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Mo nodded and glanced at Elinor ‘You brought Capricorn the book?’

‘Of course! You’d have given it to hi down at her dusty shoes

‘If you hadn’t swapped theie ended her sentence for her She reached for Mo’s hand and held it very tightly She couldn’t believe he was back with her, apparently perfectly all right except for the scratch on his forehead, almost hidden by his dark hair ‘Did they hit you?’ She felt the dried blood anxiously with her forefinger

Mo had to sI’ie didn’t think that was really much of an answer, but she asked no more questions

‘So how did you coain?’

Elinor shook her head ‘No need for that,’ she said bitterly ‘Your sliht to ives you away, then he serves up the book and your daughter to this irl and the book" We heard Capricorn say so himself That was our little matchstick-eater’s mission, and he carried it out to his ie put Mo’s arainst hiain ‘Of course Now Capricorn can be sure I’ll do what he wants’ He turned round and went over to the pile of straw lying on the floor in a corner of the rooainst the wall, and closed his eyes for a er and I,’ he said ‘Although I wonder how Capricorn is going to pay hier wants is soive him’

‘Quits? What do you ie sat down beside him ‘And what are you supposed to do for Capricorn? What does he want you for, Mo?’ The straas daood place to sleep, but still better than the bare stone floor

Mo said nothing for what seemed an eternity He stared at the bare walls, the locked door, the dirty floor

‘I think it’s tih I would rather not have had to tell you in a grim place like this, and not until you’re a little older’

‘Mo, I’rown-ups think it’s easier for children to bear secrets than the truth? Don’t they know about the horror stories we iine to explain the secrets?

‘Sit down, Elinor,’ said Mo, hed, and sat down uncere!’ she !’

‘That’s what I thought for nine years, Elinor,’ said Mo And then he began his story

16

Once Upon a Ti it to you for relax’