18Isabella took the crimson booklet from under her pillow and crept out of bed. She shivered in the cool night air, hurriedly throwing her woollen cloak over her clean blouse of silk and lace. She opened her bedroom door carefully and stood still, listening intently for any sound. The house was in total silence, she prayed God that everyone was sleeping and sneaked out into the corridor on tiptoe. She was very good at making her way around the house under the cover of darkness, as she had memorised all of the rooms and doors she needed to pass through. She knew the exact position of the corners and every single piece of furniture, fully experienced by now at avoiding any obstacle along the way to the steps leading down to the courtyard. She descended the steps and went outside, the night w
