I have to shut the lamp off. I managed to shuffle forwards in my seat – just a little, and Mrs Baron turned to watch me struggle. ‘This country is going to be magnificent,’ she said, and her eyes gleamed. ‘It will be a newer, cleaner world – ordered and perfect – exactly as my husband said it would be!’ She pulled a small bottle from her pocket, opened it, and tipped some of the contents on to a white cloth. ‘And nothing will stop us,’ she hissed, taking a step towards me. ‘I had no qualms about putting your sister to sleep when she tried to stand in my way, and I’m more than happy to dispatch you too, Petra. Obstacles along the path to glory must be removed!’

Chapter 44

44

Planes roared across the sky as Mrs Baron pushed the white cloth into my face.

It smelt like strong alcohol, or something you’d use to clean a kitchen sink. I gulped in a quick breath of clean air and tried to duck out of the way, wriggling back in my chair, but then I heard something – footsteps on the lighthouse stairs, a shout. Mrs Baron twisted towards the noise and I shoved her hard with both hands. She fell heavily, dropping the cloth and the glass bottle which shattered on the floor.

‘You’re not going to stop me,’ she screamed, scrabbling to get up, and I saw her reach for the heavy iron handle that cranks up the optic. ‘You stupid little girl! You pathetic little mouse!’ As she lurched towards me, raising the crank above her head, a figure plunged into the lantern room and hurled itself at her. It took just a moment for me to recognize my brilliant, heroic sister. Mags tackled the shrieking woman, trying to wrestle the crank handle from her. Mrs Baron caught her hard on the chin with it, but Mags wrapped herself around Mrs Baron’s back and clung on like a limpet, stopping her from getting back on to her feet.

Light blasted around us and the sound of engines in the sky was almost deafening, but I wasn’t afraid any more. I was full of fire now – this monster had taken so much from me already, I wasn’t going to let her destroy me or my sister or our Castle. I launched myself out of the chair and landed heavily, driving all the breath from my body. Gasping, clawing, I hauled myself across the floor. I pushed myself up with one hand, and with the other I snatched at the lever of the lamp and shoved it upwards.

The darkness rushed back around us, thick as a swarm of bees.

There was a violent scraping noise, a thud and a cry of pain.

‘Mags!’

Then footsteps down the staircase – quick and light.

Mrs Baron was getting away!