Then I realized what it was. The door moved. It was swinging ajar on its hinges.

The impulse was irresistible. I pushed it open and went in.

The first thing that struck me was the smell. It was strange and yet familiar. The place was close of course—little air came in. Then I realized what it was. It was the odour of sea water, seaweed, and a sort of musty dampness.

The door opened on to the hall which was very similar to that of the other towers. It was dark not only because little light came in but because this hall was full of articles. There were great boxes and piled objects of all kinds strewn about the floor. My foot touched something which made me cry out. I thought it was a man lying there trussed up. It was a bale of cloth. I bent over it. The sea smell was strong. It was slightly damp.

I made my way across the hall, stepping carefully round the objects which littered the floor. There were goods of all descriptions. What on earth could it mean? I could not understand it. How long had these things been here and whence had they come?

I went up the stairs. Along the gallery everywhere was permeated by this damp sea smell.

I pushed open a door and went in. I saw a wooden case. I went over it and looked inside. Some trinkets lay in it. They looked like gold and silver. I lifted one. It was a long gold chain. The workmanship reminded me of the chain Colum had given me with the ruby-studded locket.

As I stood there I heard a noise. I felt the hair on my head rise a little. I remembered suddenly that I was in Ysella’s tower, the haunted tower, the tower where Ysella had lived all those years ago in secret.

Almost immediately I overcame my fear. Someone was in the hall below. The door had been opened. Someone must have come in to get something.

I started along the gallery and reached the staircase. There was no one in the hall. Hastily I descended the stairs. A sudden feeling of panic had come over me. It was because the hall seemed darker than it had when I had entered. I saw why. The great iron-studded door which had been open and which I had left open was closed.

I hurried to it. I could not open it. Then I realized that it was locked.

I pulled at the enormous handle, but of course it would not move. The answer was simple. Someone had come in here, had either been in here when I entered and not seen me, or gone out for a while leaving the door unlocked and then returned, and locked the door.

Whatever had happened the fact remained. I was locked in Ysella’s tower.

I banged on the door with my fists. Whoever had locked the door could not be far away. But I realized quickly that this could do little but bruise my hands. I shouted, but my voice could not penetrate those thick walls.

I was faced with the alarming fact that I was locked in Ysella’s Tower.

What could I do? Was there possibly some other outlet? I must not panic. I must explore. There might well be another door. I knew the layout of the tower because it was similar to the others. I wished I could escape that horrible musty odour which seemed to grow stronger every minute. I found my way into what in Ysella’s day must have been the kitchens. There were the great oven, the fireplace and the roasting spits. There were a few cauldrons. They were filled with objects. There were some coins in one. I looked at them; they were not English coins. In another pot there was some more jewellery.

I thought then: When Colum wishes to give a gift to his wife he comes down here and selects it.

There was a door in a small passage close to the kitchens. I tried it; it was securely locked. There was no way out there.

I made my way back to the hall. The horrible realization came to me that it would soon be dark but I consoled myself that I should be missed and they would come in search of me. But would they think of looking in Ysella’s Tower?

I came into the hall, tried the door again, banged my fists against the stubborn wood, and called at the top of my voice. Then I made my way up the stairs again. Perhaps I could find my way to the ramparts. If I could and made some sign up there it might be possible that someone would see it.

The spiral staircases were like those in the other towers—the stairs narrow at one end and wide at the other, demanding care in mounting and descending and there was a rope banister to help one up or down. They wound round and round so that I had the sudden fear that as I turned a bend I might come face to face with some terrifying sight.

The tower was haunted it was said, haunted by Nonna’s ghost, because Nonna had discovered Ysella here and soon afterwards she had died.

She should not have been so curious, Colum had said lightly. And if I had not been so curious I would not now be in this predicament.

I looked into several of the rooms with their long narrow windows cut out of the thick walls. It was chilly and the odour was even up here.

The door on to the ramparts was not locked, I was delighted to see. I pushed it open and was in the fresh air. For a few seconds I could think of nothing but taking in great gulps of it. I looked through the battlements. There was the Seaward Tower looming up before me. I leaned over and looked down. I shivered. Far below was the courtyard where I had found the amulet. I knew now that the amulet, had it not been dropped in the courtyard, would doubtless now be in the wooden box or in one of the cauldrons with the other trinkets.

I looked up at the sky. Clouds were being hustled across it by a tetchy wind. I called out: “I’m here. In Ysella’s Tower. Somebody come and get me out.”

My voice was lost in the wind. There was in any case no one down there.

I took off my petticoat and waved it between the battlements. I was hoping someone would see it. There was no response.

I called again. Who could possibly hear? Gulls were circling overhead. They were coming inland which was said to mean that the wind was rising and there could be a storm at sea. They made their melancholy cries as they circled overhead.

What am I going to do? I thought. They’ll miss me. But will they think of looking in Ysella’s Tower?

I shouted again. I waved my petticoat. I was beginning to get a little frightened because it was growing dark rapidly and I had an uneasy feeling that no one was coming back into Ysella’s Tower and that no one could see me from the ramparts.

There was a chill in the air. I missed my petticoat. I thought: I can’t stay up here until someone finds where I am. On the other hand the thought of going back into the tower repelled me.

It was quickly growing dark. How stupid I had been to come so far inside. I should have stood at the door and looked about me and then when someone came along—as someone must have—I could have insisted that whoever it was accompanied me on my tour.

I had been foolish and what could I do now?

I walked farther along the ramparts. Here the battlements were fairly low. I leaned over. It made me feel dizzy. Nonna had died after she had found Ysella. She should not have been so curious. It was as though the evil-looking faces carved out of stone up there on the battlements were laughing at me.

Suddenly I heard a shrill piercing scream and looking down I saw one of the women servants running through the archway which led from Ysella’s courtyard to another.

I shouted but I was too late for she had disappeared and again my voice was carried away by the wind.

She must have seen me up here on the ramparts. She would think I was the ghost. But she would tell someone and perhaps they would come. I waited expectantly.

But no one came. It was almost dark now. I could not spend the night up here. It was better to go into the castle.

On impulse I threw my petticoat over the ramparts. They would search for me and that would let them know that they had to come here. They would open the door then and come and find me, for the garment would surely give them a clue as to my whereabouts.