Julius and the Soulcatcher by Tim Hehir Read Free Book Online

above the back door, then ran across them, ringing them as it went.
    ‘What in Heaven’s name is going on?’ bellowed Mrs Trevelyan, from halfway down the stairs.
    Everyone stopped and looked up.
    ‘It’s a wild orchid, Mrs Trevelyan,’ called out Clara. ‘It climbed out of its pot and went for poor Nell.’
    ‘It’s not right. It’s not right,’ screamed the fat cook. Her words were muffled by the large copper pot she had put over her head as a helmet.
    The orchid stopped at the last bell long enough for Julius to see it properly. It was the orchid he had given to Emily. The tendrils that had hung down onto the soil now flicked around like whips.
    ‘We need something to catch it in,’ said Mr Flynn.
    Julius looked around. It was impossible to find anything in the chaos. Wooden spoons were strewn across the kitchen table and a pot of soup had tipped over on the range, making it hiss and spit and sending up more steam than the chimney could hold.
    ‘Here, catch,’ shouted Emily.
    Julius caught the sieve she threw at him.
    Clara poked the orchid off the last bell with a broom. It fell into the corner and, running on its tendril legs, it made for the space under the dresser.The meat-tenderising mallet flew through the air, just missing Julius’s ear. It smashed into the floor in front of the orchid, stopping it for an instant. Julius leapt at it with the sieve.
    ‘Got you!’
    He lay over the sieve, holding it down while the orchid fought to escape.
    ‘It’s not right. It’s not right,’ shouted the cook.
    The kitchen became still but for the flour and cinnamon and nutmeg settling like fairy dust around them.
    Mrs Trevelyan pulled the pot off the cook’s head and placed it on the table.
    ‘Calm yourself, Cook,’ she said.
    ‘Could I trouble you for a jar, Mrs Trevelyan?’ said Mr Flynn, with impeccable composure.
    ‘Why, yes, of course, Mr Flynn,’ she said.
    Clara reached for a jar of bay leaves and tipped them out on the draining board.
    ‘Thank you,’ said Mr Flynn, barely looking at the assistant cook who was covered in flour. ‘Julius, when I give the word, lift the sieve and I’ll nab it. Stand back, ladies.’
    Under the wire mesh, the orchid hissed and whipped, madly lashing its tendrils.
    ‘Now,’ said Mr Flynn.
    Julius snatched up the sieve and used it as a shield while Mr Flynn slammed the open end of the jar overthe orchid, severing two tendrils.
    Two minutes later they all stood around the table staring at the jar into which the imprisoned orchid was squashed like a pickled cabbage. Its tendrils ran across the glass as if searching for a crack to break through. A cluster of schoolgirls stared from the kitchen doorway—their mouths forming perfect letter ‘O’s.
    ‘Well…’ said Mrs Trevelyan, as if the silence that followed spoke for itself.
    ‘It was Emily what left that thing in the kitchen,’ said the cook, her face wobbling with indignation.
    ‘Me? I ain’t done naffing,’ said Emily. ‘I didn’t know it was going to be that sort of surprise. I didn’t fink it—’
    Mrs Trevelyan’s head slowly turned to face Emily—the simple movement made Emily close her mouth, leaving her with an expression of angry innocence.
    Clara wiped flour from her blinking eyes, smearing her powdery mask.
    ‘Er, I think I can explain, Mrs Trevelyan,’ said Mr Flynn. ‘You see…er…’
    ‘I gave it to Emily,’ said Julius. ‘But, I swear, I didn’t know it would do this.’
    ‘That was kind of you,’ said Clara.
    Julius smiled an embarrassed thank you to her.
    Mrs Trevelyan smoothed out her skirt, and thenturned to the girls in the doorway. ‘Back to your books, ladies, and send Nell down here,’ she commanded. Then she turned to Clara. ‘And I suggest we get this mess cleaned up. We have supper to prepare, do we not?’
    Then she turned to Emily. ‘And you, young lady, will help.’
    ‘But I can’t, Mrs Trevelyan. I ’ave to go wiv Mr Flynn. Mr Tock’s the cove wot