Read Online The Girl Who Walked on Air by Emma Carroll - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Emma Carroll
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every sort of chance!’
‘Not this chance, sir. And what with Gabriel Swift not being quite so special with his tricks . . .’ Ned stopped, letting it hang in the air.
Mr Chipchase didn’t reply. But I groaned silently, begging Ned to shut up.
‘See, sir,’ said Ned, ‘I’ve a notion someone is after Gabriel, someone who wants to find him quite badly. This man has a carriage, and money by the look of him. It won’t be long before he tracks us down.’
I cussed under my breath. Trust Ned to stick his nose in. All this talk about a man in a carriage was just gossip. It had a touch of sour grapes about it too. It wasn’t fair to take things out on Gabriel. Ned was just stirring up trouble.
‘Is that so?’ said Mr Chipchase.
‘If Gabriel goes, you’ll need a showstopper again, won’t you, sir?’
‘Yes,’ said Mr Chipchase. ‘And it won’t be Louie, mark my words.’
The shadows moved on.
It was too much to take in. I took a belly-deep gulp of air and, bit by bit, my mind cleared. So it was final. No showstopper chances for me. Ever. Sorry though I was for Gabriel, I felt sorrier for myself. My own mother hadn’t wanted me. And now the circus didn’t want me either.
It was time to leave.
My first thought was Jasper. He’d insist on coming with me, which was the very worst idea. He could hardly stand upright, let alone do a day’s work out in the big wide world. Staying here, he had a home at least. It was all anyone could hope for right now.
I decided to go quickly. Tonight, and not tell anyone. It was best that way. There’d be no goodbyes, no lingering glances. I’d not even take Pip. He’d be better off here with food and a warm bed, and Jasper, who’d need the company.
Dear Pip.
Oh heck. My chin trembled. Could I do it? Could I leave all this behind?
I looked down at my dog. ‘Go home, little man.’
He cocked his head at me but didn’t shift from my side.
‘Go home, Pip! Find Jasper!’ I pointed in the direction of our wagon.
He licked his lips but still wouldn’t budge.
‘Just go, you rotten dog! Go!’ I cried.
Pip’s ears went down. He looked up at me with huge wet eyes, then slid off into the darkness. I started to sob uncontrollably. My mam, I’d bet, was made of tougher stuff. She’d left me without a backwards glance.
Chapter 11
Hiding here wouldn’t solve things. Before I’d moved a step, the tent opened and a figure appeared.
‘Why don’t you come in?’
The voice was velvet deep. It belonged to Miss Lilly.
I swear my own feet defied me, and before I knew it, I was inside her tent. On an old chest in the corner a lamp burned low. There was just enough light to see Miss Lilly. She wore her usual loose-fitting white dress. Her hair stood out wild from her head.
‘I should go,’ I said, wiping away my tears. ‘Mr Chipchase is after me.’
Her face was in shadow. Prickles ran up and down my neck.
‘Sit,’ she said.
Bracelets tinkled down her arm as she waved to her left. I sank into a seat full of cushions.
Miss Lilly scooped back her hair. Twisting it in a knot against her neck, she then lit more lamps. Except these weren’t normal lamps; these were fancy things made of coloured glass that glittered reds and blues and purples, making the room seem strewn with jewels. There were scarves hanging from the roof and more cushions scattered about the floor. The air smelled sweet, like spices, as though I’d walked into a scene from the Arabian Nights itself. Slowly, gently, I began to relax.
Miss Lilly slid into the seat opposite. A small table stood between us; underneath it her knees bumped against mine. I jerked back in my seat.
‘I won’t hurt you, child,’ she said. ‘No more than you’re hurting yourself.’
I frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Your life is difficult. You face choices – about your past and your future.’
My fingers clenched and unclenched. I didn’t want to talk. This was best left inside my head. Looking up, I
‘Not this chance, sir. And what with Gabriel Swift not being quite so special with his tricks . . .’ Ned stopped, letting it hang in the air.
Mr Chipchase didn’t reply. But I groaned silently, begging Ned to shut up.
‘See, sir,’ said Ned, ‘I’ve a notion someone is after Gabriel, someone who wants to find him quite badly. This man has a carriage, and money by the look of him. It won’t be long before he tracks us down.’
I cussed under my breath. Trust Ned to stick his nose in. All this talk about a man in a carriage was just gossip. It had a touch of sour grapes about it too. It wasn’t fair to take things out on Gabriel. Ned was just stirring up trouble.
‘Is that so?’ said Mr Chipchase.
‘If Gabriel goes, you’ll need a showstopper again, won’t you, sir?’
‘Yes,’ said Mr Chipchase. ‘And it won’t be Louie, mark my words.’
The shadows moved on.
It was too much to take in. I took a belly-deep gulp of air and, bit by bit, my mind cleared. So it was final. No showstopper chances for me. Ever. Sorry though I was for Gabriel, I felt sorrier for myself. My own mother hadn’t wanted me. And now the circus didn’t want me either.
It was time to leave.
My first thought was Jasper. He’d insist on coming with me, which was the very worst idea. He could hardly stand upright, let alone do a day’s work out in the big wide world. Staying here, he had a home at least. It was all anyone could hope for right now.
I decided to go quickly. Tonight, and not tell anyone. It was best that way. There’d be no goodbyes, no lingering glances. I’d not even take Pip. He’d be better off here with food and a warm bed, and Jasper, who’d need the company.
Dear Pip.
Oh heck. My chin trembled. Could I do it? Could I leave all this behind?
I looked down at my dog. ‘Go home, little man.’
He cocked his head at me but didn’t shift from my side.
‘Go home, Pip! Find Jasper!’ I pointed in the direction of our wagon.
He licked his lips but still wouldn’t budge.
‘Just go, you rotten dog! Go!’ I cried.
Pip’s ears went down. He looked up at me with huge wet eyes, then slid off into the darkness. I started to sob uncontrollably. My mam, I’d bet, was made of tougher stuff. She’d left me without a backwards glance.
Chapter 11
Hiding here wouldn’t solve things. Before I’d moved a step, the tent opened and a figure appeared.
‘Why don’t you come in?’
The voice was velvet deep. It belonged to Miss Lilly.
I swear my own feet defied me, and before I knew it, I was inside her tent. On an old chest in the corner a lamp burned low. There was just enough light to see Miss Lilly. She wore her usual loose-fitting white dress. Her hair stood out wild from her head.
‘I should go,’ I said, wiping away my tears. ‘Mr Chipchase is after me.’
Her face was in shadow. Prickles ran up and down my neck.
‘Sit,’ she said.
Bracelets tinkled down her arm as she waved to her left. I sank into a seat full of cushions.
Miss Lilly scooped back her hair. Twisting it in a knot against her neck, she then lit more lamps. Except these weren’t normal lamps; these were fancy things made of coloured glass that glittered reds and blues and purples, making the room seem strewn with jewels. There were scarves hanging from the roof and more cushions scattered about the floor. The air smelled sweet, like spices, as though I’d walked into a scene from the Arabian Nights itself. Slowly, gently, I began to relax.
Miss Lilly slid into the seat opposite. A small table stood between us; underneath it her knees bumped against mine. I jerked back in my seat.
‘I won’t hurt you, child,’ she said. ‘No more than you’re hurting yourself.’
I frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Your life is difficult. You face choices – about your past and your future.’
My fingers clenched and unclenched. I didn’t want to talk. This was best left inside my head. Looking up, I
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