Chapter 10
Surprise! It's a Party!
They burst into the bustling reenactment village, expecting to find Aunt Carol in some sort of predicament. Instead, they find her in the center of the village green, resplendent in a historical costume, laughing heartily. She's surrounded by actors and a small group of friends, all dressed in period attire. It's a surprise birthday party – for Aunt Carol herself! She greets them with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, explaining the scavenger hunt was her elaborate 'gift,' designed to ensure they explored every nook and cranny of her beloved mansion and had an unforgettable adventure before she left for her own solo travels.
The creak of the ancient carriage wheels was a symphony of anticipation, a rhythmic thudding that mirrored the frantic beat of their hearts. Dust plumed around them, a golden haze in the late afternoon sun, as they jounced along the dirt path leading into the heart of “Ye Olde Timey Village.” Meah, perched precariously on the edge of the bench, her gaze darting between the increasingly outlandish costumes of passersby and the fading light, felt a knot of anxiety tighten in her stomach. Beside her, Ariana clutched her arm, her knuckles white, while Louie, ever the showman, was already trying to engage a man in a powdered wig selling what appeared to be suspiciously lumpy sausages. Bentley, predictably, was slumped against the carriage wall, a look of profound disinterest plastered on his face, though Meah caught him surreptitiously scanning the faces in the crowd.
“Are you sure about this, Meah?” Ariana whispered, her voice barely audible above the din of the village. “What if… what if she’s actually in trouble?”
Meah squeezed her sister’s hand. “We have to be sure, Ari. That last clue… ‘The greatest treasure is a life well-lived, embraced with gusto.’ It sounded so… final.” She shivered, remembering the chilling implication that Aunt Carol might have been in some kind of danger. The thought of her aunt, so full of life and laughter, meeting a grim fate made her stomach churn.
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