"What on earth was Serena doing in the basement?" Darren couldn't help but ask.
"Probably heard some noise, or caught one of the staff gossiping. You know how curious she is. Wanted to check it out for herself. Bard already gave those chatterboxes a good talking-to."
Eunice gently rubbed Darren's back, careful not to rile him further.
Darren finally eased up a bit, no longer as stiff as he had been moments ago.
"No wonder the poor girl had nightmares last night," Darren mumbled with newfound clarity. "She's never been exposed to anything like that, and those folks locked up in the basement must've scared her witless."
He remembered how Serena had curled up in a corner of the study the previous night, crying pitifully. She must have been terrified!
"I should talk to her grandma, have her comfort Serena. Help her forget all this sooner rather than later."
As Darren spoke, a light bulb went off in his head.