Charlie Bone and the Blue Boa. Jenny Nimmo

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ want to hear it from you,’ said Belle, ignoring Charlie’s question.

      Charlie continued. ‘Bloor’s is a big grey building on the other side of the city. It’s very, very old. There are three cloakrooms, three assembly halls and three canteens. You go up some steps between two towers, cross a courtyard, up more steps and into the main hall. You have to be silent in the hall or you’ll get detention. The Music students go through a door under crossed trumpets, your door is under the sign of a pencil and paintbrush.’

      ‘What’s the sign for the Drama students?’

      ‘Two masks. One sad and one happy.’ Why did Charlie get the impression that Belle knew all this? Her eyes were blue again. It was unnerving.

      ‘There’s another thing,’ he said. ‘Are you – er – like me; one of the children of the Red King? I mean, was he your ancestor too?’

      Belle turned her bright blue gaze on him. ‘Oh, yes. And I’m endowed. But I prefer not to say how. I’m told that you can hear voices from photographs, and even paintings.’

      ‘Yes.’ Charlie could do more than hear voices, but he wasn’t going to give anything away to this strange girl. ‘Endowed children have to do their homework in the King’s room,’ he said. ‘There are twelve of us. Someone from Art will show you where it is: Emma Tolly. She’s a friend of mine, and she’s endowed too.’

      ‘Emma? Ah, I’ve heard all about her.’ Belle inched her way up the sofa towards Charlie. ‘Now, tell me about you, Charlie. I believe that your father’s dead.’

      ‘He’s not!’ said Charlie fiercely. ‘His car went into a quarry, but they never found his body. He’s just – lost.’

      ‘Really? How did you find that out?’

      Without thinking, Charlie said, ‘My friend Gabriel’s got an amazing gift. He can feel the truth in old clothes. I gave him my father’s tie and Gabriel said that he wasn’t dead.’

      ‘Well, well.’ The girl gave Charlie a sweet, understanding smile, but the effect was spoiled by the cold look in her eyes – now a dark grey. And, was it a trick of the light, or did he glimpse a set of wrinkles just above her curved pink lips?

      Charlie slipped off the sofa. ‘I’d better help my other gran with lunch,’ he said.

      He found Maisie in the kitchen, throwing herbs into a saucepan. ‘All this fuss for a child,’ she muttered. ‘I’ve never heard of such a thing.’

      ‘Nor me,’ said Charlie. ‘She’s a bit strange, isn’t she?’

      ‘She’s downright peculiar. Belle indeed!’

      ‘Belle means beautiful,’ said Charlie, remembering his French. ‘And she is very pretty.’

      ‘Huh!’ said Maisie.

      When the soup was ready Charlie helped Maisie to carry it into the chilly dining room. Grandma Bone was already sitting at the head of the table, with Belle on her right.

      ‘Where’s Paton?’ asked Grandma Bone.

      ‘He won’t be coming,’ said Charlie.

      ‘And why not?’

      ‘He doesn’t eat with us, does he?’ Charlie reminded her.

      ‘Today, I want him here,’ said Grandma Bone.

      ‘Well, you won’t get him,’ said Maisie. ‘He’s gone away.’

      ‘Oh?’ Grandma Bone stiffened. ‘And how d’you know that?’ She glared, first at Maisie and then Charlie.

      Maisie looked at Charlie.

      Charlie said, ‘He left a note.’

      ‘And what did it say?’ demanded Grandma Bone.

      ‘I can’t remember all of it,’ Charlie mumbled.

      ‘Let me see it!’ She held out a bony hand.

      ‘I tore it up,’ said Charlie.

      Grandma Bone’s eyebrows plummeted in a dark scowl. ‘You shouldn’t have done that. I want to know what’s going on. I must know what my brother said.’

      ‘He said he’d gone to see my great-grandpa, your father, although you never go to see him.’

      His grandmother’s tiny black eyes almost disappeared into their wrinkled sockets. ‘That’s none of your business. Paton visited our father last week. He only goes once a month.’

      Charlie only just stopped himself from mentioning his own visit to his great-grandfather. Because of the family feud it had to remain a secret. But Uncle Paton had never told him what caused the feud or why he mustn’t talk about it. He’d have to tell another lie. ‘It was an emergency.’

      This seemed to satisfy Grandma Bone, but Belle continued to stare at Charlie. Her eyes were now dark green and a chilling thought occurred to him. Uncle Paton had gone to stop someone dangerous from arriving. But perhaps that person was already here?

      The invisible boy

      The rest of lunch was eaten in stony silence. Even Maisie seemed lost for words. But just as Charlie was clearing the plates there was a series of loud barks from the garden, and Runner Bean’s head appeared at the bottom of the window.

      Grandma Bone, who had her back to the garden, swung round just as the dog bobbed out of sight.

      ‘What was that?’ she said.

      ‘Obviously a dog, Grizelda,’ said Maisie. ‘A stray has probably jumped into the garden.’

      ‘I’ll go and shoo it out,’ Charlie offered.

      As he left the room he noticed that Belle looked worried.

      Charlie ran to open the back door and Runner Bean came leaping in.

      ‘Sssh!’ said Charlie urgently. ‘Not a sound!’ He put a finger to his lips.

      Runner Bean appeared to understand this and obediently followed Charlie up to his room.

      ‘You’ve got to be quiet, or it’s curtains for you.’ Charlie drew a finger across his throat.

      Runner Bean grunted and curled up on the bed.

      ‘Did you catch it?’ asked Belle, when Charlie returned to the dining room.

      ‘No, I just shooed it away,’ said Charlie.

      Belle stood up. ‘I want to go home now,’ she said to Grandma Bone.

      ‘Very well, dear.’ With surprising speed, Grandma Bone walked into the hall and put on her coat and hat.

      Charlie СКАЧАТЬ