Read Online The Humming Room by Ellen Potter - Free Book Online

could see a pair of suitcases in the rear of the boat.
    He was going away again.
    Maybe it was because of what happened last night? She wondered when he’d be back again. Hadn’t Violet said he was often away? It might not be for a very long time. There was no reason for her to care really, but she felt disappointed anyway.
    Â 
    Each morning Roo woke early and wolfed down her breakfast. She had never had much of an appetite back in Limpette, but lately she always seemed to be hungry. After that, she returned to her little cave. She kept a close watch for the Faigne, straining to catch a glimpse of him, but he didn’t reappear. Still, she found that the island was full of other surprising things if you paid attention. Polished black water snakes that sunned themselves on the rocks then suddenly leapt into the river to churn the water near the bank. A mossy rock that unexpectedly trundled into the water and swam away, revealing itself to be a snapping turtle. Every day she put her ear to the ground inside the little cave and every day she heard something new. Things were moving more briskly in the earth. The sun was waking things up.
    The black squirrel visited with her too. Sometimes he would just peek into the cave, as if to check that she was still there, then scurry away. One time, though, he walked right into the cave and sat with her very companionably, stripping the scales off a pinecone.
    â€œYou must be the only squirrel on the island. I haven’t seen any others,” she said to him.
    He looked at her when she spoke, turning the pinecone in his paws. Then he made a chattering noise, which seemed so friendly and encouraging that she spoke to him again.
    â€œI wonder how you got here. I don’t think squirrels can swim, so you couldn’t leave if you wanted to, could you?”
    The squirrel let a pinecone scale drop to the ground and glanced up at her.
    â€œBut maybe you like it here.”
    Later that same day she spied the green mail boat tearing through the river, with Simon LaShomb at the wheel.
    I don’t mind him, she thought. Then she crawled out of the little cave to watch him approach the lagoon. This time when he held up his hand in greeting, she held hers up too.
    â€œJust the lady I’m looking for!” he called out to her. From the back of his boat, he pulled out four boxes and stacked them up, largest to smallest. “These came for you.” He wrapped his arms around the bottom box, gave the stack a quick upward jab with his knee to position it better, then started toward the house. Even with his burden, his long legs glided quickly and easily, so that Roo had to jog to keep up with him
    â€œWhat’s in them?” she asked.
    â€œToo heavy to be tins of herring, too light to be bear cubs. My guess is it’s anything in between. Anyway, it’s awfully bulky for Ms. Valentine, so I thought I’d just pop round with it. So, Roo Fanshaw, what’s the verdict?” He gave her a sidelong glance. “Is Cough Rock growing on you?”
    Roo thought for a minute.
    â€œI don’t mind it,” she said for the second time that day.
    Simon laughed. “‘I don’t mind it,’ she says.”
    â€œWhy is that funny?” Roo demanded.
    â€œBecause you sound exactly like an old River Rat. ‘Beautiful day out, isn’t it?’ ‘Oh, I don’t mind it.’ It’s high praise from a River Rat.”
    â€œWell, the river has been quiet lately,” Roo defended her change of heart. “And no one bothers me here. I can do whatever I want all day long.”
    â€œWell, sure, who wouldn’t like that?” Simon agreed, though his eyes flitted toward her with some concern, before he started up the front steps.
    â€œWho was that little package for?” Roo asked abruptly. “The one you brought last time.”
    â€œHmm. Mr. Fanshaw, wasn’t it? Can you grab the door for me, Roo?”
    Roo