There she held the draperies to one side while she pushed back one of the oak panels.

Through this opening we passed, and the draperies fell together behind us.

After Yolanda had opened the panel a moment of light revealed to me a flight of stone steps built in the heart of the castle wall, which at that point was sixteen feet thick.

When Yolanda closed the panel, we were in total darkness.

She took my left hand in her left and with her right arm at my back guided me up the long, dark stairway.