The two young servants sprang into action upon hearing their master shout his orders.
Keeping their voices down so as not to irritate the viscount further, the two men whispered instructions to each other whilst trying to discover how best to dislodge the stone tablet from the grave, without sending it crashing to the ground.
As he looked on, Father James began to wish that he had taken up Mathew’s offer to accompany him to see the viscount. His strength would certainly have come in handy right now.
Jasper, for his part, moved in to assist his two underlings, but his condition and general frailty made it obvious to everyone else that he was not up to the challenge.
Eventually, out of frustration at watching the two younger men push and strain against the stone cover without making much
