The Hollow Kingdom by Clare B. Dunkle Read Free Book Online

parlor. Black hair and green eyes, laughing. Adele, who had died so that Kate could own Hallow Hill.
    "Let's examine this rationally," Hugh Roberts suggested, ticking the points off on his fingers. "You get lost within sight of your own house. You meet a hooded man who claims he's the son of Adele Roberts. You walk home without so much as a candlethrough a pitch-black night, and then you raise a fuss because he's some sort of ghastly monster. Really, Miss Winslow!" he concluded in irritation. "Don't you think I'll see through a story like that?"
    Kate stared at him, confused. "Why do you think we would invent such a thing?" she asked.
    Emily jumped up in a fury. "We really did get lost last night," she declared, "and your cousin Mr. Marak really did bring us home. He knew all about Aunt Prim and Aunt Celia, and he knew about you, too. He knows lots of things about this place that you don't know, and he assured us that he always speaks the truth."
    Hugh Roberts failed to look either mollified or convinced. "Miss Emily," he replied heatedly, "if you can introduce me to this monster cousin, I'll be happy to believe you. Otherwise, let me just remind you that you're dealing with an educated man who knows the difference between fact and superstition." He glared over his spectacles at Emily, who glared right back.
    Kate hurried to say something more helpful. "I know it sounds unbelievable, Mr. Roberts," she said. "I can't explain how we got lost, but Mr. Marak certainly is no creation of ours. He's the most unpleasant man I've ever met. He deliberately scared the wits out of me."
    Hugh Roberts studied her narrowly, clasping and unclasping his hands. Her pale, worn face and earnest voice made it obvious that she was sincere. "So you really believe in that story you told?" he demanded in surprise. "You didn't invent that monster? You didn't just make it up for a thrill?" Kate shook her head without a word. Her guardian noticed again how thin and sick she looked.
    "Children, run up to your rooms for a few minutes. I'd like to speak to your aunts alone."
    Hugh Roberts left in the dogcart half an hour later. Noticing her aunts' frightened eyes, Kate wondered in irritation what on earth hecould have said. They soothed Kate and fussed over her like two old hens. They didn't let her sew or read. They wanted her to rest. And every time she said something--anything--they exchanged furtive glances.
    Emily fared little better. At suppertime she tried to bring up the strange rider again, and Aunt Prim snapped at her.
    "Don't tell stories," she said sternly.
    "Stories!" Emily cried. "I never do! Kate--"
    But Aunt Celia interrupted. "Leave your sister out of this," she said sadly. "Kate's nerves aren't strong, but we expect you to know the difference between facts and falsehoods."
    "Well, I like that," Emily stormed a few minutes later as she stomped back and forth on the wooden floor of Kate's bedroom. "We tell them what someone else says, and we get blamed for lying. I'd like to see them face a ghost. I think your nerves are just fine." She flung herself down on the bench at Kate's dressing table. Looking in the tall, old mirror at its back, she made a disgusted face at herself.
    Kate lay on her bed, not really listening to Emily's tirade. She was staring up at the canopy, trying to puzzle through to the truth of last night. It did seem very much like a dream, like the nightmares she had been having. Maybe she had exaggerated. Maybe she had been half asleep and hadn't really seen enormous cats or children with beards. Maybe she hadn't really seen that strange caricature of a face. Facts and falsehoods. Weak nerves. She closed her eyes, terribly tired.
    "Come look at this." Emily's voice rang out loudly, blaring like a bugle call through Kate's foggy brain.
    "Oh, Em, what?" she begged. She opened her eyes and turned toward the dressing table. Nothing. Sitting up grudgingly, she found her sister standing by the window, staring out at the rainy