Read Online The Secret Catamite Bk 1, The Book of Daniel by Patrick C Notchtree - Free Book Online Page A

holding the
blades vertical into the water, brace the feet and pull back. The
boat moved. Again and again, forward and pulling, forward and
pulling. Simon found the rhythm of his rocking body soothing,
coupled with a sense of achievement. He rowed along the lake,
straining and panting but not stopping. They passed the hotel,
looking strange from this viewpoint.
    "Do you want to have a go,
Frances?" Daddy asked at one point.
    "No, another time maybe," she
replied. "Let him keep going." And she continued to trail her
fingers in the water, lost in her own thoughts. Slowly they entered
the flat lands around where the river entered the lake. Simon rowed
up the narrowing river, reeds and grass either side. The water was
now clear, and Simon realised with horror and fear that he could
see the bottom, gravel and even a couple of fish. It looked so deep
to his young eyes. In his mind he was under the water at the Lido
and panic set in. Shaking he stopped rowing.
    "I want to go back," he
said.
    "What for?" said Daddy.
    "It's deep." Simon was visibly
shaking now, and tears of panic were starting.
    "Don't be silly, boy," said
Daddy. "It's not as deep as the water you've been rowing along
quite happily."
    Simon knew it would be no good
pointing out that now he could see the bottom, that made it worse.
The actual depth didn't matter.
    "Harry, can't you see he's
frightened," said Mummy.
    "I'll row then," said Daddy. So
Daddy rowed the boat quickly back out onto the main lake. Simon
later rowed again, feeling safer in his mind because the dark water
of the lake hid its depth. But he knew that in some way he had let
Daddy down, that Daddy was disappointed in him.
    It was another day. There was
the usual discussion over breakfast of the plans for the day.
    "The weather forecast is good,"
said Mummy. "A good day for the tops."
    "You mean another mountain?"
said Frances with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.
    "A real one this time," said
Daddy. "Great Gable."
    Simon felt a pang of disquiet at
this. The very name seemed somehow full of foreboding. He wondered
if at eight years old - OK, almost nine - he was capable of
climbing a mountain with such a name.
    "It's quite a lot for the
children, Simon especially," said Mummy.
    "We'll take the car to Honister
top – if that's all right with you?"
    "Yes, OK then," agreed
Mummy.
    So it was decided. Boots,
anoraks, sandwiches, flasks, chocolate all gathered together for
the expedition, and then into the car. Along the valley past some
farms and buildings, through a little village, and then Mummy had a
real job. The hill was the steepest Simon had ever seen. Mummy was
working the gears to get the Wolseley up the hill. Luckily it was a
reasonably powerful car. They overtook a small Morris stopped with
steam belching from its engine. But Mummy's skill got them to the
top. They parked by some buildings where they got slate down from
the mountain. There were mounds of it all round. Simon looked
round. This was supposed to be the easier route, but everyway up
looked steep.
    "Which one is Great Gable,
Daddy?"
    Daddy laughed. "You can't see it
from here, but that's our route." He pointed to the steepest path
around, it went straight up the side of a hill and disappeared
through a gap over the top.
    The climb had Simon panting.
Daddy was in front, Mummy and Frances behind, talking. He was in
his own little world, putting one foot in front of the other,
plodding on and up. He kept having to stop for breath, but when he
turned round he realised how far up he had come. The car was a
little toy car next to some little toy buildings. He trudged up,
thinking about home, wondering what Daniel was doing while he was
away, remembering that Daniel was away on holiday too. He wished
Daniel was here. After going through a little rocky gap, the path
levelled out a bit and the going got easier. Daddy was up ahead
along the dead straight path, and soon they came to a stone ramp
where Daddy stopped.
    "Daddy, did there used to