The Secret of Nightingale Wood by Lucy Strange

Author:Lucy Strange
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Chicken House

When I went into my bedroom that evening, Nanny Jane was there, rummaging through the drawers of the dresser.

‘Can I help?’ I asked from the doorway, making her jump. Her face went pink.

‘I’m looking for—’

I knew exactly what she was looking for. ‘A key? I told you. I promised. It isn’t me, Nanny Jane! It really isn’t!’

She looked at me for a moment and decided to change tack. She held up the book of Keats. ‘Where did this come from?’ she asked.

I should have said it was Father’s. I should have lied, but I didn’t. I didn’t think quickly enough. ‘Moth gave it to me,’ I said.

She looked at me as if I really had lost my marbles. ‘A moth?’

‘Not a moth. Moth. She’s my friend – a lady called Moth. She’s a . . . a bit like a witch and she lives in the woods. She’s very kind.’

I noted the expression that flashed across Nanny Jane’s face.

‘She’s real,’ I said defiantly.

‘And this witch gave you a book of poetry?’

‘Yes. I like poetry.’

‘That’s hardly my point, Henrietta.’

‘What is your point exactly?’

Nanny Jane waved the book in the air. ‘Witches in the woods? Talking to imaginary friends? Yes, I’ve seen you, Henry, I’ve heard you talking . . .’ She looked at me closely. ‘Is it – is it Robert you’re talking to?’

I didn’t say anything. I pressed my lips together and glared at her, determined not to cry.

‘Henry, I know this has all been very difficult for you, very difficult indeed, but . . .’ She took a deep breath. ‘Doctor Hardy thinks you’re sleep-walking. He thinks you’re wandering around the house, unlocking doors without even being aware that you’re doing it. He thinks your imagination is over-excited and—’

‘I am not over-excited!’ I erupted, painfully aware that I sounded very much as if I were.

‘I believe it’s very common to have imaginary friends – a whole imaginary world – when the real world is so difficult.’

‘I am not imagining ANYTHING!’ I shouted and, even as it flew from my mouth, I knew it was a lie. I snatched the book of Keats from her and stuffed it into my pinafore pocket. Furious tears were burning in my eyes now. I turned and ran down the stairs, through the kitchen and out into the garden. I hadn’t unlocked the doors, I hadn’t. Nanny Jane didn’t trust me any more – she trusted Doctor Hardy and they both thought I was going mad.

I kept running and running, through the garden, through the trees, until I was deep in the middle of the wood.

Beneath an enormous oak tree I gasped for breath and cursed out loud and cried until I ached all over and had no more tears left. The sun was starting to set and, here in the shadows of the forest, a chilling dampness started to creep through the clammy earth and into my bones.

I looked around. I didn’t recognize this part of the forest at all.

Was I anywhere near Moth’s clearing? I couldn’t detect even a hint of smoke in the air.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.