Henry and the Guardians of the Lost. Jenny Nimmo

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СКАЧАТЬ no,’ said Henry.

      ‘Was that your gran who just went to the cloakroom?’

      ‘My aunt,’ said Henry.

      ‘Well . . .’ The girl swung from foot to foot. ‘I think she’s forgotten you.’

      ‘No, she hasn’t,’ said Henry indignantly. ‘She’s just taking a long time.’

      The girl shook her head regretfully. ‘We just saw her get into a blue car that was parked outside.’

      ‘I expect she was fetching something she’d forgotten,’ said Henry, wondering why Pearl had gone out without telling him. He had his back to the entrance and couldn’t see the cloakroom door.

      ‘She drove away,’ said the girl.

      Henry felt a bit sick. He chewed his lip. ‘She couldn’t have.’

      The girl pulled out a chair and sat opposite him, then the boy came over and stood between them. He had a calm, confident expression. ‘She hasn’t come back,’ he said. ‘I’ve been watching.’

      Henry was slightly annoyed. What business did these children have, watching him and his aunt? He felt his heart thumping and told himself he wasn’t worried.

      ‘D’you want to come home with us?’ asked the girl.

      ‘No,’ Henry said fiercely. ‘I’ll wait here. I know my aunt will come back.’

      ‘We’ll wait with you.’ The boy pulled a chair across from another table and sat down.

      Henry could see now that the boy was older than the girl; he was also quite a bit taller. He obviously liked to take control of certain situations.

      ‘My name’s Peter,’ said the boy. ‘Peter Reed. And this is Penny.’ He nodded at the girl who gave Henry a weak smile.

      Henry thought it would be churlish not to give them a bit more information about himself, so he told them his name and where he had come from. When he described the hurried drive through the night, Peter gave Penny a slightly furtive smile. Henry kept his secret to himself. In the friendly school at home, they were used to him and never pried. But now he was in unfamiliar territory and he knew he must be ‘on his guard’.

      ‘We always come here early on Sunday mornings,’ said Peter. ‘You get the best doughnuts.’

      ‘Want one?’ asked Penny.

      Henry hesitated. Nothing wrong with a doughnut, he thought. ‘OK,’ he said. ‘Thanks.’

      Peter went to the counter to buy three doughnuts. When he came back, Henry glanced at the clock on the wall. It had said half-past twelve when he and Pearl had come in. It still did. He looked at his watch: half-past twelve.

      ‘The clock’s stopped,’ Henry remarked. ‘So has my watch.’

      ‘No time here,’ said Penny. ‘Not in Timeless.’

      ‘No time like the present,’ Peter said with a grin.

      ‘Time flies,’ trilled Penny. ‘Time stands still.’

      Henry had an urge to tell them both to shut up. He felt angry and confused.

      ‘You’d better come home with us,’ said Peter. ‘Our parents will help you.’

      Henry didn’t like being bossed. ‘I think I should stay and wait for my aunt,’ he said, biting in to his doughnut.

      ‘Leave a note for your aunt with Martha,’ Penny suggested. ‘Tell her you’ve gone to Number Five, Ruby Drive. You can’t stay here all day.’

      Henry could see that she had a point. The cafe was filling up and people were searching for spare tables. When the doughnuts were eaten, he went to the counter and left a note with the friendly woman called Martha. The note said:

       Dear Auntie Pearl,

       You didn’t come back, so I’ve gone to Number Five, Ruby Drive. I’ll wait for you there.

       Love from Henry

      When they stepped outside a large black and white cat came running up to them.

      ‘Enkidu!’ Henry knelt and flung his arms around the cat, burying his face in the long, soft fur. ‘Did Pearl throw you out?’

      ‘He was already out when the car left,’ said Peter. ‘I noticed him sitting behind the bins.’

      ‘Hiding,’ said Penny. ‘He wanted to stay.’

      Henry gathered Enkidu into his arms. ‘Thank you! Thank you, Enkidu,’ he whispered in the cat’s hairy ear.

      Number Five, Ruby Drive was only a few minutes away. It was a red brick, modern-looking house with a small front garden and a path paved with red and black tiles.

      Peter unlocked the front door and Penny followed him into the house. Henry hesitated on the doorstep.

      ‘Come on,’ said the Reeds.

      Henry carried Enkidu into Number Five. It seemed welcoming. There were red tiles on the floor and the wall was covered with framed photos of Peter and Penny holding silver cups, bronze medals and official-looking certificates. Henry had never won anything.

      Peter and Penny led Henry past a red-carpeted staircase to a room at the back of the house.

      ‘Look, Mum,’ said Peter, opening the door with a bit of a flourish, ‘another one. Ta da!’ He shoved Henry into a room that seemed to be crammed with children; three small ones to be precise.

      Two toddlers and a baby were playing on the floor. A woman with short brown hair and spectacles stood at the kitchen sink, peeling potatoes. She turned to Henry and said, ‘Ah! I see. What’s your name, dear?’ Her eyebrows were raised in an interested but not exactly friendly way.

      Henry didn’t reply. He was wondering what they meant by ‘another one’.

      ‘His name is Henry Yewbeam,’ Peter told his mother.

      ‘Come in, dear, and have a cup of something,’ said Mrs Reed.

      ‘Tea,’ said Penny firmly. She filled a kettle and put it on the gas stove.

      Peter pulled out a chair, saying, ‘Sit down, Henry. You’ll be OK. We’ll try to make sure of that.’

      Try? thought Henry. He sat down and put Enkidu on his lap.

      ‘That’s a very fine animal,’ Mrs Reed remarked.

      ‘His name’s Enkidu,’ said Henry. ‘I hope you don’t mind cats.’

      ‘Not at all.’ Mrs Reed smiled. ‘Our old tabby died a month ago, and we’ve been looking for a replacement. Your cat can use Tibby’s cat-flap.’

      Henry’s СКАЧАТЬ