The House in the Woods by Yvette Fielding

Author:Yvette Fielding [Fielding, Yvette]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Andersen Press Ltd
Published: 2019-07-04T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

Jane Bains

They all squeezed into Uncle Rufus’s faithful little Mini. It was a very old, bright red car and had a number plate that read SC13 NCE. Slowly but surely, they made their way out of Whitechapel and onto the A3.

An hour later, the little classic car was bumbling through the streets into Hampton Court. The palace that was once a home to Henry the Eighth loomed magnificently in front of them as they came into the village. Eve, Tom and Clovis had never been to this part of London before, and oohed and ahhed at the palace, the boats on the river and the horses in the fields.

Eventually they slowed down as they drove up a narrow lane. Uncle Rufus pulled up outside a quaint little cottage. Before the engine had been turned off, an old lady was already opening the door.

‘Rufus!’ she exclaimed. ‘How wonderful, and who are your young friends? Come, come inside, all of you. There’s a fire going, and I’ve just put the kettle on. It’s so chilly, isn’t it? Good drive?’

The woman was small in stature and had a welcoming manner. Her hair was white and tied in a bun that stood to attention on the top of her head. Eve liked her immediately.

‘Jane! Lovely to see you again.’ Uncle Rufus sped up the little path and nearly knocked the old lady down. ‘I’m sorry to drop in like this, but we just had to see you.’

‘Of course, of course. Come inside, all of you, or we’ll freeze out here.’ Jane motioned to them all with her walking stick.

They were shown into the front room and Uncle Rufus introduced Jane to everyone properly. The fire was crackling in the hearth and a big plump sofa waited to be sat in. Eve, Clovis and Tom did just that. Clovis narrowly missed being punctured in the buttocks by a vicious pair of knitting needles.

Jane bustled out of the room and returned a few minutes later with a tray laden with cups and saucers, a large teapot and a selection of cakes.

‘Here, let me take that,’ said Clovis, jumping up to help.

‘Thank you, young man,’ said Jane, and she slowly lowered herself into a large armchair.

Meanwhile Tom was looking about the room and noticed lots of photographs in frames sitting on the mantelpiece and all over sideboard. Black and white faces of old family members, he presumed, next to modern photos of babies and weddings.

Eve was more intrigued by a white sheet that was covering something. It sounded as if some sort of animal were underneath it. She thought it was a cage that had been covered up. The size and shape gave it away. She could hear something fluttering inside it.

Then to everyone’s surprise there came a high-pitched squawk.

‘Hello! Hello!’ the strange voice shouted out.

‘Oh, please forgive Mister Pig. He gets very excited when guests come calling,’ said Jane, giggling.

‘I’m guessing that Mister Pig is a bird?’ said Clovis, as he poured tea into the cups.

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