Read Online The Heart of the Dales by Gervase Phinn - Free Book Online

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    â€˜Mi dad says I can go wi’ ’im and choose one for missen.’
    â€˜So how many books have you got already?’ I asked. ‘
    None.’
    â€˜None?’
    â€˜It’s mi first,’ announced the boy. ‘’As tha any books then, Mester Phinn?’
    â€˜Lots and lots of them. My house is full of them.’
    â€˜Do yer keep ’em in tha ’ouse?’ He looked astonished by this revelation.
    â€˜I do, yes. I have a special room where I keep all my books.’
    â€˜How many ’as tha got?’
    â€˜Hundreds.’
    â€˜â€™Undreds! Gerron!’
    â€˜Yes, I have.’
    â€˜Where do you pur ’em all?’
    â€˜On the shelves.’
    The boy threw back his head and laughed. ‘I’ve just cottoned on,’ he said. ‘Tha talkin’ about books what you read, aren’t tha?’
    â€˜Yes,’ I replied. ‘
    Well, I’m on abaat bucks what ya breed – male rabbits!’
    I shook my head and laughed too.
    â€˜Something appears to have amused you both.’ Mrs Battersby had materialised at our side with an expression like the wicked fairy at the christening feast.
    â€˜We were just discussin’ bucks, miss,’ Charlie told her.
    â€˜Well, you can fetch your book now, Charles, because it’s your turn to read to me.’ Mrs Battersby turned to me. ‘Charles’s reading leaves a lot to be desired, I’m afraid, Mr Phinn. Too much television, I shouldn’t wonder.’
    I felt like saying something but I bit my lip. It would wait until later.
    I found Hyacinth poring over a large picture book at her desk.
    â€˜Hello,’ I said.
    The girl wiped her nose with the back of a finger and eyed me apprehensively.
    â€˜Let’s see what you are doing, shall we?’ She didn’t object as I slid her reading book across the desk and started to examine it.
    â€˜Is it a good book?’ I asked.
    She eyed me suspiciously but didn’t answer.
    â€˜Would you like to read a little of your book to me?’ I asked.
    She shook her head, gazing at me now with unabashed intensity. She wiped her nose on her finger again and then told me in a loud voice, ‘I’m special needs.’ Perhaps she thought that this revelation might convince me to leave her in peace. When I didn’t move, she added, ‘Don’t you know? I’m special needs.’
    â€˜I do, but what do you think it means, special needs?’
    â€˜If you know what it means, why are you askin’?’
    It was a fair question. ‘So, will you read to me?’
    â€˜Are you the infector?’ she asked.
    â€˜Inspector,’ I replied.
    â€˜What’s t’difference?’
    I thought of the earlier comment from Ruby about the Leprosy Hour. I reckoned her teacher would not have considered that there was much difference between the two words.
    The girl reluctantly read to me, slowly and with fierce concentration on her face, her finger following each word on the page. There was no expression in her voice and not once did she pause for breath but read on, determined to get the ordeal over and done with.
    â€˜Hyacinth,’ I said, when she snapped the book shut, ‘that was very good, but what do you do when you come to a full stop?’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜When you get to a full stop, what do you do?’
    She eyed me like an expert in the presence of an ignoramus. ‘You gerroff t’bus,’ she replied.
    I chuckled. ‘Of course you do,’ I said.
    She shook her head again and I saw a slight tremble on her bottom lip. ‘Are you goin’ to put me in a special school?’
    â€˜No, I’m not,’ I told her.
    â€˜I don’t want to go in no special school.’
    â€˜Don’t worry,’ I reassured her. ‘I’m just here to look at your book, to hear you read and to see how you are getting on.’
    â€˜Oh,’ she said.