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‘Abduction!’ Basta savoured the word ‘Sounds good to ave him a s her for the first time ‘Basta,’ he said ‘Is this lady any use to us?’

‘Not that I know of,’ replied Basta, siven permission to smash a toy Elinor went pale, and tried to step backwards, but Cockerell barred her way and held her firs, Basta?’ asked Capricorn quietly

Basta went on srily to Capricorn ‘Stop frightening her at once, or I’ you another word’

With every appearance of indifference, Capricorn turned his back to hiie saw Elinor press a hand to her tre lips, and quickly went over to stand beside her ‘She’s not useless She knows more about books than anyone else in the world!’ she said, holding Elinor’s other hand very tight

Capricorn turned round The look in his eyes ers down her spine His eyelashes were pale as cobwebs

‘Elinor definitely knows more stories with treasure in theie staie’s fingers hard Her own hand was damp with sweat ‘Yes Absolutely, that’s true,’ she said huskily ‘I’m sure I can think of several more’

‘Well, well,’ was all Capricorn said, his curved lips tracing a snal, and they ie and Mo file past the tables, past Capricorn’s statue and the red coluroaned as they pushed it open

Outside, beyond the shadow of the church on the village square, the sun shone down from a cloudless blue sky, and the air was filled with scents of su unusual had happened

19

Gloohtly for a li’s shoulders ‘A brave heart and a courteous tongue,’ said he ‘They shall carry thee far through the jungle, o hence quickly with thy friends Go and sleep, for the moon sets, and what follows it is not well that thou shouldst see’

Rudyard Kipling,

The Jungle Book

They did indeed get enough to eat Around noon a wo there was pasta s of fresh rosemary But the food couldn’t cut short the endless hours, any more than full sto Perhaps not even a book would have done it, but there was no point thinking of that, since they had no books, only the blank walls and the locked door At least a new light bulb was hanging fro, so they didn’t have to sit in the dark the whole ti at the crack under the door to see if night was falling yet She i outside in the sun She’d seen soreen lizard that scurried out of the heaps of coins found its way outside? And what had happened to the boy? Meggie saw his frightened expression whenever she closed her eyes