Hidden (Marchwood Vampire Series #1) by Shalini Boland Read Free Book Online Page B

tracks through woods of pine and larch. They climbed hills
and steamed through tunnels hollowed out of the soft limestone.
Over bridges and viaducts they steadily made their way southwards.
Through mirror-black windows Alexandre stared out into the rapidly
growing gloom at the smudged outlines of smoking cottage chimneys
until at last night finally fell and their train was a lone
speeding light through the dark french countryside.
    Supper on the
train turned out to be quite a lavish affair. The Chevaliers were
shown to their table where they chatted and sipped aperitifs.
    ‘ I cannot believe it will actually be warm in Turkey. The
weather is so vile here,’ Isobel said, tasting her
drink.
    ‘ Do not forget it will still be cold at night,’ Papa
replied.
    ‘ If we are lucky, it will be warm in Marseille too,’ Maman
added.
    ‘ Do stop talking about the weather and tell us of all the
exciting discoveries we shall make in Turkey,’ Jacques
said.
    ‘ How can Papa tell us that, when we haven’t even discovered
them yet,’ Isobel rolled her eyes.
    ‘ Is it really true you do not yet know what lies in
Cappadocia? That you have no idea what manner of artefacts we are
going to uncover?’ Alexandre asked his parents.
    ‘ Monsieur Bouvier has made me and your mother sign a letter of
confidentiality. But I can tell you this much – you will not be
disappointed.’
    ‘ You mean to say, you actually know what is there? Then you
must tell us, Papa,’ Jacques said. ‘It is too unfair to make us
wait this long to find out.’
    ‘ If I tell you, Monsieur Bouvier will send his wife to hunt us
down and then we will all be in dire trouble.’
    ‘ Didier,’ Maman chided. Do not let them hear you talking this
way about Madame.’
    ‘ But everybody knows she is a shrew, Maman,’ Alexandre
said.
    ‘ They may know it, but it is not polite to say it out
loud.’
    ‘ Your mother is right. I should not have spoken so. Erase that
comment from your memories, children. Aah, here comes the soup -
Pigeon Bisque. It smells delicious.’
    ‘ I am so hungry I could eat my shoe,’ Alexandre’s eyes lit up
at the arrival of the first course.
    ‘ You boys are always hungry,’ Maman replied.
    Alexandre
concentrated on his food while Jacques cross-examined Maman and
Papa on every aspect of archaeology he could think of. Papa never
tired of talking about his favourite subject and Jacques’ interest
fuelled his enthusiasm.
    Alexandre
realised this Turkish dig could lead to the most important find of
the century or it could be a wild goose chase. But it was a risk
his parents were willing to take. They wanted to uncover that one
big find that would gain them the respect of their peers and
re-launch their ailing careers.
    Whilst they
had been enjoying dinner, the train staff had transformed their
first class carriage into a comfortable bedroom. The lower benches
were now beds, and two further bunks had been pulled down from each
wall. Alexandre and Jacques were to share, topping and tailing.
    ‘ Keep still, man, for goodness sake.’ Alexandre jabbed his
brother’s leg with his foot.
    ‘ Ow! Maman, tell Alex to stop hogging the whole bunk and maybe
then it wouldn’t take me so long to get comfortable.’
    ‘ Just lie still, close your eyes and go to sleep,’ Alexandre
said. ‘That usually works for me.’
    ‘ It usually works for me too, but I don’t usually have to lie next to a six
foot idiot who takes up the whole bed.’ Jacques kicked him
back.
    ‘ Ow! You little ...’
    ‘ Right, that’s it!’ Alexandre heard his mother slip down from
her bunk. She drew back the curtains in front of their bed.
‘Jacques, you take my bunk. I will share with Isobel. I cannot
stand another moment of your bickering. Just promise me you will
not be like this for the whole nine months we are away. Didier, why
are you not scolding your sons?’
    Alexandre
followed his mother’s gaze to see Papa lying in his bunk with his
mouth open,