Free The Body Thief by Stephen M. Giles Page A

to stay a while longer.”
    Before the master could change his mind, Bingle excused himself and walked rapidly back into the maze of tunnels bound for the surface.
    Alone and nestled in a welcomed silence, Silas released a satisfied sigh. Everything was coming together as planned. The knowledge that Adele, Isabella, and Milo were finally in his grasp electrified his frail body.
    He closed his eyes, spinning dark dreams of Sommerset’s next heir.

10
    The Truth
    The boy is a dangerous lunatic,” said Isabella. “He should be locked up!”
    Adele frowned. “I don’t think he likes us very much. But then, you did call him devious.”
    “Well, he is devious!” snapped Isabella. “You don’t really believe he has no interest in Uncle Silas’s fortune, do you? Milo is here for the money, I am sure of it. Do not forget, cousin, he is an orphan, and they are cunning little beasts.”
    “Well…I suppose so.”
    The setting sun cast a soft light the color of ripe peaches into the large windows of the Sommerset library. Up on the second floor behind a large stack of leather-bound encyclopedias, Adele’s frizzy red hair bobbed up and down like the top of a pineapple. She closed her eyes and breathed in the thick odor coming from the musty pages—it smelled like vanilla beans and mothballs.
    “This is the most wonderful library in the whole world, isn’t it?” she said dreamily. “If it were mine I would throw open the doors so everyone could come and see it.” She looked around the soaring cathedral of books. “And I would invite children who haven’t enough money to buy their own books and they could come and enjoy the library any time they wanted to.”
    “What a wonderful idea,” said Isabella, who was resting her head against Thorn’s back as the great beast slept before the library’s grand marble fireplace. “Poor children are my favorite!”
    She sat up suddenly.
    “Cousin, you simply must tell Uncle Silas of your plans,” she instructed. “Tell him about all of those precious poor children you would bring to the island.”
    “Isabella, I don’t know if I can,” said Adele anxiously. Just the thought of approaching her uncle made her feel ill. “Uncle Silas will think I am mad if I start telling him what I would do with Sommerset if it were mine. Either that or he will hate me for being arrogant and too sure of myself.”
    “Arrogant— you? Never! Don’t forget, dear; Uncle Silas admires ambition and confidence. You have a vision for Sommerset and what a wonderful vision it is! Trust me, cousin, you simply must do it! With Milo scheming to win our uncle’s fortune for himself, we have to do whatever it takes to gain the upper hand…for you.”
    “Do you really think I should?”
    “On my life I do, cousin! Uncle Silas will see you are a girl of vision and progress. In short, the perfect heir for Sommerset!”
    “All right,” said Adele shyly. “I’ll try.” A smile spread across Adele’s face. Her stomach tingled. With Isabella’s help, Sommerset was going to be hers!
    Just at that moment a thunderous whooping sound echoed through the vaulted library. It seemed to be coming from the hallway outside and both girls looked toward the double doors just as a beaming woman with rosy cheeks and the hair of a circus clown burst through, hooting and hollering.
    “Hello, pets!” she bellowed, digging a half-eaten cookie from her pocket and shoving it into her gaping mouth. “Oh, what darling girls you are!”
    “Cousin, there’s a madwoman in the house!” cried Isabella, trying desperately to wake Thorn from his nap so he could attack the intruder. “Call security!”
    “An intruder?” Rosemary laughed raucously. “Heavens, no! I’m your long-lost Aunt Rosemary. Now come over here and give me a kiss!”
    The girls were speechless and bug-eyed. Adele was the first to move, walking carefully down the spiral staircase to the library’s ground floor. As she crossed the room toward her