The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge Read Free Book Online

question.
    ‘Oh, and he is! However, he has some odd, old-fashioned views, for one of his years.’ The doctor smiled a lot, but there was something clenched about his smiles. ‘But he cannot
be kept out of the matter either, for he
found
the cave. Or rather his dog found it. The poor brute fell down the hidden shaft and broke one of its legs – we had the deuce of a time
fetching it up again.
    ‘As for myself, I have read the latest works on cave hunting and the others have not, so they cannot do without
me
either.’ The doctor grinned mirthlessly.
    Faith shifted uncomfortably. Her father had been called in as an expert, but it sounded as though the locals really wanted someone to settle their squabbles.
    The route turned inland, rose gently and then levelled. The carriage halted. Faith alighted with the rest of her family.
    The land all around was craggy and turbulent. Here and there rose rock-crested ridges, with little gorges and dry stream beds twisting between them. On the seaward side, the descent seemed to be
a clumsy mixture of level shelves and little cliffs, as if some giant had made a haphazard attempt at carving steps into the side of the island.
    Dr Jacklers led the Sunderly family along a sawdust-strewn path until they could peer down into the nearest gorge. Looking down, Faith saw a cluster of canvas tents. With mounting excitement,
she realized that they flanked the mouth of a tunnel, cut into the slope of the hillside between two large boulders. The entrance had been reinforced by a timber lintel, and she could just make out
some shadowy wooden struts within.
    A tunnel into the past
, she thought.
    When the doctor called out a greeting, five men in earth-covered workman’s clothes stopped what they were doing and stood by politely.
    A sixth man, in gentlemanly dress, looked up at them and shielded his eyes, then bounded up the zigzag path to meet them.
    ‘Mr Anthony Lambent,’ was all the introduction the doctor managed before their host was upon them.
    Lambent was over six feet tall, and seemed even taller as he tore towards them like a blond hurricane. Faith guessed that he was probably in his thirties, but his stride still had a roaring
youthfulness. His green coat showed daubs of mud, and his bright yellow cravat was askew.
    ‘Reverend!’ he shouted like a war cry, and pounced upon the Reverend’s hand. Faith’s father recoiled slightly, and briefly seemed to consider defending himself with his
walking cane. Lambent barely allowed the doctor to complete his introductions before hurrying them all down the hill. ‘Come, let me show you around!’ There was something unsettled and
unsettling about him, like a horse that might kick.
    Myrtle made a face as she edged carefully down the path, and Faith followed with the same caution. It was a difficult route for those who could not see their feet. Eventually Lambent noticed how
far he had outpaced his guests, and back-tracked.
    ‘Forgive me!’ he said. ‘I am of a hopelessly restless constitution – I must be on the move all the time.’
    ‘Does that not make sleep uncommonly difficult?’ asked Myrtle.
    ‘Oh indeed – for many years I scarcely slept more than two hours a night, in spite of all the doctors could do. I daresay I should have been forced to rely on laudanum. Thankfully
now I have my dear wife, who has a wondrously calming influence on me. As soon as Agatha begins to talk, I find myself yawning.’
    Faith doubted his ‘dear wife’ would thank him for the compliment.
    When they reached the bottom of the hill, Lambent noticed Howard’s wooden gun.
    ‘Hullo!’ He leaned over, bringing his face closer to that of Faith’s brother. ‘Do we have a soldier here? Or is it a sportsman? Are you a hunter of big game,
sir?’
    Howard froze, staring up into Lambent’s large, bewhiskered face, and gave an uncertain nod.
    ‘Capital!’ exclaimed Lambent. ‘What is it that you shoot, sir?’
    Howard opened his mouth, and it