Read Online The Book of Spells by Kate Brian - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kate Brian
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lover.
“What is it, Eliza? You look positively feverish,” Catherine said, rushing to her friend’s side.
“It’s nothing,” Eliza said, slamming the book closed. “Just a note inside from my father.”
Catherine nibbled on her pinky finger for a moment, looking as if she was on the verge of saying something. Then she turned away and grabbed her black felt hat.
“Shall we be off, then? You can only imagine what a bear Theresa can be when people are late,” she said.
“But she was late to the welcome,” Eliza said, placing the book on the top shelf of her bookcase as she stood.
“Yes. It’s perfectly fine for her to keep others waiting, but heaven forbid the rest of us should attempt it,” Catherine said with a fond smile.
“Are you sure about this, Catherine?” Eliza asked, reaching for her new friend’s hand. “You were the first to protest the plan this morning. I didn’t intend to force you into it.”
Catherine shifted her feet nervously. “It’s all right. No one forced me. I’m going of my own accord.” She looked Eliza in the eye steadily.
“All right, then,” Eliza said with a resolute nod. “How are we to get out of here without being noticed?”
“We must take the servants’ stairs at the back,” Catherine replied as she reached for the door. “They go right by the kitchen, where Mrs. Hodge and Helen spend most of their time, but it’s the only way. If we walk out the front, Miss Almay will surely spot us. She spends most of her time at the window.”
“But won’t the maids hear us?” Eliza asked.
“We’ll just have to hope they’re washing dishes or scrubbing the floor,” Catherine said. “Theresa does this all the time.”
That was all the motivation Eliza needed. If Theresa could do it, so could she. “Then we’ll just be as quiet as mice.”
Eliza took the door handle and slowly opened it. The hallway was empty. She slipped out of the room, gesturing for Catherine to follow. Catherine closed the door with the faintest of clicks, but still winced at the sound.
“Which way?” Eliza whispered.
Catherine gave a nod to the right, and Eliza tiptoed down the hallway, past the closed doors of her slumbering classmates. Around the corner at the end of the hall was a slim door. It let out a loud creak as Eliza opened it.
“Shhh!” Catherine said automatically.
Eliza slipped inside and found herself on the wooden landing of a rickety set of stairs. Catherine tumbled in behind her and closed the door.
Catherine, to Eliza’s surprise, was giggling. “I can’t believe I just shushed a door.”
Suddenly Eliza’s nerves took over and she couldn’t help laughing as well. She covered her mouth to stifle the noise, but then a sudden creak down below stopped her cold. She grabbed Catherine’s arm.
“What was that?” she whispered.
Catherine shook her head mutely, her eyes wide.
Then came a whisper. “Eliza? Is that you?”
Eliza breathed a sigh of relief. It was just Alice. Eliza looked overthe railing and saw the younger girl staring up at her, holding a candle in her tremulous hand.
“We’re coming!” Eliza whispered. Catherine grabbed Eliza’s hand as they started down the stairs.
“I nearly died of fright when I heard someone on the stairs,” Alice said when they reached her. She clutched Eliza’s other hand.
“It’s all right. We’re together now,” Eliza assured them, feeling a rush of pride over their confidence in her. “Let’s just get out of here as quickly as we can.”
Catherine and Alice nodded. Hand in hand, the three girls tiptoed to the foot of the stairs, where there were two doors. One undoubtedly led to the kitchen, the other outside. But Eliza was so nervous and turned around, she couldn’t tell which was which. If she chose wrong, they were as good as expelled. She looked up at Catherine, but before she could pose the question, there was a huge clatter from behind the door to her right.
Eliza’s heart hit her
“What is it, Eliza? You look positively feverish,” Catherine said, rushing to her friend’s side.
“It’s nothing,” Eliza said, slamming the book closed. “Just a note inside from my father.”
Catherine nibbled on her pinky finger for a moment, looking as if she was on the verge of saying something. Then she turned away and grabbed her black felt hat.
“Shall we be off, then? You can only imagine what a bear Theresa can be when people are late,” she said.
“But she was late to the welcome,” Eliza said, placing the book on the top shelf of her bookcase as she stood.
“Yes. It’s perfectly fine for her to keep others waiting, but heaven forbid the rest of us should attempt it,” Catherine said with a fond smile.
“Are you sure about this, Catherine?” Eliza asked, reaching for her new friend’s hand. “You were the first to protest the plan this morning. I didn’t intend to force you into it.”
Catherine shifted her feet nervously. “It’s all right. No one forced me. I’m going of my own accord.” She looked Eliza in the eye steadily.
“All right, then,” Eliza said with a resolute nod. “How are we to get out of here without being noticed?”
“We must take the servants’ stairs at the back,” Catherine replied as she reached for the door. “They go right by the kitchen, where Mrs. Hodge and Helen spend most of their time, but it’s the only way. If we walk out the front, Miss Almay will surely spot us. She spends most of her time at the window.”
“But won’t the maids hear us?” Eliza asked.
“We’ll just have to hope they’re washing dishes or scrubbing the floor,” Catherine said. “Theresa does this all the time.”
That was all the motivation Eliza needed. If Theresa could do it, so could she. “Then we’ll just be as quiet as mice.”
Eliza took the door handle and slowly opened it. The hallway was empty. She slipped out of the room, gesturing for Catherine to follow. Catherine closed the door with the faintest of clicks, but still winced at the sound.
“Which way?” Eliza whispered.
Catherine gave a nod to the right, and Eliza tiptoed down the hallway, past the closed doors of her slumbering classmates. Around the corner at the end of the hall was a slim door. It let out a loud creak as Eliza opened it.
“Shhh!” Catherine said automatically.
Eliza slipped inside and found herself on the wooden landing of a rickety set of stairs. Catherine tumbled in behind her and closed the door.
Catherine, to Eliza’s surprise, was giggling. “I can’t believe I just shushed a door.”
Suddenly Eliza’s nerves took over and she couldn’t help laughing as well. She covered her mouth to stifle the noise, but then a sudden creak down below stopped her cold. She grabbed Catherine’s arm.
“What was that?” she whispered.
Catherine shook her head mutely, her eyes wide.
Then came a whisper. “Eliza? Is that you?”
Eliza breathed a sigh of relief. It was just Alice. Eliza looked overthe railing and saw the younger girl staring up at her, holding a candle in her tremulous hand.
“We’re coming!” Eliza whispered. Catherine grabbed Eliza’s hand as they started down the stairs.
“I nearly died of fright when I heard someone on the stairs,” Alice said when they reached her. She clutched Eliza’s other hand.
“It’s all right. We’re together now,” Eliza assured them, feeling a rush of pride over their confidence in her. “Let’s just get out of here as quickly as we can.”
Catherine and Alice nodded. Hand in hand, the three girls tiptoed to the foot of the stairs, where there were two doors. One undoubtedly led to the kitchen, the other outside. But Eliza was so nervous and turned around, she couldn’t tell which was which. If she chose wrong, they were as good as expelled. She looked up at Catherine, but before she could pose the question, there was a huge clatter from behind the door to her right.
Eliza’s heart hit her
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