HartsLove by K.M. Grant Read Free Book Online Page B

running down. Garth was nowhere to be seen.
    â€˜Ah!’ said the father of the daughters, ‘good to catch you in, Sir Charles. I’ve had my eye on this place for years.’ Without further introduction he began to outline the tremendous work that would be involved in bringing ‘this old wreck’, as he called Hartslove, ‘up to scratch’. ‘You must admit that it’s a disgrace as it stands.’ He waved a chequebook. ‘Now, I’m a fair-minded man so I’ll pay a fair price on condition that you’re out in six weeks. We’ll want the place thoroughly modernised before the summer. That ruined front will have to go. And the moat. All very quaint, I’m sure, but the Wars of the Roses are over, you know.’ He laughed at his little joke and scribbled out a sum not quite as large as he might have written had he not smelled the brandy on Charles’s breath. ‘Take this, Sir Charles, and we’ll consider the bargain sealed.’
    Rose was shocked into paralysis. Surely it could not be this quick. Six weeks? Their father would refuse. He must.
    Only he did not. Actually, Charles felt an extraordinary desire to laugh. It should not have come to this. Of course it should not. But it had, and brandy made everything very easy. Grab the cheque and it was done. He was going to exchange Hartslove Castle for a bit of paper. It really was quite funny when you thought about it. He stretched out his hand, but as his fingers brushed the cheque, the air was shattered by a scream so blood-curdling that Gryffed’s every hair stood straight up on end. Daisy clutched her father. Lily clutched Rose. Clover and Columbine clutched eachother. The buyer clutched his wife and children. The cheque fluttered to the floor.
    The scream came from outside, and Charles, dragging Daisy, was first out of the front door, closely followed by Rose and Lily and Clover and Columbine, still attached to each other. The buyer and his family brought up the rear.
    The first thing they saw was Mrs Snipper, one hand over her mouth and the other braced, palm outwards, as though waiting to catch something. They squinted up, as she was doing, and through the mist they could just see the top of the battlements. First there was nothing except stone, then there was Garth, now visible, now not, performing slow backflips, his feet only just catching the narrow merlons sticking up between the gaps in the castellation. Mrs Snipper was beside herself. ‘Do something, Sir Charles. For God’s sake. Master Garth’ll kill himself.’ She wrung her hands. Charles opened his mouth.
    â€˜No,’ Rose said quickly. ‘If you shout, you’ll distract him. He’ll fall.’
    Charles’s lips snapped shut. Over and over went Garth, his white shirt billowing, so that there looked to be no boy inside it at all. Charles ran back inside, heading for the tower staircase.
    Daisy glanced at the visitors. Both girls were whimpering. She was frightened for Garth but it struck her, in a brainwave, that this was an opportunity. She hobbled over. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said. ‘The Spirits don’t usually appearduring the day. Perhaps your father’s upset them by not offering enough money.’
    â€˜What?’ blustered the father. He had no idea of Garth’s existence so was not sure what he was seeing.
    â€˜The Spirits,’ Daisy explained, employing her most practical smile. ‘They come with the castle, I’m afraid.’
    â€˜Spirits? Don’t be ridiculous,’ the man declared. But he could not take his eyes off the whirling white cog high above him.
    â€˜Please don’t worry,’ Daisy said. ‘The Spirits are quite harmless.’ She paused. ‘Mostly.’
    The mother had begun to shake her head and shove her girls towards the carriage. The horses were already straining to be away. ‘Let’s go, Wilbur,’ the woman said.