Chapter 19—Grounded

Jesse sulked in his room at the inn. He was no thief and hated being in trouble with his dad. It was true they had taken crystals, but Jesse didn't think of it as stealing. Hadn't the angel directed them to find crystals here in Joyeux? Even Madame Villars, the witch of the olive grove, had turned out to be helpful. But now he and his cousins were grounded until they told the truth about why they had taken the crystals—and returned them, he supposed.

Jesse heard a light knock. He walked to his door and opened it a slight crack. Aimée looked behind her and then pushed on the door. "Vite, let me in," she whispered, and slipped inside.

"Where's Juliette?" Jesse asked.

"Lying in bed, crying. She can't get over being yelled at by your dad. Mom yells at us and chases us with her hairbrush. She cries over that too."

"What if they find out you're in here? We're supposed to stay in our rooms." And "think things over," his dad had said.

"I know," Aimée said. "I've been spying around. Our parents are in le village shopping. Madame Printemps is in the laundry room. That'll be for a good hour at least. Marie is in the kitchen making bread. She never leaves until the loaves are done. We'll smell them baking."

Jesse's stomach growled. He walked over to his desk and sat down. Papers were spread around, notes on his orbital-points theory. It was only 11:00 a.m., with another hour till lunch. Aimée picked up a sheet and looked at it. Her eyebrows lifted and she put it down. She peered around. "Where are you hiding your crystals?" She lifted the mattress to look and then let go before sitting on the bed.

"That would be too obvious." He grinned.

"Where then?"

Jesse pointed up. Aimée looked up at the skylight. A knowing smile spread across her face as she pictured him standing on the bed, tying his small linen sack to the outside window latch.

"Thankfully it opens. They'll never find it there. Where did you and Juliette hide your crystals?"

Her look turned devious. "In our room there's a cupboard that runs alongside the inn. No one knows we go in because storage boxes fill the opening. We move the boxes, and voilà, we can travel to the chimney room in the back. We've hidden them behind a rock in the chimney."

Jesse smiled at Aimée's cleverness. Then his smile disappeared, and his face dropped into his hands. "What do I do about Dad? He's determined to keep us grounded until I explain. We have to be at the mine tomorrow night!"

"I have an idea and came to tell you," she whispered. "I think we should sneak out."

"What?" Jesse had never done anything like that before.

Aimée pressed his lips shut. "Shhh. I've got it figured out."

"I'm listening."

She jumped off the bed and walked to the desk. "You said nine-fifteen, right?" Jesse nodded. "We'll go to dinner in the kitchen as usual at six-thirty. Our parents will be eating with the guests, and Marie doesn't understand English, so we can talk. After dinner we'll make a show of playing Clue, set up the board, and move the pieces around. Then we'll go back to our rooms and be in our nightclothes when they drop in to say goodnight. Only our day clothes will be on underneath so we can shed our PJs right after they leave."

"What about the equipment? We'll need lights. It'll be dark."

Aimée's face took on a sly look. "I've already hidden everything under the back porch."

"What? When did you do that?" Jesse shouted.

"Shhh. Someone will hear us."

"Sorry." Jesse stood up and started pacing. He hated the idea of sneaking around, but in some ways admired his cousin's pluck.

Aimée glared at him. "I told you, I'm a great snoop."

He threw his arms up. "Geez, Aimée, you're taking huge chances of getting caught, and what about Madame Printemps? She's already suspicious." The grandmotherly housekeeper seemed to know everything that went on at the inn.

Aimée patted his arms. "Jesse, you're getting très anxieux. This plan will work. While our parents are in the salon with the guests after dinner, and Madame Printemps is clearing away the dishes, we'll sneak down the back steps, grab our gear, and head to the mine. We'll leave right after our parents stop in to say their goodnights." She frowned. "We'll hope it's by eight-thirty." Then her face brightened. "Maybe we can ask Zana and Madame Villars to help us."

"And how are we supposed to contact them way over in the olive grove?"

"Remember how they could see us in the silver fountain?"

"Yeah, but that's one-way, I think. They can see us, but we can't see them."

"Don't you think they've been watching us through the fountain this whole time and know we're trapped? They must remember the deadline and see we won't make it."

Jesse looked unconvinced.

"They did promise to help," Aimée said.

"So?"

"So...we give them a signal, something they can read through the fountain. A note."

Jesse nodded slowly. He was beginning to get her.

Aimée continued. "We can ask for their help through the fountain."

Jesse sat back and grabbed his pen. "Yeah, we'll ask for help. Maybe Zana's night vision can lead us through the woods and then down into the mine hideaway."

Aimée smiled. "Exactement."

That evening, Jesse and the twins sat quietly at the long wooden table nibbling on dinner. Daniel had been allowed to join them every night since their house arrest. The foursome behaved like perfect inmates. No one would have guessed they were working on an escape plan.

Jesse gave Daniel's shoulder a push. "If you didn't tell, then who did?"

Daniel shrugged. "Je ne sais pas." He helped himself to a third serving of lamb stew and rolls, and stuffed one in his pocket.

"I think it was Madame Villars who told," Aimée said, and looked at her sister for confirmation. Juliette said nothing and sniffled. Her eyes were red from crying. Le Nez sat on her lap. He had stayed with her throughout their punishment. She nuzzled his head.

Upon hearing the name Madame Villars, Chef Marie shot them a dark glance. Everyone went quiet. Aimée shook her head. Then Marie went back to her final dessert preparations.

"It could be Ma—the witch," Jesse said. "But that doesn't make sense. Why would she help us and then turn us in?"

"Who else knew we were in the mine?" Jesse looked at Daniel. "What about Grand-père? He could have seen us leaving with that canvas bag and figured it out. Maybe he knows we have the headlamps and chisels. Has he said anything to you?" Jesse needed a clue.

"Non, he hasn't come out of his room since. All I see are his empty wine bottles." Daniel shoved a bite of buttery bread into his mouth and chewed.

"Daniel..." Jesse stared at his friend's third bowl of stew. "Who cooks your meals?"

"No one," Daniel said without rancor. "C'est moi, I do. This morning I scrambled an egg from our chickens. And for lunch it was canned sardines."

Jesse and the twins' eyes met. Now they understood why Daniel was always hungry. The moment passed and Aimée spoke up. "Bien, we need to get our chickens in a row."

"Ducks," Jesse corrected. "We need to get our ducks in a row."

Aimée rolled her eyes and looked at Daniel. "Tomorrow night, can you sneak out?"

"Mais oui. Grand-père doesn't miss me anytime, day or night."

"Bon. Then wait for us outside," Aimée said. "We'll pick you up on our way to the mine."

Daniel's eyes widened. "You're going to escape?"

"Oui," Aimée said with authority. She looked at her twin's frightened face and reached out a hand. "We won't get caught, Juliette. I've thought this through. They'll see us ready for bed like every other night." She held her sister's hand. "You'll come?"

Juliette nodded and hugged her dog. One didn't often find her apart from her twin.

"Ahem." Jesse pointed behind him. The twins looked up to see the housekeeper's skirts at the top of the kitchen stairs. Aimée withdrew her hand. Le Nez barked once. Daniel kept eating.

Madame Printemps took the last two steps gingerly. "Ah, mes enfants." Her giant blue eyes stared at them. "You are almost finished? Good. Eat your desserts and then off to your rooms. Votre maman et papa will be along to say their goodnights."

Madame approached Daniel and her nostrils flared. "I have plans for you. Tonight you will have a bath." She grabbed his collar and pulled him up off the chair.

"But dessert?" he squealed.

"Marie will make you a basket to take." She looked at Marie and gave instructions in French. Marie nodded.

This was the last time they would see their friend until the moon was full.