Charlie Bone and the Blue Boa. Jenny Nimmo

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СКАЧАТЬ was tied back with a velvet ribbon, and she was wearing a brand new corn-coloured coat. Charlie wondered if she’d got a boyfriend. He hoped not, for his vanished father’s sake.

      Five minutes after his mother had left, Grandma Bone came downstairs in a black coat, her white hair now bundled up under a black hat. She told Charlie to brush his hair and then walked out with an odd smile on her pinched face.

      As soon as she’d gone, Charlie ran to the fridge and pulled out a bowl of leftovers: last night’s lamb stew. Maisie grinned and shook her head, but she let Charlie take some of it to Runner Bean in a saucer. ‘That dog should be exercised before Grandma Bone comes back,’ she called.

      Charlie took her advice. When Runner Bean had wolfed down the stew, Charlie took him out into the back garden, where they had a great game of hunt the slipper: a slipper that Charlie despised because it had his name embroidered in blue across the front.

      Runner Bean was just chewing up the last bit of slipper, when Maisie flung open an upstairs window and called, ‘Look out, Charlie. The Yewbeams are coming!’

      ‘Stay here, Runner,’ Charlie commanded. ‘And be quiet, if you can.’

      He leapt up the steps to the back door and ran to the kitchen, where he sat at the table and picked up a magazine. The aunts’ voices could be heard as they climbed the front steps. A key turned in the lock and then they were in the hall: Grandma Bone and her three sisters, all talking at once.

      The great-aunts marched into the kitchen in new spring outfits. Lucretia and Eustacia had exchanged their usual black suits for charcoal grey but in Aunt Venetia’s case, it was purple. She also wore high-heeled purple shoes with golden tassels dangling from the laces. All three sisters had sinister smiles, and a threatening look in their dark eyes.

      Aunt Lucretia said, ‘So here you are, Charlie!’ She was the eldest apart from Grandma Bone, and a matron at Charlie’s school.

      ‘Yes, here I am,’ said Charlie nervously.

      ‘Same hair, I see,’ said Aunt Eustacia, sitting opposite Charlie.

      ‘Yes, same hair,’ said Charlie. ‘Same hair for you too, I see.’

      ‘Don’t be cheeky.’ Eustacia patted her abundant grey hair. ‘Why haven’t you brushed it today?’

      ‘Haven’t had time,’ said Charlie.

      He became aware that Grandma Bone was still talking to someone in the hall.

      Aunt Venetia suddenly said, ‘Tah dah!’ and opened the kitchen door very wide, as if she were expecting the Queen or a famous film star to walk in. But it was Grandma Bone who appeared, followed by the prettiest girl Charlie had ever seen. She had golden curls, bright blue eyes and lips like a cherub.

      ‘Hello, Charlie!’ The girl held out her hand in the manner of someone expecting a kiss on the fingers, preferably from a boy on bended knees. ‘I’m Belle.’

      Charlie was too flustered to do anything.

      The girl smiled and sat beside him. ‘Oh my,’ she said. ‘A ladies’ magazine.’

      Charlie realised, to his horror, that he was holding his mother’s magazine. On the cover a woman in pink underwear held a kitten. Charlie felt very hot. He knew his face must be bright red.

      ‘Make us some coffee, Charlie,’ Aunt Lucretia said sharply. ‘And then we’ll be off.’

      Charlie flung down the magazine and ran to the coffee maker while Grandma Bone and the aunts sat babbling at him. Belle would be going to Charlie’s school, Bloor’s Academy, and Charlie must tell her all about it.

      Charlie sighed. He wanted to visit his friend, Fidelio. Why did the aunts always have to spoil everything? For half an hour he listened to the chattering and giggling over the coffee and buns. Belle didn’t behave like a child, thought Charlie. She looked about twelve, but she seemed very comfortable with the aunts.

      When the last drop had been squeezed out of the coffee pot, the three Yewbeam sisters left the house, blowing kisses to Belle.

      ‘Take care of her, Charlie,’ Aunt Venetia called.

      Charlie wondered how he was supposed to do that.

      ‘Can I wash my hands, Grizel – er – Mrs Bone?’ Belle held up her sticky fingers.

      ‘There’s the sink,’ Charlie nodded to the kitchen sink.

      ‘Upstairs, dear,’ said Grandma Bone, with a scowl in Charlie’s direction. ‘Bathroom’s first left. There’s some nice lavender soap and a clean towel.’

      ‘Thank you!’ Belle skipped out.

      Charlie gaped. ‘What’s wrong with the kitchen?’ he asked his grandmother.

      ‘Belle has tender skin,’ said Grandma Bone. ‘She can’t use kitchen soap. I want you to lay the dining room table – for five. I presume Maisie will be joining us.’

      ‘The dining room?’ said Charlie in disbelief. ‘We only eat there on special occasions.’

      ‘It’s for Belle,’ snapped Grandma Bone.

      ‘A child?’ Charlie was amazed.

      ‘Belle is not just any child.’

      So it seems, thought Charlie. He went to lay the dining room table while Grandma Bone shouted instructions up to Maisie. ‘We’d like a nice light soup today, Maisie. And then some cold ham and salad. Followed by your lovely Bakewell tart.’

      ‘Would we indeed, your highness?’ Maisie shouted from somewhere upstairs. ‘Well, we’ll have to wait, I’m afraid. Oops! Who on earth are you?’

      She had obviously bumped into Belle.

      Charlie closed the dining room door and went to the window. There was no sign of Runner Bean in the garden. Charlie had visions of a dog’s lifeless body lying in a gutter. He ran to the back door, but just as he was about to open it, a sing-song voice called, ‘Charleee!’

      Belle was standing in the hall, staring at him. Charlie could have sworn that her eyes had been blue. Now they were green.

      ‘Where are you going, Charlie?’ she asked.

      ‘Oh, I was just going into the garden for a . . .a . . .’

      ‘Can I come with you?’

      ‘No. That is, I’ve changed my mind.’

      ‘Good. Come and talk to me.’

      Was it possible? Belle’s eyes were now a greyish brown. Charlie followed her into the sitting room where she sat on the sofa, patting a cushion beside her. Charlie perched at the other end.

      ‘Now, tell me all about Bloor’s.’ Belle smiled invitingly.

      Charlie cleared his throat. Where should he begin? ‘Well, there are three sort of departments, Music, Art and Drama. I’m in Music so I have to wear a blue cape.’

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