Read Online This House is Haunted by John Boyne - Free Book Online Page B

staring at me, the whites of his eyes appearing very clear in the candlelight.
    “I do apologize,” said Isabella, smiling a little. “But you asked me to call for the adult of the house.”
    “And you called my name. You screamed it, in fact.”
    “You are the adult of the house,” she insisted. “Now that Miss Bennet is gone. You’ve taken her place. You’re the only responsible adult here.”
    “Ha!” said Eustace, laughing a little and shaking his head, as if his sister’s statement was not one that he entirely believed. He was not the only person who seemed astonished. I could make no sense of this.
    “But the advertisement—” I began, exhausted by now from explaining this.
    “Was placed by Miss Bennet,” said Isabella. “I told you that. You’re her replacement.”
    “But who takes charge of things? Who, for example, settles my accounts due?”
    “Mr. Raisin.”
    There was that name again. Mr. Raisin, the lawyer. So Heckling had not been entirely deceiving me.
    “And where is this Mr. Raisin, might I ask?”
    “He lives in the village. I can show you tomorrow if you like.”
    I glanced at the grandfather clock, beautiful piece, that was standing in the corner of the room. It was already past ten o’clock at night.
    “Mr. Raisin settles everything,” continued Isabella. “He pays the governess, he pays Mrs. Livermore and Heckling. He sees that we have our pocket money.”
    “And he reports to your parents?” I asked and this time Isabella shrugged her shoulders and looked away.
    “You must be tired,” she said.
    “I am rather,” I agreed. “It’s been a very long day.”
    “And hungry? I’m sure there’s something in the kitchen if—”
    “No,” I said, shaking my head and standing up abruptly. I had had enough of this for one night. “No, the motion of the carriage has unsettled my stomach a little. Perhaps it would be for the best if you just showed me to my room. A good night’ssleep will settle things and then tomorrow I can find Mr. Raisin and get to the bottom of this business.”
    “As you like,” said Isabella, standing up. The moment she did, Eustace stood too and clung close to her. She smiled at me, that mistress-of-the-house expression on her face once again. “Won’t you follow me?”
    We made our way upstairs. It was such a grand and elaborate staircase that I could not resist running my hand against the marble balustrade. The carpet beneath our feet was of a very fine quality too, although like everything else in the house it did not look as if it had been changed in a number of years.
    “Eustace and I sleep here on the first floor,” said Isabella, indicating a couple of rooms towards the end of a corridor; difficult to see in the darkness now for only Isabella was carrying a candle. “You’re on the next floor up. I hope you’ll be comfortable. Truly I do.”
    I looked at her, wondering whether she was trying to be funny, but her face bore a stoic expression and we ascended together, Isabella with her candle three steps in front of Eustace; Eustace three steps before me. I glanced at his bare feet. They were tiny and he had two cuts on his heels, as if he had been wearing shoes that were a size too small. Who looked after this little boy, I wondered, if there were no adults around? “This way, Eliza Caine,” said Isabella, making her way along a corridor before opening a large oak door and stepping inside. Entering a few moments later, I appreciated the fact that she had used her own candle to light three more in the bedroom and I looked around, able to see a little better now. It was a rather nice room, large and quite airy, neither cold nor hot, and the bed looked comfortable. My sense of unease dissipated and I felt goodwill towards the children and this place. Everythingwould be all right in the morning, I decided. Things would become clearer then.
    “Well, goodnight then,” said Isabella, heading for the door. “I hope you sleep