents had recently moved down to a new house in central Essex they still spent the summer months in their old caravan by the river Crouch.

Pip and Beth shared the bedroom at one end of the caravan. It had a special screen dividing it, so they both had their own tiny room, complete with their own window and cupboard space.

They had made their own den in the woods near the old house, and had the freedom to roam wherever they liked on the site. Gramps was showing Pip how to fish, which was something he’d always wanted to be able to do, but Dad had never seemed to have time to teach him. Nanna was a mine of information about flowers and trees, and Beth, a keen Brownie, realised that this was a great place to study for her wildlife badge. The first few days had passed really quickly.

There’ll be a grand sunset tonight! exclaimed Gramps, as the children unzipped the awning door. He and Nanna had lived down in the south for nearly two years, but he had not lost a bit of his strong Yorkshire accent. Anyone for a stroll down the lane towards the sea-wall? he asked. We’ll have to take torches though, ‘cos it’ll be dark before we get back.

Oooh, yes! said Beth, Can I borrow one of yours?

I don’t need one! said Pip, brandishing his key ring, which had a luminous blue, tiny little torch on it. It was intended to help you locate the keyhole when you arrive home in the dark. Dad gave me this before we came away, he said, proudly.

You’ll not see much with that, lad; but I reckon we’ll manage with these two. Gramps winked at Beth, and reached into a bag that hung behind the caravan door, pulling out a couple of dirty-looking orange torches. Nanna, will you be making cocoa for us when we get back? he asked.

I’ll have it sorted, and a couple of toasted pikelets, too, she answered.

Pikelets? asked Beth, What are they?

Oh, I expect you will be calling them crumpets, or muffins, or some such thing, Nanna said. You have them hot, with the butter oozing through. They’re gorgeous! Mmm!

Well, enough of that, Nanna, said Gramps If we’re not away soon we’ll miss the sunset altogether.

So off they went, through the caravan site, and into the lane. As they walked between the hedgerows they watched the amazing golden colours starting to spread out across the sky. They had not gone far when Gramps crossed the single-track road to where a five-bar gate gave them a magnificent view of the sun, which was beginning to drop towards the trees at the far side of the field. The sunset was painting the low clouds with a wonderful variety of pinks, purples and gold. Away to their left, beyond the path by the sea-shore, the sun was glinting on the broad river.

Wow! said Beth.

Pip just stood silently watching. Mmm, he murmured, eventually.

So, how long before the sun drops below the horizon? asked Gramps.

Oh, half an hour or so, I expect, said Pip.

I should say much longer than that, don’t you think, Gramps? said Beth.

Well, we’ll wait and see; but I reckon that it’ll be time to light those torches in ten minutes or so. Gramps leant over the gate, and settled down to wait.

By stretching a little Pip was able to rest his chin on his hands on the very top of the gate. He glanced down at his watch. Beth wasn’t so tall and had to be content with watching between the top two bars. They gazed in silence for a while, looking up at the brilliant colours, and then Beth noticed a herd of cows. They were beginning to amble across towards the gate, from the far corner of the field.

It’s a good job the gate’s here! she said, Or we might get trampled on.

Oh, I don’t think they would worry us, lass remarked Gramps. They’ll be used to folk coming and going. Now that’s the funny thing about a gate. Is it here to stop the cows from going into the lane, or to stop us from getting into their field, I wonder? Whichever way you’re going, you’re going somewhere that you couldn’t get if there wasn’t a gate to let you in, or to keep you out of course!

Oh, Gramps, sighed Pip, You don’t half rattle on sometimes! He squinted down to see his watch. Sometimes Gramps did seem to chatter on endlessly, but sometimes he knew exactly what he was talking about. It was precisely ten minutes since Pip had checked the time, and the sun was now practically out of sight, behind the trees. Indeed they would need their torches to see their way back.

On their way home Beth and Gramps could clearly see where Pip was, his little blue light glowing noticeably in the dark, but Pip was not going to tell Gramps how right he had been about the key ring: the blue beam was no use at all in showing him where to put his feet. He ended up picking his way from the edge of Beth’s torch beam.

It was probably because he had to concentrate so hard on the ground, that he was the first to notice the strange green lights among the fallen leaves.

Hey, what’s that? he exclaimed, pointing to two tiny, emerald green twinkling lights, almost under his foot.

What? asked Beth, turning suddenly, and almost blinding Pip as she swung her torch around.

Be careful with that! he shouted at her. I can’t see a thing now! I’m sure there was something looking at me, a pair of green eyes, down here, somewhere.

Yes, be careful! said Gramps. There are snakes around here, you know. Let’s see if we can find out what it is, Pip.

Snakes! shrieked Beth, clutching Gramps arm, and causing the torchlight to flash uncontrollably backwards and forwards.

"Now, steady on there! There’s not likely to be anything to worry about. If it was a snake it will be long gone by now. They are far more frightened of us than we are of them. Don’t go jumping around like a lunatic!

Pip, whereabouts were the eyes, or whatever they are? he continued.

I noticed them just down here, Pip pointed. Gramps shone his torch down to where Pip indicated but there was nothing unusual to see.

Well, whatever it was, they’ve gone now, so come along, you two. Nanna will have the supper ready! said Gramps.

As he moved the torch away Pip suddenly called out: They are there, they are glowing in the dark! and now they could all see the small, bright green lights among the leaves. In order to get a better view, they almost bumped heads as they all bent down.

Well, I never! said Gramps. They all looked closely and saw three bright green beetles, each with a pair of luminescent wings. I haven’t seen anything like that before! We certainly didn’t have those back in Yorkshire. You’re right, Pip, they do look like eyes shining in the dark.

It was fun on the way through the campsite, seeing who could spot the most beetles, creeping up to them and keeping count. There were quite a few along the tracks, but they seemed to be concentrated mostly around the ponds.

At last they turned into their own field, and the lights from their van were shining out invitingly. Pip ran on ahead, now that he didn’t need the torchlight; but even he hurried quickly past the tiny, old caravan, tucked away at the side of the field. Beth and he never liked passing it; its diamond paned windows seemed like eyes studying their every move, and the curtains always appeared to twitch every time they went by.

Gramps followed them into the caravan, having noticed that both children were none too keen on the little grey van. He muttered to himself: Aye, there are some strange goings on around here, and that’s a fact!

Beth seemed unable to get to sleep that night. She felt hot and stuffy. She knew that Pip’s light had been off for a while now and felt sure that he was already asleep.

Through the curtains she was aware of an amber glow, spilling out of the window of their neighbour’s caravan, shining on the close-cut grassy area just outside her room. She could even hear the murmur of their voices, as she opened her window to let in the cool breeze.

Then, to her delight, she watched as a pair of fox-cubs cautiously emerged out of the wooded area behind their own caravan. Gingerly at first, they began to play, oblivious of the noise next door. They started rolling over and over one another, frolicking and pulling at one another’s ears. Soon they were fighting, boxing, jostling into each other in their play. In no time at all, they were joined by the vixen, their mother. At first she was pushing one or other of them over with her nose, or tapping them gently, and sometimes not-so-gently, on the side of their heads. At last she lay down to watch them play and to