The Humming Room Read Online Free

islands.
    Roo stood and climbed out of the boat awkwardly, then followed Ms. Valentine up a stone walkway. The walkway cut through the island’s sparse lawn, still snow flecked, up red-veined granite stairs and through a massive set of oak doors.
    In the entrance foyer, Ms. Valentine paused to remove her purple hat and place it on a brass peg on the wall before she led Roo into a large lobby, past a staircase, and then down a dark hallway. There were many rooms off the hallway. All of them, Roo noticed, were on the left-hand side. Most doors were shut but some were open, and in these Roo spied shadowy furnishings and large windows covered with heavy drapes. The walls along the hallway seemed strangely lumpy. Her fingers swiped at them surreptitiously but it was too dark in the hallway to see what they were.
    Finally, Ms. Valentine stopped in front of a closed door. She gave Roo a look of sharp appraisal before extending one disdainful forefinger, intent on pushing aside Roo’s overgrown bangs. But Roo knocked her hand out of the way before she could.
    â€œFine, look like a beast then,” Ms. Valentine said. She gave the door a quiet rap with a flourish of her knuckles. After a pause, Roo heard a response from within.
    â€œYes. What is it?”
    Roo listened hard to his voice. It sounded rough and tense. Nothing like her father’s easy crooning.
    â€œYour niece has arrived, Mr. Fanshaw,” Ms. Valentine called.
    There was no reply. Roo glanced up at Ms. Valentine to see what was wrong, but she seemed untroubled by the silence.
    â€œRoo is right here, Mr. Fanshaw. Shall we come in?” Ms. Valentine persisted, polite but determined.
    â€œNo.” The response came. “Not now. I’ll see her later.”
    Ms. Valentine stood at the door a moment longer, then sniffed and turned.
    â€œJust as well,” she said to Roo. “You should have a bath first and fresh clothes. Come, I’ll show you your room.”
    â€œWhy wouldn’t he see me?” Roo asked as they walked back up the hallway toward the lobby.
    â€œThere’s no need to get offended,” Ms. Valentine said.
    â€œI’m not. I just want to know why.”
    After a moment Ms. Valentine said, “Your uncle has always been a private person. Circumstances have made him…more so.
    â€œThis is the west wing of the house,” Ms. Valentine told her as they began to climb the staircase in the lobby. “The upstairs renovations are still underway.” There was a dry tone in her voice that made Roo think that this wasn’t exactly the truth.
    On the second-floor landing, Ms. Valentine’s low heels clicked briskly across the polished wooden hallway floor and turned into the first room on the left.
    It was a massive bedroom, easily twice the size of the living room in the old trailer. There were very few furnishings—just a bed and a plain wardrobe—which made the room seem even larger. By the window was a recessed window seat with a view of the river.
    â€œIt’s nothing fancy but better than you’re used to,” Ms. Valentine said. “We’ve bought some clothes for you. They’re in the wardrobe, though I’m sure they won’t fit well. We didn’t expect you to be so small.” She opened a door by the wardrobe. “Bathroom.” She closed the door again. “Down the hall are some other rooms that have never been used. You are free to poke around. The east wing, however, is strictly off-limits. That’s one rule you do not want to break in this house.”
    And with that, Ms. Valentine click-clacked out of the room and back down the hall.
    It didn’t take Roo long to see that there was no good place to hide in this room. The bed was too low-slung. There was a wardrobe, but it was indeed full of clothes and difficult to close from the inside. It all made her feel so horribly trapped, like a wild young fox that someone had snatched from the