Chapter 4
The narrow alley beyond the rear gates was pitched in absolute darkness.
Jack, the middle-aged steward who usually wore a pleasant smile, stood silently at the entrance like an iron sentinel.
Three unassuming, dark-canopied mule carts were parked beside him, their beds already overflowing with bulging sacks.
The mules wore soft cloths wrapped tightly around their muzzles to prevent them from making a single sound.
Spotting our approach, Jack offered a deep bow, dropping his voice to a faint murmur. "My ladies, everything is prepared."
Helen nodded, handing over one of the massive bundles in her arms. "Jack, I am deeply indebted to you for all these years."
"You speak too highly of me," Jack replied, taking the bundle and securing it onto the cart. "Lord Stanton has acted without honor, so he cannot blame us for acting without mercy.
"You have shown immense grace to my family over the years. I would gladly lay down my life to ensure your safe passage."
His words were brief, yet every syllable carried the weight of iron striking the earth.
It was only then that I fully realized how long and how deep Helen had been weaving her web.
We quickly boarded the middle cart. The carriage was small and stuffed to the brim, leaving only a sliver of space. Helen, Rose, Daisy, and I squeezed tightly together.
The cramped cabin smelled heavily of dust mixed with the sharp metallic scent of raw gold and silver.
Helen lifted the edge of the curtain, speaking to the man outside, "Jack, stick to the plan and take the river route toward Springfield. There will be people waiting to assist you there.
"Once you have fenced the goods, take your family and sail overseas. Do not ever return. I have already prepared the necessary documents for you."
Jack bowed once more. "Thank you, my lady. May you two have a safe journey."
He didn't ask for our destination.
Such was the unspoken trust forged between them.
The driver flicked the reins, and the cart glided into the night. The wooden wheels rolled over the cobblestone pavement, emitting a faint creaking sound.
I pulled the curtain aside and looked back.
The colossal silhouette of Stanton Manor slowly faded into the darkness, resembling a slumbering beast.
That place held three years of my youth. It was a place I had once believed would be my home for a lifetime.
Now, it was utterly gone.
I let the curtain fall shut, my palms freezing cold.
Helen wrapped her hand around mine. "Do not look back. We will have a new home from now on."
I nodded and rested my head against her shoulder.
None of us slept a single wink that night.
The cart traveled relentlessly until the sky began to turn a pale gray, finally halting at a dilapidated river crossing.
An inconspicuous boat was already waiting by the docks. A boatman wearing a wide-brimmed hat stood silently at the bow.
We stepped down from the cart and, with the help of the two female servants, transferred the cargo onto the boat trip by trip. Those sacks were shockingly heavy.
I hoisted a smaller one onto my shoulder and nearly pulled a muscle in my back. I could not tell if it was filled with gold or silver.
By the time the sun fully breached the horizon, the transfer was complete.
The two servants bowed deeply to Helen and silently drove the empty cart away in the opposite direction.
Helen handed the driver a pouch of coins, and he also departed.
From beginning to end, these people moved with the quiet precision of clockwork machines, never uttering a single unnecessary syllable.