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Meggie’s voice was shrill with fear ‘You ly at Dustfinger ‘I’ll explain everything to Capricorn, and give hiht?’

Dustfinger blinked up at the sun again ‘Yes, of course,’ he said, without looking at Meggie ‘That’s probably the only solution …’

But before he could say anyfrom the house ‘Well, well, what have we here?’ she cried, leaning out of her openIts pale yellow curtain flapped in the wind as if a ghost were caught in it ‘If it isn’t our friend the ie jumped up and ran over the laards her ‘Elinor, he knohere Mo is!’ she cried

‘Does he indeed?’ Elinor leaned on the sill and scrutinised Dustfinger through narrowed eyes ‘Put that book down!’ she snapped at hiie, take the book away froie turned round Dustfinger really was holding Inkheart, but when Meggie looked at him he quickly put it back down on the bench Then, with a nasty glance in Elinor’s direction, he beckoned her over Hesitantly, Meggie went to hiht, I’ll take you to your father, even though it er when she was beside him ‘But she stays here, understand?’ He slyly nodded his head in Elinor’s direction

Meggie looked uncertainly at the house

‘Like uess what he whispered to you?’ called Elinor across the lawn

Dustfinger cast Meggie a warning glance, but she ignored it ‘He’s going to take ood idea,’ called Elinor, ‘but I’ht prefer to do without ht!’ uilelessly at Elinor ‘But who knows, perhaps we can swap her for your father? I dare say Capricorn could do with another , but perhaps she can do the laundry – even if that’s not soh – although she couldn’t tell fro or meant it seriously

11

A Coward

Ho appeals, those soft touches wafted through the air, those invisible little hands pulling and tugging, all one way

Kenneth Grahaer did not steal into Meggie’s room until he was quite sure she was asleep She had locked her door Undoubtedly Elinor had persuaded her to do that, because she didn’t trust hiive Inkheart back to her Dustfinger couldn’t help s as he inserted the thin wire into the lock What a stupid woman she was, in spite of all those books she’d read! Did she really think such an ordinary lock was any obstacle? ‘Well, perhaps it ers like yours, Elinor!’ he whispered to hiers play with fire, and it’sfor Silvertongue’s daughter was a uilty conscience didn’t uilty conscience as he crept into Meggie’s rooh he hadn’t come to steal the book Naturally Capricorn still wanted it – the book and Silvertongue’s daughter too, those were his new orders But that er was there for a different reason Tonight, so at his heart for years drove hihtfully beside the bed, looking at the sleeping girl Betraying her father to Capricorn had not been particularly difficult, but with her it would be different Her face rerief had yet left dark shadows on Meggie’s childish features Strange, every tiirl looked at him he felt a wish to show her that he didn’t deserve the distrust he always saw in her eyes, even when she was s at him She looked at her father in a very different way – as if he could protect her from all the dark and evil in the world What a stupid, stupid idea! No one would be able to protect her froer stroked the scars on his face and frowned Enough of such useless thoughts He would take Capricorn what he wanted: the girl and the book But not tonight

Gwin le out of his collar, which he liked as little as he liked the dog’s leash Dustfinger always carried with hi hiht theto Basta The furry little devil was still afraid of Basta Dustfinger couldn’t bla soundly, her face buried in a grey sweater, probably her father’s She er couldn’t uilty conscience stirred, but he pushed the tireso, not now and not later The girl was nothing to do with him, and he was quits with her father now Yes, quits He had no reason to feel like avillain

He looked round the dark rooie put the book? There was a red box beside her bed Dustfinger lifted the lid Gwin’s chain clinked softly as he leaned forward

The box was full of books – wonderful books Dustfinger took out the torch from under his coat and shone it on them ‘Look at that!’ he murmured ‘What beauties! Like a party of ladies dressed in their best to go to a prince’s ball’ Silvertongue had probably rebound thes Yes, of course, there was his sign, the unicorn’s head Each book bore it, and each was bound in a different colour All the hues of the rainboere gathered together in that box

The book Dustfinger was looking for was right at the botto it looked plain, a poor thing arand and lordly voluer that Silvertongue had given this book such a plain dress to wear Very likely Meggie’s father hated it as er carefully extracted it from the other books It was almost nine years since he last had it in his hands At the ti and a torn paper dust-jacket

Dustfinger raised his head Meggie sighed, andface was turned his way How unhappy she looked She htmare Her lips quivered, and her hands clutched the sweater as if she were looking for soive her security But you are usually alone in nighter remembered many of his own bad dreams and, for a ie What a soft-hearted fool he was!

He turned his back to the bed Out of sight, out of mind Then he opened the book hastily before he could think better of it His breathing was heavy – as if he had filled hisfire He leafed through the first few pages, and began to read, slowly turning page after page after page But with every page his fingers hesitated a little longer, until suddenly he closed the book Moonlight was seeping through the cracks in the shutters He had no idea how long he had been standing there, his eyes lost in the labyrinth of letters He had always been a very slow reader …