A Ring Through Time by Felicity Pulman Read Free Book Online

see part of a bed covered by a bedspread decorated with fairies. A large teddy lay discarded on the floor. ‘That’s Micaela’s room, and this is the small sitting room where we watch the telly if we’re having a quiet night at home. Let’s sit down for a moment and I’ll tell you about tomorrow night.’ She gestured towards a chair. ‘We have a function we have to attend, starting at eight. Both the children will be in bed by then and hopefully asleep, so you shouldn’t have any trouble with them. I realise it’s a weeknight but we shouldn’t be home later than ten. Is that okay?’
    ‘Sure.’
    Allie suppressed a shiver as she recalled Sylvia’s remark about ghosts. She was tempted to tell Sylvia that she wouldn’t be able to look after the children after all; for some reason, this house was giving her the horrors. Maybe it was something to do with what had happened when she’d visited the old gaol at night. She’d never had such an experience before. Would she see ghosts here too? She didn’t know if she could stand another experience as terrifying as that.
    After saying goodbye to Sylvia and Micaela, she was glad to escape into the fresh air and sunshine. As she walked home, she puzzled over her reaction to the large, beautifully furnished house. Sylvia had been kind, and she was sure she’d get on well with Micaela, who had studied her with large questioning eyes but had nodded vigorously when her mother asked if it would be okay for Allie to come over and look after her.
    I can’t back out of it now, Allie decided. So I’ll babysit just this once. If there’s a reason I’m seeing ghosts, if someone is trying to tell me something, then my ancestor’s old home is surely the place to find out why.
    Allie had forgotten about the sound and light tour of the convict past she’d agreed to go on with her parents that night. Her determination to find out the truth about John Bennett came back as they assembled outside the tour company’s office. Still, she was embarrassed when her father, ignoring Allie’s advice, took the tour leader to one side and began to talk about the family’s association with the past.
    Shut up, Dad , Allie pleaded silently as she noticed the guide’s eyes widen. But all he said was, ‘I’m sure the museum curator would be very interested in any new information you can give her, Dr Bennett,’ before turning to welcome some stragglers and usher them all onto the bus.
    As they trundled down the road, the guide spoke about the first and second convict settlements that had colonised the island. Unexpectedly, the bus stopped in the middle of the road and the guide told them they were about to hear from the ghost of one of the convicts who’d been sent to the island. Noah’s ancestor? Allie’s heart began to hammer. She craned forwards, but couldn’t see anything. A voice with an Irish accent came over the microphone. It wasn’t until the ‘ghost’ introduced himself as ‘Dennis Doherty’ and began to tell of his experience as a convict on the island that she realised what was going on. She sagged back into her seat.
    As the tour continued, John Bennett came in for the harshest criticism, as Allie had expected. To her relief, her father sat in silence as they watched various re-enactments between convicts and soldiers while driving among the old buildings of the convict settlement and listening to the ghost of the Irishman tell stories about the past. The site of the gallows was pointed out, and there was a mock flogging in front of Commandant Bennett, before the bus drove on to Bloody Bridge and yet another gruesome story.
    Allie had wondered if she would see any of the ghostly apparitions she’d witnessed before, but the prisoners were allreal people: islanders dressed up and playing their parts with relish. She even recognised a couple of her schoolmates among them.
    Her mother leaned across. ‘Isn’t this interesting?’ she whispered. ‘I had no idea that Norfolk