Read Online The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet Fox - Free Book Online Page A

lord, either. He was built square, and wore an ill-fitting tweedy jacket that seemed too small for him, and he had a flat haircut that left his blond sprigs shooting skyward. He still shook with laughter like a heaving barrel, and Kat thought that, really, her comment wasn’t all that funny. It was as if he was privy to some secret joke.
    The Lady, bristling, motioned for them to eat.
    Although it had been but a few hours since lunch, a feast was laid before them yet again. Mutton, potatoes, beets. Katrubbed her forehead, still groggy from her nap and unnerved by her nightmare, trying to balance the coldness of the Lady with the comforts of the food and the castle.
    The others at the table made introductions. The rude boy was Jorry Phillips, who was from Belgravia, the swankiest of London’s neighborhoods. Jorry was as thin as a rail, with a long nose and a sour expression and a red smear of birthmark that emerged from the collar of his shirt.
    â€œDon’t much care for all this meat,” Jorry said. “Mother’s raised me as a vegetarian, and to be fit and healthy. But without a balanced meal I have to eat this. It’s probably going to make me sick. Plus we’re not allowed to be outside without permission, so there’s nothing to do here but sit about, no calisthenics or other vigorous exercise. I’ve been doing push-ups in my room, but it’s hardly enough, you know. We’ll all be fat as hogs soon, eating like this. That Mr. Storm isn’t much of an instructor, if you ask me. Claims his field is history.”
    Kat was glad to be a couple of places removed from Jorry.
    She was seated on one side next to the younger of the two boys, Colin Drake. Colin was sweet and eager, chattering away about anything that crossed his mind. Kat thought he and Robbie, close in age, would make a fine pair of bookends, and indeed, they seemed to be striking up a friendship, talking about the armor and fencing and castle living.
    She turned to the girl on her other side. “Isabelle LaRoche,”the girl said, with the faintest accent. “You’ve come up from London, yes? My mother’s English and Papa’s French, and we were in Paris until last spring. Papa got us all out ahead of it.” Kat knew Isabelle meant the German incursion into France. “
Heureusement,
I was able to bring my clothes from Paris. This uniform is so dull.” Isabelle smoothed the collar of her white shirt—it looked as if she’d starched it—and raised one eyebrow as she surveyed Kat’s outfit.
    Kat plucked at her wrinkled jersey.
    Amelie, on Isabelle’s other side, said, “I think the uniform looks well on you.”
    Isabelle preened a bit. “
Merci.
You may be about my size, since I am small for my age. When we’re not in uniform we can play dress-up. We’ll try things from my closet. Yes?”
    Kat brushed at her jersey again and picked at her food.
    Isabelle leaned over to Kat, whispering. “The Lady, she is glamorous and has beautiful clothes.”
    Beautiful, but odd. Kat glanced at the Lady, whose chignon swept artfully over one ear. “She does.”
    â€œBut I must tell you, something’s peculiar in this academy.”
    â€œWhy do you say that?”
    â€œI saw something, when we first arrived. It was very strange.” Isabelle dropped her voice further.
    â€œWhat was it?”
    â€œA boy. I watch from the window when no one is around.”Isabelle shrugged. “He is good-looking, you know? Anyway, he is feeding
les
chats
. But I watch the boy, and I realize that his eyes, they do not really see. He is like a ghost. And as I watch, well, I glance away for just a moment and then . . . poof!” Isabelle snapped her fingers.
    â€œPoof?” Kat echoed. A chill crept over her despite the fires raging in the fireplaces. “You mean he disappeared?”
    â€œ
Mais oui.
I only look away for an instant, and I