Charlie Bone and the Shadow (The Children of the Red King, Book 7) Part 9 pdf

their heads up and their tails erect, their

fiery colors brightening the morning.

"Hi there, Flames!" Charlie called softly.

"Thanks for the escort." He passed the turn

to Piminy Street with confidence and pressed

on to the bookstore.

The cathedral clock chimed seven just as

Charlie emerged into the square. Ingledew's

didn't open until nine o'clock. Charlie began

to feel foolish. But

342

when he peered into the darkened store, he

was sure he could hear voices. He rang the

bell.

The Flames padded across the cobblestone

square and looked back at Charlie from a

distance. Miss Ingledew, wearing a red bath￾robe, came into the store and stood behind

the counter. She stared at Charlie through

the window, not recognizing him.

449/557

"It's me, Charlie," called Charlie.

Miss Ingledew crossed to the door and un￾locked it. "Whatever are you doing here at

this time of the morning?" she asked, not

unkindly.

The Flames, satisfied that Charlie was safe,

went about their business.

Charlie bounded down the steps into the

store. "It'll take me a while to explain," he

said.

"You'd better come and have some break￾fast." Miss Ingledew led him through her liv￾ing room and into the small kitchen at the

back of the house. Charlie was surprised to

see Olivia and Emma eating

343

boiled eggs. Or rather, Olivia was eating.

Emma hadn't touched her egg.

"Wow! You're having breakfast early for a

Saturday," Charlie remarked.

450/557

"And you're having a walk early for a

Saturday," said Olivia.

Emma lifted a wan face and said, "I can't

sleep and that makes it difficult for anyone

else to sleep. Do you want an egg, Charlie?"

Charlie was so shaken by Emma's mournful

expression he didn't know what to say. "No...

er, yes... urn, just toast," he mumbled.

"Don't look so shocked, Charlie," Olivia

barked. "How would you feel if someone you

really cared for was... well, that you were

never going to see them again?"

"I'd feel bad," he said, taking the chair

between them. "I do feel bad," he added.

"That's why I'm here."

"It's about Billy, isn't it?" Emma might have

been

344

grief-stricken, but she was still aware of oth￾er people's troubles.

451/557

"It's just," Charlie began awkwardly, "that

Billy still has a chance."

"And Tancred hasn't," said Emma.

"I don't mean that." Charlie leaned sideways

as Miss Ingledew put a stack of toast on the

table. He suddenly realized that he couldn't

speak about the sympathizers' meeting. If

Miss Ingledew heard about Mrs. Brown's

hair-raising escape from Piminy Street, she

was bound to stop Charlie from attempting

to get into the Old Chapel.

"What do you mean?" asked Olivia, frowning

at Charlie.

"Don't look at me like that," begged Charlie.

"You probably think it was all my fault,

Tancred's... drowning. But I didn't know he

was going to meet Dagbert in the sculpture

room. I was locked up. I couldn't do anything

about it."

452/557

"We don't blame you, Charlie," Emma said

gently. "Have you tried to reach Billy again?"

345

Charlie hesitated. He couldn't mention the

Old Chapel with Miss Ingledew hovering be￾hind him. "Not since I found Claerwen," he

said.

"You found her? Why didn't you say?" Olivia

scolded.

"I forgot." Charlie put his hand in his pocket

and felt the moth's delicate feet touch his

forefinger. "Here she is." He lifted her out

and set her on the marmalade jar, where her

silvery wings caught the light from the over￾head lamp.

Both girls smiled at last. "Awww!" they

breathed.

"She really is beautiful," said Miss Ingledew,

sitting opposite Charlie. She swept back her

453/557