Conrad's Fate by Jones Diana Wynne

Author:Jones, Diana Wynne [Jones, Diana Wynne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Young Adult, Childrens, Science Fiction, Adventure
ISBN: 9780007383511
Amazon: B009YBU1K0
Goodreads: 17159196
Publisher: Harper Collins Children's eBooks
Published: 2005-03-01T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Christopher must have used some magic then. He and the dog both stopped as if they had run into a wall. I overran a little and stopped myself on a doorknob on the other side of the corridor. The Count turned himself so that his frosty look could hit me as well as Christopher.

I had no idea what to do, but Champ had no doubt. His tail thumped. He crawled forward, quivering with shame, to the full stretch of Christopher’s neckcloth, and tried to get into licking distance of the Count’s beautiful, shiny shoes. Christopher just stood and looked at the Count as if he were summing him up. This was where being an amateur was a big help. Christopher would not have minded being sacked on the spot. He had more or less found Millie now and he could make himself invisible and come back to finish the job – but I still had my evil Fate to think of. I stared at the Count too, hoping and hoping to know he was the one causing my Fate, but all I could see was a young fellow in expensive evening dress who had every right to stare at us in outrage.

“Come on,” Count Robert said. “Explain. Why are you dragging poor old Champ around up here?”

“It’s more that he was dragging us,” Christopher said. “From the look of him, I think he caught your scent, my lord.”

“Yes, he did, didn’t he?” Count Robert agreed, looking thoughtfully down at Champ, who wagged and grovelled more than ever. “But that doesn’t explain why he’s here or why all of you are covered with black gunk.” At this, Christopher drew breath, presumably to begin on the drains story. “No,” said the Count. “Not you. I can see you’d just tell me something glib and untrue.” Christopher looked hurt and indignant and the Count turned to me. “You tell me.”

It seemed to me that I’d nothing more to lose. I knew I was about to be sacked and sent home in disgrace. Wondering what Uncle Alfred would say, and then thinking dismally that I would be dead by next year anyway, so what did Uncle Alfred matter either, I said, “We went past the painted line in the attics. Champ was at the bottom of a wooden tower there, but we couldn’t have got him back up it, so we waited until it changed into an empty slate building.”

Christopher muttered, “Believe it or not, I was going to tell you that too.” The Count gave him a disbelieving sideways look. “Honestly,” Christopher said. “I thought you’d probably guessed.”

“More or less,” said Count Robert. His frosty look tipped up at the edges and became a slight grin. “You were unlucky to get those two towers straight off. Hugo and I didn’t run into them for years. Well, now what shall we do about it? I don’t think any of you should be seen as you are. Amos is prowling round the next floor in a rage…”

“About us?” I said anxiously.

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