Read Online The Bone Quill by Carole E. Barrowman, John Barrowman - Free Book Online

her grandfather. The words exploded from her. ‘We went into the Monet for fun, to be in London again for a few minutes. And then we discovered we were actually in London at the same time as Monet when he painted the scene, rather than just being in the painting. But Zach got separated from us when we were animating – we’re not sure how – and then he got arrested. Oh, and right before that a soldier on a horse whipped his back. It looks pretty bad.’
    Jeannie was staring at the three of them in shock. Em charged on, trying to ignore the way Simon had dropped on to the comfy chair with his head between his legs like he was about to pass out. Her grandfather was as pale as porridge.
    ‘Then a child-catcher threw Zach into his wagon, but Zach managed to escape, which meant that Matt and I were able to find him.’
    ‘You animated into the nineteenth century through this painting?’ asked Renard.
    ‘Yes,’ said Matt reluctantly. He felt the jolt of alarm pass among the adults. ‘I think there must be something in the way our abilities react together.’
    ‘You think? You
think
?’ Simon shouted.
    Simon seemed more angry about this than Matt thought it warranted.
    I don’t get why he’s so upset, Em.
    Well, we did almost get his son killed.
    Zach can take care of himself. His dad needs to realize that.
    Maybe, but we put him in danger.
    Zach came along with us willingly. Remember?
    ‘Have you done this before?’ Simon asked. Renard appeared lost in his own thoughts. ‘The truth!’
    ‘No!’ said Em.
    She felt the way she had when she and Matt had first arrived at the island, wanting to impress Renard and Simon. To show them that she, Matt and their special talents were worth caring about.
    ‘Wait a wee minute there, young man!’ said Jeannie suddenly, stepping in front of Matt and placing her hands on his chest as he was about to sit next to Em. ‘Don’t you dare sit yourself on that couch stinking like my grandfather’s auld bothie.’
    ‘But Em’s sitting,’ said Matt. Exhaustion was settling over his mind and his body with a weight he’d never felt before. He guessed that animating to another century had physical consequences.
    ‘Jeannie’s right,’ said Simon. ‘Showers and wounds cleaned.’ He took a quick look at his son’s back and flinched. ‘Get to your rooms, now.’

TWENTY-TWO
     
    T eenagers and adults all gathered in the hallway of the children’s wing of the Abbey. The sitting room separated Em’s and Matt’s bedrooms. Zach’s was next to Matt’s, and the boys shared a bathroom. Em, as the only girl, had a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom.
    ‘Can you remember anything else about the night Mum disappeared, Grandpa?’ asked Em, walking Renard to the stairs. ‘Anything?’
    ‘Nothing, Em,’ Renard replied. ‘I’m sorry.’
    Behind them, Em could hear Simon still grilling the boys, while Jeannie dashed down to the kitchen to get the first-aid kit for Zach’s wounds. Em sighed, knowing the dressing-down would come her way sooner or later.
    Her grandfather’s suite was in the south tower of the Abbey, which meant he had to go downstairs, across the foyer and along the hallway to reach his room. Renard lifted Em on to her toes on the edge of the stairs, giving her a fierce bear-hug.
    ‘We’ll discuss what you and your brother have done more fully in the morning.’ Looking deep into Em’s eyes, he added, ‘Please … please stay put until then. Promise me?’
    ‘I will,’ she said, kissing his forehead. She was aware that when she snuggled under the duvet on her bed, she would sleep like a log, exhausted and glad to be back in the twenty-first century.
    Halfway down the stairs, Renard stopped, staring up at a still-life painting on the wall above him.
    ‘Is this a new piece?’ he asked.
    ‘Hasn’t it always been there?’ said Em.
    One of the things that the twins had first noticed when they arrived at the Abbey was that every wall in every room was covered in