Coopers words utterly failed to put Helena at ease, serving only to make her more nervous and she turned this way and that, her eyes exploring every shady corner, half-expecting some monster to leap out at them... The children speaking of a mister Shuck did not help either.<em>Shuck? As in Black Shuck!?</em>The word made her think of great black hell-hounds with burning red eyes and of something else... Rumours the maids had been going on about, a great black beast that had supposedly been seen prowling the gardens around the mansion. She shuddered.<br/><br/>She found herself moving closer to Cooper. Oh she still did not trust him but he was a sturdy-looking sort, cool-headed in the face of danger and he spoke of protecting her and was willing to go in front and she was grateful to him for all those things. As she crossed the distance between them her eyes fell on the poker she'd been holding before, lying on the carpet where she'd dropped it, and she bent to pick it up. Holding it in a two-handed grip as she siddled up to the man, stopping only when she brushed up against him.<br/><br/>"Down the stairs," she said hurriedly.<br/><br/>Obviously she wanted very much to get going.