Read Online In Lonnie's Shadow by Chrissie Michaels - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Chrissie Michaels
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the old fraud had seen Daisy jiggling her tambourine and wearing her Sally’s uniform.
Postlethwaite moved his hand to the back of her skull. ‘Here is the section we call Fear.’ He tapped hard on the site.
‘Ouch!’
‘Steady on, mate.’ Lonnie gripped Postlethwaite’s arm. ‘You’ll do her an injury.’
‘I’m merely working on the area of her trouble. If you wish to remain for this consultation then I insist you show less impertinence.’ Postlethwaite brushed down his sleeve and resumed his map work across Daisy’s skull. ‘There are of course other possibilities for repair. Say we drilled here,’ he said, pressing his thumb down hard on Trepidation, ‘we may destroy the part of the brain which contains the important background to the fear. Only a small indentation will be left. Very easily fixed.’ He gave Daisy an encouraging smile.
Lonnie grabbed hold of his friend and hoisted her out of the chair. ‘That’s enough, Daise, no one’s drilling holes in your head.’ He glared hotly at the phrenologist.
Postlethwaite was as aggravated as Lonnie, who turned his back and strode to the door, dragging the protesting Daisy along behind him. The scientist rushed after them. ‘Now see here, wait a minute! What about my payment?’
Lonnie reached into his pocket and dismissively tossed a sixpence in his direction. ‘Daylight robbery, mate.’
Outside Daisy ripped her hand away from his. Her eyes were grey specks in a stormy sky; the tempest was coming. ‘What did you do that for?’
‘He’s demented. I told you so in the first place. Gives me the creeps.’
‘In. The. First. Place.’ Daisy sounded out each word as brutally as the force of an executioner’s axe.‘Who said I can’t speak up for myself ? Am I mute? Do you think for one moment I’d give permission to anyone to drill into my skull, or for that matter I needed you to rescue me? I thought you knew me better, Lonnie McGuinness. And in the second place, who says you’re right? Mr Postlethwaite may well have helped. So now you’ve dragged me out, have you any other bright ideas about how I’m going to stop my nightmares?’
‘Come on, Daise, I didn’t mean it. Postlethwaite’s an old fool.’ Lonnie trailed off, lost for words. There was no doubt about it, if anyone knew her own mind it was Daisy Cameron. He should’ve known better than to get on her wrong side. ‘We’ll find another way of sorting this. Let me think it over. I promise I’ll help.’
‘Be careful you don’t make promises you can’t keep,’ warned Daisy sternly, but then relented and slipped her arm through his. ‘Walk with me to number four. Let’s see what Pearl’s up to. I haven’t seen her around for ages.’
‘Good idea,’ Lonnie said, relieved that Daisy was no longer cross with him. ‘The little shirker was supposed to meet me at the oyster bar the other night, but she didn’t show.’
BROKEN HINGE
Item No. 654
Metal T-hinge. A shaped hinge still commonly used today.
A slit of light broke through the exterior wall. Pearl dug her fingers into the dirt and slowly pulled herself towards it. One hand settled on a small soft creature moving in front. Startled, she jerked back and bumped her head on the timber above. After a few deep breaths she willed herself calm and continued to move inch by inch towards the wall. She began to scrape and scratch at the crumbling mortar with a broken hinge she’d found in the dirt. If she could gouge a hole large enough to squeeze through, then she could make a run for it before Annie cottoned on.
A squeak and a groan on the floorboards above warned her the trapdoor would soon be on the move. She hastily shimmied back to her place underneath the hulking door and lay still. Annie dropped a small, partially filled bottle through the hole. Pearl grabbed it and drank thirstily. With a feeling of disgust she threw it aside. There was more spit in her mouth than there was water in that
Postlethwaite moved his hand to the back of her skull. ‘Here is the section we call Fear.’ He tapped hard on the site.
‘Ouch!’
‘Steady on, mate.’ Lonnie gripped Postlethwaite’s arm. ‘You’ll do her an injury.’
‘I’m merely working on the area of her trouble. If you wish to remain for this consultation then I insist you show less impertinence.’ Postlethwaite brushed down his sleeve and resumed his map work across Daisy’s skull. ‘There are of course other possibilities for repair. Say we drilled here,’ he said, pressing his thumb down hard on Trepidation, ‘we may destroy the part of the brain which contains the important background to the fear. Only a small indentation will be left. Very easily fixed.’ He gave Daisy an encouraging smile.
Lonnie grabbed hold of his friend and hoisted her out of the chair. ‘That’s enough, Daise, no one’s drilling holes in your head.’ He glared hotly at the phrenologist.
Postlethwaite was as aggravated as Lonnie, who turned his back and strode to the door, dragging the protesting Daisy along behind him. The scientist rushed after them. ‘Now see here, wait a minute! What about my payment?’
Lonnie reached into his pocket and dismissively tossed a sixpence in his direction. ‘Daylight robbery, mate.’
Outside Daisy ripped her hand away from his. Her eyes were grey specks in a stormy sky; the tempest was coming. ‘What did you do that for?’
‘He’s demented. I told you so in the first place. Gives me the creeps.’
‘In. The. First. Place.’ Daisy sounded out each word as brutally as the force of an executioner’s axe.‘Who said I can’t speak up for myself ? Am I mute? Do you think for one moment I’d give permission to anyone to drill into my skull, or for that matter I needed you to rescue me? I thought you knew me better, Lonnie McGuinness. And in the second place, who says you’re right? Mr Postlethwaite may well have helped. So now you’ve dragged me out, have you any other bright ideas about how I’m going to stop my nightmares?’
‘Come on, Daise, I didn’t mean it. Postlethwaite’s an old fool.’ Lonnie trailed off, lost for words. There was no doubt about it, if anyone knew her own mind it was Daisy Cameron. He should’ve known better than to get on her wrong side. ‘We’ll find another way of sorting this. Let me think it over. I promise I’ll help.’
‘Be careful you don’t make promises you can’t keep,’ warned Daisy sternly, but then relented and slipped her arm through his. ‘Walk with me to number four. Let’s see what Pearl’s up to. I haven’t seen her around for ages.’
‘Good idea,’ Lonnie said, relieved that Daisy was no longer cross with him. ‘The little shirker was supposed to meet me at the oyster bar the other night, but she didn’t show.’
BROKEN HINGE
Item No. 654
Metal T-hinge. A shaped hinge still commonly used today.
A slit of light broke through the exterior wall. Pearl dug her fingers into the dirt and slowly pulled herself towards it. One hand settled on a small soft creature moving in front. Startled, she jerked back and bumped her head on the timber above. After a few deep breaths she willed herself calm and continued to move inch by inch towards the wall. She began to scrape and scratch at the crumbling mortar with a broken hinge she’d found in the dirt. If she could gouge a hole large enough to squeeze through, then she could make a run for it before Annie cottoned on.
A squeak and a groan on the floorboards above warned her the trapdoor would soon be on the move. She hastily shimmied back to her place underneath the hulking door and lay still. Annie dropped a small, partially filled bottle through the hole. Pearl grabbed it and drank thirstily. With a feeling of disgust she threw it aside. There was more spit in her mouth than there was water in that
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