Read Online The Mysteries of Brambly Hollow by Alison Cronin - Free Book Online Page B

that. You could cause an accident.”
    “ But it was his fault,” blabbed David, as he hurled a gloating smirk at his brother from the front seat, “he said he’d race me.”
    “ But that doesn’t mean you have to,” she rebuked him as she made herself comfortable in her own seat. “You wouldn’t leap off a cliff just because George suggested it, now would you?”
    “ I might,” came the smart retort. “What’s this?” David was staring down into the well of the car. Lifting up his foot he peeled away something that was glued to the sole of his scuffed black shoes.
    “ That’s for me,” she told him, recognising the envelop, “just leave it alone.”
    George squeezed the top half of his body between the two front seats to inspect his brother’s find. They exchanged glances. “But it’s not for you,” they announced together, tittering. “It says it’s for Elsa.”
    Puzzled, Meli glanced down at it. It was true. Just beneath a trampled blob of pink bubble gum, Elsa ’s name and address were clearly visible. Intrigued, she retrieved it from her son and opening it she pulled out a card with a picture of a cuddly teddy bear on it holding out two peacock blue flowers and with the words Happy Birthday Mummy, written across the top. Opening it she snorted with laughter, then held it out for the twins to read. The words ‘Have a happy birthday mum’ were crossed through, and underneath it was written happy birthday from Elsa. No one could accuse their neighbour of being a spend thrift! Still it was the thought that counted. Careful to avoid any contact with the tacky confectionary, she slipped the card back into the envelop, then pinching the corner with two fingers, she handed it back to David.
    Face sobering she told him, “Don’t get any gum on your clothes, and make sure there is none left on your shoe.” Then addressing both boys she commanded, “Seat belts.” As soon as they were all safely buckled in, Meli turned the key in the ignition and pulled out onto the road. Whoever sent the card must have been very young at the time, as there was only a large X on the page for a signature, written in a thick black wax crayon. She hadn’t realised that Elsa had children. She had certainly never seen any sign of any, but then they would be grown up by now. Braking as she approached a T junction, Meli was trying to imagine what kind of mother Elsa might be. No matter how hard she tried, she simply couldn’t imagine her cradling anything as fragile as a new born babe in her arms without dropping it on its head, and the image of an identical but tiny sweet wrapper, in a pair of miniature matching wellies and bobble hat was almost too much to comprehend.
    As soon as the wheels stopped on the drive, the doors were hurled open and the two boys erupted from the vehicle like Starsky and Hutch. “Get out of your school gear,” Meli yelled after them, knowing that she probably wouldn’t see them again until dinner time. Reaching the door first, George thrust his key in the lock, elbows like metal brackets as he blocked David’s access so he was first inside. Following behind them at a more sedate pace, Meli cleared the passageway of her childrens slovenliness with her usual expertise - booting four scruffy upended shoes into corners with a well aimed toe while scooping up discarded lunch boxes and disowned school bags and their spewed contents from where they littered the floor. One day she would carry out her threat to toss the whole lot out into the garden in the pouring rain. Only it probably wouldn’t teach them anything, she accepted with a resigned sigh, as she struggled through the living room, their belongings wedged in her arms from her waist to chin high. It would undoubtedly be good old mum who would buckle first and end up bringing them in, cleaning them up and drying them out. Why was it that they never abandoned anything that she could make an example of? She sighed again, another sign of