Magic Kitten: Moonlight Mischief by Sue Bentley Read Free Book Online Page A

poked her head round the door. ‘I’m going to take the Dawsons into the office and show them where things are. Why don’t you take Eve up to see her bedroom, Alison? And could you keep an eye on Darren, please?’
    ‘If I have to,’ Alison said under her breath. As soon as her mum went out, she quickly swung her feet round and got up. She glanced at Darren who was completely engrossed in his game. ‘Come on, quick! We’ll leave him there,’ she whispered to Eve.
    ‘Are you sure…?’ Eve hesitated.
    ‘Yes, I am! Hurry up!’ Alison grabbed her arm and pulled her into the hall.
    Eve couldn’t help laughing as they raced up the stairs together. Alisondarted into a bedroom, pulled Eve in behind her, and closed the door.
    ‘That little pest won’t find us in here,’ she said, grinning.
    Eve felt a bit mean for hiding from Darren, but she didn’t want to say anything and risk upsetting Alison. She seemed to be trying to be friendly now. Eve looked round at her bedroom. The walls were yellow and the curtains and duvet were in cheerful stripes of yellow and white. The room seemed filled with sunshine. From the window, she could see over the patio fence to the rows of outdoor pens.
    ‘This is a great room. You can see the yard and cat pens from up here,’ Eve said excitedly.
    ‘Glad you like it. Mum and I cleaned the house yesterday. I did all the hoovering by myself,’ Alison said. ‘Darren played with his toys, as usual. Mum never makes him do anything.’
    Eve thought Darren looked a bit young to do chores, but she didn’t say so. ‘Does your mum come in every day?’ she asked.
    ‘Not usually, but she’s going to while you’re here.’ Alison pulled a face. ‘She’s going to help with feeding the cats and stuff too. That’s why I have to help her. It’s a real pain. I’m never going to be able to see my friends.’
    ‘I know what you mean,’ Eve said with feeling. ‘I keep thinking of all my friends back at home. Maybe we couldgo out for a pizza or rent a video sometime?’
    Alison rolled her eyes. ‘If I get desperate! I’m not that keen on hanging about with younger kids.’
    ‘Please yourself!’ Eve said, feeling her face grow hot. She hated the way she blushed when she was embarrassed or annoyed. It seemed like a waste of time trying to make friends with Alison. She quickly turned on her heel. ‘I’m going to see what Mum and Dad are doing.’
    Alison stood there, staring after her. ‘Hey! I didn’t mean…’ she began.
    ‘Forget it!’ Eve called over her shoulder, already on her way downstairs.
    In the kitchen, Eve saw that the door into the cattery office was open. Shefound her mum sitting at a computer, while Jo explained about the files and records. Her dad stood by, looking blank.
    Mr Dawson winked at Eve as she came in. Eve pulled a sympathetic face. Her dad was useless with computers!
    ‘Bedroom OK?’ her dad asked. ‘How are you getting on with Alison?’
    ‘OK,’ Eve said, still smarting a bit from the unfriendly comment. ‘My bedroom’s lovely. What’s through here?’
    ‘That’s the storeroom. Go and have a look. It leads to the outdoor pens where the cats live.’ He grinned. ‘Meeting the cats is a certain cure for someone who had a long face all the way here!’

    Eve put her hands on her hips. ‘Da-ad! I’m not a baby any more! I’m going to be eleven next birthday! And I’ve got an even better cure. How about letting me have my own pet kitten?’
    He chuckled, twinkling at her. ‘Nice try! What is this, pester power?’ he teased.
    ‘If you like!’ Eve laughed and gave her dad a playful shove. He could always cheer her up. And one day she was going to have a pet cat. She just needed to work on him a bit harder.
    She went through the storeroom and straight outside to the rows of wiremesh pens. They all had inside sleeping places and heat lamps for cold weather. In one pen, a Siamese cat was curled up in its bed. In another, Eve saw a tabby cat and a