Читать книгу Four in a Family - Enid blyton - Страница 3

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One day three children came home from school together. There was Roddy, who was eleven; Linda, who was nine, and Ian who was eight. They were brothers and sister, and they lived in a pretty little cottage called Whitewalls.

They had another little sister called Rosie, who was just five. She had had her birthday the week before, and she felt very grown-up now that she was five!

“Rosie isn’t at the gate to meet us,” said Linda, looking for the golden-haired Rosie, who was usually swinging on the gate when they came home from school.

“The front door’s shut!” said Roddy in surprise, as they came to the gate. “Mummy usually leaves it open for us!”

“We’ll go round the back way then,” said Ian, and they all went round to the kitchen door. But there was no one in the garden, and no one in the kitchen either, when they opened the door!

“Mummy! Where are you?” called Roddy. “Mummy, we’re home!”

Nobody answered. Rosie didn’t come running to meet them. The house was quite quiet and empty. Roddy was puzzled.

“Where can Mummy and Rosie be?” he wondered, and he called again. “Mummy! Mummy! Where are you?”

A voice answered—but it wasn’t Mummy’s voice. It came from the garden next door.

“Is that you back home, children? Come here a minute.”

“That’s Mrs. Fraser,” said Linda. “Perhaps she has a message for us. Come along.”

All three went to the wall that divided the two gardens. To their great surprise Rosie was sitting there, with Mrs. Fraser holding her—and Rosie was crying!

“Why, Rosie—what’s the matter?” said Roddy, putting his arms round his little sister.

“Where’s Mummy?” asked Linda, suddenly feeling scared. “Why, tea isn’t even laid for us! Where’s Mummy?”

“You come in and have tea with me, and I’ll tell you,” said Mrs. Fraser, lifting Rosie down. “Mummy’s all right, don’t worry—she’ll be back soon.”

“It’s our Daddy, it’s Daddy!” suddenly wailed Rosie. “Mummy’s gone to Daddy.”

“Please tell us what’s happened, Mrs. Fraser,” said Roddy, anxiously.

“Well, dear, a car went too near your Daddy as he cycled along, and he fell off and hurt his head,” said Mrs. Fraser. “And he was taken to hospital to have it seen to. Someone told your mother, and she brought Rosie here to me and went off to your Daddy. I’m to give you tea—and I’ve got currant buns with jam inside because I know you all like them.”

But nobody bothered about currant buns!

“Will Daddy come back with Mummy? When is Mummy coming home?” asked Linda.

“Soon, soon,” said Mrs. Fraser. “Now, don’t you worry, my dears! Everything will be all right. Sit here, Rosie, and you shall have the first bun.”

“I don’t feel like tea,” said Ian. “I want to go home and wait for Mummy.”

“No, dear—you must do as Mummy said,” said Mrs. Fraser. “That’s your best way of helping her. You sit down and have tea. I’ll bring Baby Ben up in his high chair. He’s had his tea, but he’ll like to watch you having yours.”

Baby Ben was delighted to have so many people to tea. He took a spoon and banged loudly on his tray, and smiled round, showing his new little teeth.

“Oh, he’s got two more teeth!” said Linda, who loved the baby. “Can he walk any better yet?”

“Yes—he can walk four steps now before he falls over, bump!” said Mrs. Fraser, passing round the buns, glad that Baby Ben was taking up Linda’s attention. She didn’t want Linda to cry as well as Rosie!

It wasn’t a very merry meal, and all the time Roddy was listening for his mother to open the front gate next door. It made a sharp little click, which he knew very well. He listened and listened!

“Is Mummy upset?” asked Ian. “Did she cry?”

“Oh, no—Mummies are brave,” said Mrs. Fraser. “She’ll want you all to be brave, too, and help her a lot.”

“I shall help,” said Rosie. “I shall do all the washing-up.”

“You!” said Linda. “Why, you’re only five. You’ll break everything!”

“I shall do all the shopping for Mummy,” said Ian. “Every bit.”

“I shall do all the washing-up,” said Rosie again, louder than before. “I shall turn on the taps and ...”

“You can’t reach them,” said Linda. “You know you can’t.”

“I shall turn on the taps,” said Rosie, again, beginning to shout.

“Sh!” said Roddy, leaping out of his chair. “I heard our gate click. Look—it’s Mummy! Mummy! We’re here!”

Mummy waved to him but went straight on indoors. “I’m going to her,” said Roddy. “Thank you for the nice tea, Mrs. Fraser.” And he sped out of the door and along the front path to the gate.

Linda and Ian followed at once, with Rosie stumbling behind. “Wait for me, wait for me!” she called. But nobody waited. They so badly wanted to find Mummy and ask her what had happened!

And then at last they were in their own house, hugging Mummy. “Tell us everything,” said Roddy. “Quick, Mummy, tell us everything!”