Dory's Avengers Read Online Free Page B

was not the one Louis would have expected. Instead of teasing him gently and telling him not to be so silly, she asked him exactly what he'd seen, her usually cheerful expression full of concern.
    â€˜Well, it was a right nice room, with all t'stuff the toffs have, velvet and silk and that,’ said Louis, his northern accent thickening in his anxiety to express himself to Sarah. ‘There was a fella on t'bed, and he looked proper fed up…Sarah, what the bloody hell's happened to me tonight?’ Louis's voice trailed off as Sarah continued to gaze at him in concern.
    â€˜I'm not sure, love,’ said Sarah finally, ‘but I'm glad it's me you told. Sometimes it's wise to be a little cautious about who you trust. Now,’ she continued, regaining her composure, ‘how about I run you a nice hot bath?’
    Louis looked fearfully back into the bathroom, which remained the familiar room he'd known since childhood.
    â€˜I'm not sure I'm up for spending too much time in the bathroom tonight, thanks, Sarah. Think I'll leave it until the morning.’
    â€˜OK, my love. How about I go and check up on your mam, then we'll have a chat over some hot chocolate. Oooh, I made some ginger biscuits today too; we could give them a try. I hear you saw Abi today; how is she getting on…?’
    Louis adored Sarah. She always knew exactly what to say to make him feel better no matter what life decided to throw at him. By the time he finally went to bed, full of biscuits (Gideon would not have approved!), he drifted quickly into a sleep filled with dreams not of strange rooms and angry men, but of laying in sunlight that didn't burn his skin, running his fingers through Abi's sleek hair.
    The next day dawned warm and sunny; and even Louis, who had good reason to fear the sunlight, felt his spirits rise at the glimmer of light around the edges of his curtains. Jenny and Sarah were singing happily as Jenny got ready for school in the bathroom, which was clearly still a bathroom, and Louis felt unusually at ease with the world. The strange happenings of the previous evening seemed totally unreal in the light of a new day, and even the thought of another punishing training session with the grump that was Gideon couldn't dampen his spirits. In actual fact Louis liked Gideon a lot, and he had a feeling, despite Gideon's permanent bad mood, that the feeling was mutual. After all, why else would Gideon invest so much of his time in a reasonably good but totally unambitious gymnast?
    Even in the reassuring light of the morning, Louis had no desire to spend too much time in the bathroom, so he showered quickly then grabbed his kit and hammered down the stairs two at a time.
    â€˜Goodness, Louis, where's the fire?’ asked Sarah, laughing affectionately at the young man's haste.
    â€˜No fire, just a ghost in the bathroom,’ replied Louis, returning Sarah's laughter. ‘Don't look so worried, Sarah, I'm joking…’
    â€˜Eat! Now!’ said Sarah, swatting Louis's arm. ‘I've no doubt that Gideon won't think to feed you.’
    â€˜Well, I'm lucky that you do think to feed me then. Oh, hello, Mam,’ said Louis, entering the big, cheerful kitchenand noting with surprise that Nicola Trevelyan was sitting at the table, sipping coffee.
    â€˜Hello, dear,’ said Nicola. ‘How's the training?’
    â€˜Good thanks, Mam. How are you?’
    â€˜Oh I'm fine, fine,’ said Nicola vaguely. ‘What is this stuff, Sarah?’
    â€˜It's toast, Mrs Trevelyan,’ said Sarah, her voice unusually disapproving. ‘Eat some; it'll do you good!’
    â€˜Or some Happy Pops, Mammy?’ said Jenny, offering her favourite cereal to her mother. Sarah noted sadly that both of Nicola's children had so little contact with their mother that, whenever she appeared, they both did all they could to please her.
    â€˜Oh, thank you, Genevieve, but I think they're for you. I'll have some of