Matty and Bill for Keeps by Elizabeth Fensham Read Free Book Online Page B

secretive sort of person,’ said Crispin. ‘I’ve told you everything you’ve asked.’
    â€˜Give him a hint, Matty,’ suggested Bill. ‘Tell him about you.’
    â€˜Good idea,’ said Mat. ‘Well, you can take me for an example. I used to operate under a secret name – Grube. I didn’t like the name Grub. I thought people might make mean jokes. My real name was the secret I told Bill.’
    â€˜That wasn’t much of a secret,’ said Crispin. ‘You’ve already told me Grub is an ancient Saxon name.’
    â€˜What I’m getting at . . .’ began Mat.
    Bill could tell Mat was searching about for a kindly way to explain about his own terrible, traitorous behaviour. Once again, he felt burdened with guilt.
    â€˜It was all my fault . . .’ Bill began to explain.
    â€˜Water under the bridge,’ said Mat in a matter-of-fact way. ‘Bill can explain some other time, if you want. The point is, the secret has to be something that you’re only willing to share with people you trust.’
    â€˜I’ll tell you mine,’ said Bill. ‘My dad was in jail for theft. I told Mat and she kept my secret for ages. I ended up telling the rest of the kids at school, though.’
    â€˜Why on earth would you do that?’ asked Crispin.
    â€˜It’s all to do with the reason everyone knows Mat’s real name,’ said Bill.
    â€˜For heaven’s sake, you’ve got to explain. None of this makes sense. Secrets that aren’t secrets anymore,’ said Crispin.
    â€˜Let’s put it this way,’ said Bill, taking a deep breath. ‘I got caught up with Isabelle Farquay-Jones who wanted some dirt on Mat. I was weak enough to tell Isabelle about Mat’s name. Isabelle told everyone at school. So I told everyone about my dad – just to make it even between Mat and me.’
    â€˜Ah,’ said Crispin, ‘the lovely Isabelle strikes again! So I’m not her only victim.’
    â€˜You can see,’ said Mat, ‘that if we’re to help each other, we also need to have absolute trust.’
    Crispin paused. He twisted his mouth in such a way that they could tell he was tossing up what he might reveal. ‘Alright then,’ he said. ‘I’ll tell you something I’m very ashamed of.’
    â€˜Something you’ve done?’ asked Mat.
    â€˜Yes,’ said Crispin.
    â€˜It’s hard to imagine you doing anything terrible,’ said Bill.
    â€˜Well, I have. And it’s really getting me down,’ said Crispin.
    â€˜Go on. Tell us,’ said Mat.
    Crispin hesitated.
    â€˜If you want our help to protect you from the Farquay-Joneses, you just have to speak,’ said Mat.
    At the mention of the name ‘Farquay-Jones’, Crispin shuddered, then seemed spurred into action. ‘I have besmirched the family name,’ he said in a burst.
    â€˜You have what?’ asked Bill.
    â€˜Our family motto is Nunquam retrorsum which is Latin for “Never retreat”,’ explained Crispin. ‘Our ancestor, Rolo de Floriette, accompanied William the Conqueror in the 1066 Battle of Hastings. Even surrounded by seven Saxon knights, Rolo de Floriette refused to surrender. He lost the tip of his nose to the sword of one of his enemies, but all seven men lost their lives. Ever since then, in a thousand years of family history, not one single de Floriette has retreated. Not until me.’
    Matty was looking horrified. ‘What have you done, then? How did you retreat?’
    â€˜The night I tied Isabelle to the tree, fibbed to her parents and then ran away,’ said Crispin.
    â€˜You were a desperate man,’ said Bill.
    â€˜Aunt Victoria does not see it that way,’ said Crispin sadly. ‘She says I have “besmirched the family name”. That’s why she’s so cross with me.’
    â€˜I think you and your aunt are getting this out of