Julian grinned, put out his hand, and opened the small heavy door. Inside the safe there was still another little door with a key in its lock. Above, and on either side, the shelves and pigeonholes were empty.
"Turn the key! Turn the key!"
So Julian turned the key and opened the door to the interior cupboard of the safe. Everyone pressed forward in a bunch. And then there was a sort of collective groan in the room because that little cupboard, like Mother Hubbard's famous one, was bare; bare even of dust.
"Well, I didn't think there'd be anything in it. I never did," said Portia, disappointed to be right.
"But what about that little drawer under the door?" Lucy asked.
"I can't get it open. It's locked and the key's gone."
"Try the one in the cupboard door...."
But the key didn't fit.
"Perhaps I can force it," Mr. Payton said, coming forward. "Since returning to Gone-Away, I have become fairly expert at breaking locks. Had to. Couldn't get into the Big House any other way." He turned to Mrs. Blake. "With your permission?"
"But of course, of course!"