The Owl Service Read Online Free

the lamp. “I say, these are jolly fellows. What are they?”
    â€œOwls. I made them.”
    â€œThey’re rather fun.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWell – er: how are the gripes?”
    â€œMuch better, thanks.”
    â€œGood. Up and about this morning?”
    â€œWhat sort of a day did you and Mummy have?” said Alison.
    â€œDidn’t catch anything, and one of the waders leaked, but I’ve great hopes of tomorrow. Old Halfwhatsit says he knows a stretch of the river where they always bite.”
    â€œI bet he didn’t say where it is.”
    â€œEr – no. No, he didn’t.”
    â€œHave you been sent to tell me off about Nancy?”
    â€œWhat? Oh. Ha ha,” said Clive.
    â€œI don’t know why she was going on like that,” said Alison, “and I didn’t see it had anything to do with her. Gwyn found some of those plates in the loft, and she came storming up as if she owned the place.”
    â€œYes. Well. Old Nance, eh? You know—”
    â€œBut she went berserk, Clive!”
    â€œToo true. We had a basinful when we came home, I’ll tell you! Your mother’s very upset. She says you ought to – oh well, skip it.”
    â€œBut it’s my house, isn’t it?” said Alison.
    â€œAh yes.”
    â€œWell then.”
    â€œIt’s a bit dodgy. If your father hadn’t turned it over to you before he died your mother would’ve had to sell this house to clear the death duties. Morbid, but there it is.”
    â€œBut it’s still my house,” said Alison. “And I don’t have to take orders from my cook.”
    â€œFairs do’s,” said Clive. “Think of your mother. It was hard enough to get someone to live in all summer. If Nance swept out we’d never find a replacement, and your mother would have to cope by herself. She’d be very upset. And it is the first time we’ve all been together – as a family, and – and – you know?”
    â€œYes, Clive. I suppose so.”
    â€œThat’s my girl. Now eat your supper. – Hello: sounds as if we’ve mice in the roof.”
    â€œDon’t wait, Clive,” said Alison. “I’m not hungry. I’ll eat this later, and bring the tray down in the morning. Tell Mummy not to worry.”
    â€œThat’s my girl. God bless.”

C HAPTER 4
    â€œA nd the room was so cold,” said Roger. “It was like being in a deepfreeze. But it was the noise that was worst. I thought the ceiling was coming in. And there were scratchings going on round her bed, too, on the wall and then on the iron and her supper tray – you could tell the difference. Is that what you heard when you went up the loft?”
    â€œNo, not as bad,” said Gwyn. “But she said it was getting louder. What did you do, man?”
    â€œI called her, but she was fast asleep.”
    â€œWhat time was it?”
    â€œAbout one o’clock,” said Roger. “You know how hot it was last night – I couldn’t sleep, and I kept hearing this noise. I thought she was having a nightmare, and then I thought perhaps she was ill, so I went up.”
    â€œThe noise was in the loft? You’re sure?”
    â€œPositive. It was something sharpening its claws on the joists, or trying to get out, and either way it wasn’t funny.”
    â€œYou’re absolutely certain it couldn’t have been rats?”
    â€œI don’t know what it was,” said Roger, “but it sounded big.”
    â€œHow big?”
    â€œBig enough.”
    â€œThen what?”
    â€œNothing – I funked out,” said Roger. “I couldn’t stand it.”
    â€œHow is she this morning?”
    â€œShe was all right at breakfast, a bit queasy, but that’s all.”
    â€œWhere is she now?”
    â€œShe said she was going to find her paper owls. She’s obsessed with those futile