(eng) Paul Kearney by The Wolf in the Attic

Author:The Wolf in the Attic [Attic, The Wolf in the]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

11

SOMETHING HAS CHANGED. I wake up late in the morning – I know it is late by the mere fact that there is daylight in the room, peeping round the drapes. For weeks now I have been getting up in the dark.

The wind has dropped, but the house is not at peace. There are voices downstairs, and as I lie there I hear the front door open and close.

It is snug and warm in the bed with Pie next to me, and I have to try and run over yesterday in my mind again. The pub, and talking to Jack and Mr Ronald, and then Luca in the attic

A day to remember. If only all days could be as interesting as that.

It is very late, and no-one has woken me up. Usually Pa comes in and out of a morning and sees that I wash my face and get dressed in time for my lessons. I suppose Miss Hawcross has cried off due to the snow, and I am to have a lovely, toasty lie-in.

Luca will be back in the woods by now, I suppose. I shall go up later in the day and check, just to be sure. Right now, no matter what I said in the night, I am quite glad that I am here in bed with Pie and not sitting on the cold forest floor in the snow.

Footsteps coming up the stairs. I am dozing off again… It must be Pa, come to wake me at last. I remember what he told me the night before, about our family, and that sends me to wondering in that delicious half-asleep way where all things are possible. I hope he will tell me more. I hope it cheers him up to think how grand our ancestors were.

There is a tiny knock on the door, not like Pa at all. Before I say anything, it is opened, and I am startled to see Miss Hawcross standing there. Her face is white except for a red nose, and she is still wearing her hat.

There is someone else behind her on the landing, because she turns to look back at them, and then nods.

‘My dear,’ she says, coming into the room, ‘I looked in on you earlier and you were fast asleep.’ She is kneading her hands together as if washing them, and her eyes are red-rimmed. She has been crying. I sit up in bed.

‘But you have to get up now, Anna. You have to be very brave.’

Is it Luca? Have they found him? I say nothing, but stare at her, and hug Pie close.

She sits down on the bed beside me and tries to take my hand, but I won’t let go of Pie. She is trying to say something, but seems to be struggling with the words. Finally, she just blurts it out.

‘Anna, your father is dead.’

Her eyes are watery, and her fingers are very cold as she sets them on mine.

‘No he’s not,’ I say, and rub my eyes, sure I am not quite awake.

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