Читать книгу The Riddle of the Frozen Phantom - Margaret Mahy - Страница 12

CHAPTER 9 The Treachery of a Housekeeper

What happened next, in this particular story, was that their housekeeper sneaked out of the back door. She ran over to the trampoline, holding a finger across her lips. Then she took the finger away and kissed Edward, Sophie and Hotspur, but very quietly. (She usually gave them great smacking, musical kisses like cymbals being flicked together). Then she vaulted lightly over the garden wall with the grace of a trained ballet dancer, and slid into her car – a red ‘Snifitzu’ – which was parked in front of the garage.

Gently and silently, she put it into reverse; gently and silently she took off the handbrake and coasted down the sloping drive. When she hit the main road (after looking carefully both ways), she took off like a rocket.

Three minutes later Bonniface called out, asking where the tomato sauce was.

Four minutes later he got up and began to search the house for tomato sauce, calling Daffodil’s name as he did so. His voice echoed in empty rooms.

Five minutes later a howl of fury and anguish rang out in the Sapwood kitchen.