A Perfect Gentle Knight by Kit Pearson Read Free Book Online Page A

ground.
    â€œI submit!” she cried, trying not to laugh.
    They had archery practice, then they galloped up and down chasing imaginary deer. Finally they trotted back to the house for lunch. But all the way Corrie kept looking out for Meredith.
    The rest of the day was so pleasant that Corrie tried to forget about her confrontation with Sebastian. Roz came home extremely cheerful. She congratulated Corrie on becoming a knight and cooked them delicious sausages for dinner.
    Fa always watched TV with them on Saturday nights. They were pleased to discover that Hamlet was on because they knew how much he would enjoy it. Corrie didn’t understand much of the movie, but that meant she could ask a lot of questions and get Fa’s full attention as he patiently answered them.
    â€œLook, Hamlet, it’s all about you!” said Harry. He had found an old golf ball that afternoon. He’d peeled off the cover and was laboriously unwinding the long rubber strand underneath. When he reached the tiny black ball in the middle he threw it for Hamlet, who trotted back with it as if he were a dog. Then Hamlet dozed in Harry’s lap. The twins fell asleep as well, and Fa helped carry them to bed.
    E VERY SUNDAY MORNING, rain or shine, the Bell family walked five blocks to St. George’s Church. If it rained they arrived like a flock of wet sheep, shaking the water off their coats and shoes.
    Corrie often wished they had a car, but Fa had sold theirs soon after the accident. Accident … that word had hovered in the air like a black cloud the evening Fa had come home late, stood in the hall with a white, stricken face, and whispered, “My dears, there’s been an accident.”
    Fa had been driving when a truck hit Mum’s side of the car and killed her instantly. It wasn’t his fault—the grown-ups kept saying that over and over. But he thought it was, and he swore that he would never drive again.
    Poor, dear Fa, thought Corrie, walking behind her father as he strode into the church, a twin in each hand. She enjoyed the way people stared at them, this large family led by such a distinguished-looking father.
    They took up a whole pew. Corrie smoothed her dress over her knees and adjusted her beret; Roz always made them dress up for church. And they looked nice, Corrie thought. Yes, Orly’s knees beneath his short pants were scabbed, and Juliet’s pink dress, handed down from Corrie, was too long for her. Harry’s shirt was wrinkled, and her own sweater had holes in the sleeves. But Fa wore the tweed jacket and matching waistcoat he did every Sunday, and Roz, of course, was a model of teenaged elegance. Sebastian wasn’t dressed much differently from every day but he always looked meticulous, with his gleaming dark, chin-length hair and his serious grey eyes.
    To Corrie’s delight the first hymn was “To Be a Pilgrim,” Sebastian’s favourite. She grinned at him as they shared a hymn book and their voices rang out together: “No foe may still his might, though he with giants fight.” They were Sir Lancelot and Sir Gareth, attending chapel before a battle.
    As Corrie put down her hymn book, she spotted a curly dark head under a red hat a few pews away: Meredith! She’d never seen her in church before.
    A few minutes later all the children paraded out for Sunday school. Meredith avoided Corrie’s eyes. She must have really been hurt yesterday.
    Corrie sat around a table with the rest of the ten-and eleven-year-olds. She paid no attention to Mrs. Rose, the Sunday school teacher, who was reading them the story of Jonah and the whale. Instead she pondered how she could make amends with Meredith.
    Finally she excused herself to go to the bathroom. With relief, she heard Meredith make the same request. Outside the door they gazed at each other awkwardly.
    â€œI didn’t know you went to this church,” mumbled Corrie.
    â€œThis is our first