Old Julia stared blankly at Penny as if not understanding a word. But she reached out, and taking hold of the girl’s hand, pulled her along the corridor.
Believing that the servant meant to show her a quick means of exit from the building, Penny willingly followed.
However, Old Julia led her only a few yards before pausing beside another door. Opening it, she motioned for Penny to step inside.
The girl saw with some misgiving that Old Julia expected her to enter what appeared to be a rather large, empty storage closet.
“Oh, I don’t want to hide,” Penny explained thinking that the old woman had misunderstood. “I must leave here now.”
“Inside!” bade Julia insistently. “You see! Talk!”
She gave Penny a little shove into the room and closed the door.
Only then did the girl realize that she barely had escaped detection. For, in the corridor, heavy footsteps now were heard. Standing motionless against the closet door, she recognized Father Benedict’s voice as he spoke to Julia:
“What are you doing here?” he asked the servant harshly. “Have I not told you never to come into this section of the building?”
Julia’s reply was inaudible. The monk’s next remark warned Penny that she courted detection if she remained longer in the building.