The Secret Passage by Nina Bawden

Author:Nina Bawden [Nina Bawden]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780571287093
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Published: 2011-11-09T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

VICTORIA

“WHAT ARE YOU doing here?” John asked. Then an awful thought struck him. Since this girl was a real person and not a ghost, she probably lived here. “Are you Victoria Reynolds?” he said.

She didn’t answer but bobbed her head in a little, uncertain nod that made her long hair swing like a curtain on either side of her pale face. Her big, dark eyes were fixed on John just as if she was scared of him. He was puzzled for a moment. Why should she be scared, when it was he who had no right to be here?

He said, “It’s all right. I’m not a ghost or a burglar or anything. I’m John Mallory. Our Aunt Mabel used to live here—some of her things are still up in the old attic.”

While he was saying this, he looked at her closely. She was dressed in an old brown jersey that was torn at the elbows and a pair of faded, grey jeans. The only pretty thing she was wearing was an old-fashioned locket that hung round her neck on a thin chain. Somehow she didn’t look as if she belonged here, in this rich, beautiful house.

John said shyly, “We haven’t touched anything else, or done any harm. But I’m afraid your father will be very cross with us. Mr Reynolds is your father, isn’t he?” She said nothing, just stared at him, rather stupidly, John thought. Then he remembered that Mr Reynolds was an old man. “Or your grandfather. Of course, he must be your grandfather….”

She said, with a little gasp, “Yes—yes, he is.”

John squared his shoulders. “I suppose you’ll have to tell him. About us, I mean. We thought the house was empty. We thought it wouldn’t matter if we came in to play, if we were careful. But I’m afraid our Aunt will be very angry.” He felt suddenly very shy and nervous. “If—if I went away now—perhaps you could just forget I’d been here.” He looked at her hopefully.

She said breathlessly, “I shan’t tell anyone. I don’t mind your being here. As long—as long as you don’t tell anyone about me.” She was shaking from head to foot and her thin face looked even more pinched and unhappy.

John thought she was a very mysterious sort of person. “Why?” he asked boldly. “I mean—it’s your house, isn’t it?”

She gulped as if her throat was lumpy. Then she clenched her fists at her sides and drew herself up, very straight and tall. “Because I shouldn’t be here. He doesn’t know I am. He—he lives in London and he thinks I’m at a boarding school.”

“Then why aren’t you?” John said, surprised. “I thought, if you were at boarding school you had to stay there—except for holidays and things.”

She blinked at him. “I’ve run away. I’m—I’m a refugee.” Her whole face brightened and she went on quickly, “A refugee from cruelty and injustice. It’s a horrible place full of horrible people and I hate it.”

John stammered with excitement. “B-but won’t

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.