Read Online Anna To The Infinite Power by Mildred Ames - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Mildred Ames
Tags: Young Adult
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room. “I’ve just put them all back in the cabinet near the dining table.”
This was the opportunity Anna had been waiting for. “May I use your bathroom first?”
Michaela nodded toward the hall. “First door to your left.”
Anna hurried out, paused before the bathroom door, and listened. When she heard the clink of china, she felt satisfied that Michaela was indeed in the kitchen, so she went on to hunt for the communications room. Because there were only two other doors, one belonging to a bedroom, she found what she was looking for quickly. Inside the room she directed the INAFT machine to give her the information she wanted, then pushed the hard copy button. Hurry, hurry, she silently pleaded. What if Michaela should catch her? Then with second thoughts, chided herself for her nervousness. What difference would it make if Michaela did catch her? There was no law that said you couldn’t use someone else’s machine.
She needn’t have concerned herself. In seconds, printed sheets spilled out of the machine just as she had suspected they would. But there was no time to read them. She snatched them up, hurried back to the living room, and quickly dropped the papers into the carryall she’d left on the floor. She couldn’t bring herself to leave the bag unattended now, so she took it with her to the dining area, where she planned to pretend she was absorbed in Michaela’s collection.
When she had made her way around the screen, just as Michaela had said, she found a display cabinet filled with numerous small boxes. In spite of all she had on her mind she was instantly drawn to them. Each, she discovered, was different. Some were decorated with glittering gems, some with colored glass, some with seed pearls. Others were fashioned of highly polished woods, many parqueted. There were mosaics, hand-painted scenics, all sorts of metals, more kinds of boxes and decorations than Anna could take in at a glance.
She moved closer to the cabinet, experiencing the same feeling that came over her whenever she saw something she wanted.
Michaela was still making noises in the kitchen. If I asked her for a box, Anna thought, she’d never give it to me. Collectors seldom parted with anything they’d saved.
Anna tried the glass door. Locked. She might have known. As she turned away from the cabinet, she noticed a lone box sitting on the table next to a dust cloth. Michaela must have overlooked it when she returned the others to the case. Anna picked up the box and studied it, admiring the iridescent mother-of-pearl that decorated the top and sides. Chances were that Michaela would never even miss it. Anna thrust it into her carryall, then hurriedly tiptoed back to the living room to sit on the couch.
Soon Michaela came in with a tray. She set it on the table in front of the couch, then sat down beside Anna. “Did you see my collection?”
Anna stared her straight in the eye. “I’m really not very interested in boxes.”
Apparently Michaela was unconcerned, because she shrugged and immediately changed the subject. “I’ve fixed us some toast.” She pointed to a tiny china bowl. “I hope you like marmalade. This is homemade -- a very special present from one of the teachers at the conservatory.”
Anna glanced sharply at the woman. Graham Hart had made a batch only a few months before because they’d had an extra allotment of sugar. Anna would have bet anything that the marmalade had come from him.
Michaela handed Anna a plate with toast on it. “How about some tea?”
“I don’t like tea.”
“Oh, dear, there isn’t another thing in the house.”
“I don’t need anything.” Anna glanced doubtfully at the toast. The bread looked better than any the stores were selling since the wheat crops had grown smaller, but she didn’t trust this woman. The stuff could be poisoned.
Michaela said, “Tell me, Anna, do you enjoy music?”
The question surprised Anna. She had never given it any thought. With two
This was the opportunity Anna had been waiting for. “May I use your bathroom first?”
Michaela nodded toward the hall. “First door to your left.”
Anna hurried out, paused before the bathroom door, and listened. When she heard the clink of china, she felt satisfied that Michaela was indeed in the kitchen, so she went on to hunt for the communications room. Because there were only two other doors, one belonging to a bedroom, she found what she was looking for quickly. Inside the room she directed the INAFT machine to give her the information she wanted, then pushed the hard copy button. Hurry, hurry, she silently pleaded. What if Michaela should catch her? Then with second thoughts, chided herself for her nervousness. What difference would it make if Michaela did catch her? There was no law that said you couldn’t use someone else’s machine.
She needn’t have concerned herself. In seconds, printed sheets spilled out of the machine just as she had suspected they would. But there was no time to read them. She snatched them up, hurried back to the living room, and quickly dropped the papers into the carryall she’d left on the floor. She couldn’t bring herself to leave the bag unattended now, so she took it with her to the dining area, where she planned to pretend she was absorbed in Michaela’s collection.
When she had made her way around the screen, just as Michaela had said, she found a display cabinet filled with numerous small boxes. In spite of all she had on her mind she was instantly drawn to them. Each, she discovered, was different. Some were decorated with glittering gems, some with colored glass, some with seed pearls. Others were fashioned of highly polished woods, many parqueted. There were mosaics, hand-painted scenics, all sorts of metals, more kinds of boxes and decorations than Anna could take in at a glance.
She moved closer to the cabinet, experiencing the same feeling that came over her whenever she saw something she wanted.
Michaela was still making noises in the kitchen. If I asked her for a box, Anna thought, she’d never give it to me. Collectors seldom parted with anything they’d saved.
Anna tried the glass door. Locked. She might have known. As she turned away from the cabinet, she noticed a lone box sitting on the table next to a dust cloth. Michaela must have overlooked it when she returned the others to the case. Anna picked up the box and studied it, admiring the iridescent mother-of-pearl that decorated the top and sides. Chances were that Michaela would never even miss it. Anna thrust it into her carryall, then hurriedly tiptoed back to the living room to sit on the couch.
Soon Michaela came in with a tray. She set it on the table in front of the couch, then sat down beside Anna. “Did you see my collection?”
Anna stared her straight in the eye. “I’m really not very interested in boxes.”
Apparently Michaela was unconcerned, because she shrugged and immediately changed the subject. “I’ve fixed us some toast.” She pointed to a tiny china bowl. “I hope you like marmalade. This is homemade -- a very special present from one of the teachers at the conservatory.”
Anna glanced sharply at the woman. Graham Hart had made a batch only a few months before because they’d had an extra allotment of sugar. Anna would have bet anything that the marmalade had come from him.
Michaela handed Anna a plate with toast on it. “How about some tea?”
“I don’t like tea.”
“Oh, dear, there isn’t another thing in the house.”
“I don’t need anything.” Anna glanced doubtfully at the toast. The bread looked better than any the stores were selling since the wheat crops had grown smaller, but she didn’t trust this woman. The stuff could be poisoned.
Michaela said, “Tell me, Anna, do you enjoy music?”
The question surprised Anna. She had never given it any thought. With two
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