“We’re out of the large ones,” complained Ruby. “The young master had the last of them, only last week. I’ll never know what he does with them up there.” Remembering the drooping light sticks I had seen in Matthew’s room, I had a pretty good idea what he did with them. Matthew himself said nothing but stopped stroking the candle and sat up straighter than he had done before and took a gulp of his rum, turning an even deeper scarlet than he had done before.
“Very well, Ruby, bring whatever ones we have left. It’s as dark as a mausoleum in here. There is something I wish to show Mr Grubb.”
Curious, I too sat up straighter. Ruby returned quickly and began setting more candles in the available sconces and lighting them, lifting the level of illumination in the room from cave-like dimness to
