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Then he rang off

Fenoglio could not conceal his curiosity He scented a new story in the offing ‘What was all that about?’ he asked i at the telephone Rico was clinging to Fenoglio’s back like a little monkey It was Saturday, but the other two children hadn’t turned up yet ‘What’s theto us anythere like a stuffed duie’s mother’s aunt I told you about her Capricorn’s men broke into her house They swept the books off the shelves all over the house and trampled on them, and the books in Elinor’s library …’ He hesitated for aon ‘Her arden and burned thelio let his grandson slide off his back ‘Rico, go and look for the kittens,’ he said ‘This is not for your ears’ Rico protested, but his grandfather pushed him out of the room and closed the door after him ‘Whatback to Mo

‘Who else would do such a thing? Anyway, as far as I reotten your own story, have you?’

Fenoglio was looking downcast ‘No, no, I reie’s heart beat anxiously as she waited for Mo’s answer

‘Luckily, she wasn’t back yet when it happened She took her tiine how she feels Her finest books –up soers ‘Yes, Capricorn likes fire,’ he said huskily ‘If it was really his doing, your friend can think herself fortunate he didn’t burn her too’

‘I’ll tell her’ Mo picked up a -desk, opened it and slowly closed it again

‘What about ie hardly dared to ask ‘My book-box – I hid it under the bed’

Mo put the ood news,’ he said ‘No one touched your book-box It’s still under the bed Elinor looked’

Meggie took a deep breath Was it Basta who had set fire to the books? No, Basta was afraid of fire; she reer had mocked him for it But in the last resort it made no difference which of the Black Jackets it had been Elinor’s treasures were gone, and not even Mo could bring the back down here I’m to pick her up at the airport,’ said Mo ‘She’s taken it into her head to set the police on Capricorn I told her I didn’t think she’d have much luck Even if she had evidence that it was his ave the order? But you know Elinor’

Meggie nodded gloomily Oh yes, she knew Elinor – and she understood her rage only too well

But Fenoglio laughed ‘The police! You don’t get anywhere by setting the police on Capricorn!’ he said ‘He makes his own rules, his os--’

‘Oh, be quiet! This isn’t a book you’re writing!’ Mo interrupted hi to invent a character like Capricorn, but believe you me, it’s not in the least bit funny to cross his path I’ie here Look after her’

And he was out of the door before Meggie could protest She ran after hi down the street They caught hold of her, trying to make her play with them They wanted her to be a cannibal, a witch, a six-arrandfather’s stories hich they populated their gaed to shake off their little hands, Mo had long since gone The place where he had parked the hire-car was eie stood in the square, alone with the warout to sea with their hands in their trouser pockets

Restlessly, she wandered over to the steps in front of the lio’s grandchildren round his house or playing hide-and-seek with them She just wanted to sit there and wait for Mo’s return The hot wind that had blown through the village overnight had left fine sand on all the sills The air was cooler than it had been for the last few days The sky above the sea was still clear, but grey clouds were for above the hills, and every time the sun disappeared behind theie shiver

A cat stalked towards her, stiff-legged, tail erect It was a skinny little creature with ticks in its grey fur, and ribs showing through its thin coat like stripes Meggie enticed it over, speaking to it gently, until it put its head under her ar to be petted It didn’t look as if it belonged to anyone: no collar, not an ounce of fat on it, nothing to suggest it had a caring owner Meggie scratched its ears and chin and stroked its back as she looked down the road that went round a sharp bend as it left the village and disappeared froht beyond the houses

How far was it to the nearest airport? Meggie propped her chin on her hands The clouds above her weremore and rey with rain

The cat rubbed against her knee, and as Meggie’s fingers stroked its dirty fur an awful thought suddenly occurred to her Suppose Elinor’s house wasn’t all Dustfinger had told Capricorn about? Suppose he’d told hi too? Would they find a heap of ashes waiting for them at the farmhouse? No, she wouldn’t think about that He doesn’t know, she whispered He has no idea! Dustfinger didn’t tell hiic charm

After a while she felt a raindrop on her hand, then another She looked up at the sky There wasn’t so much as a speck of blue to be seen How quickly the nearby sea could ht, I’ll just wait in the apartht even have sohed noso when she picked it up

It was pitch dark in the apart so that the sun wouldn’tand wet from the fine drizzle when she entered the cool bedroom She put the cat down on her un for her, and went into the kitchen The milk carton was almost empty, but if she diluted as left with a little ater there was just enough for a saucerful

The cat juie put the milk on the floor beside the bed that it al harder and harder outside Meggie listened to it dru stones She went over to theand opened the shutters The narrow strip of sky visible between the rooftops was as dark as if the sun were about to set Meggie went over to Mo’s bed and sat down on it The cat was still licking the saucer, its little tongue greedily rasping over the flower-patterned china, hoping for a last delicious drop Meggie heard footsteps out in the street, and then a knock at the door Who was that? Mo couldn’t possibly be back yet Or had he forgotten so? The cat had disappeared, probably to hide under the bed ‘Who’s there?’ called Meggie