13 Treasures Read Online Free PDF Page B

PEECH MAY BE STILTED, OLD-FASHIONED, OR RHYMING . S IMILARLY, CLOTHING MAY BE OUT-OF-DATE OR INAPPROPRIATE . N ATURAL FORMS—ACORNS OR PEBBLES ENCHANTED WITH A GLAMOUR OF THEIR OWN TO APPEAR AS COINS, FOR EXAMPLE—MAY ALSO BE USED IN PAYMENT FOR GOODS, ONLY TO RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL STATE HOURS OR DAYS LATER .
     
    Tanya snapped the book shut, breathless with the excitement of the discovery. She gathered into her arms the remaining books she’d selected, ready to leave, when a small book propped on the desk caught her eye. It was
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
by Shakespeare, lavishly illustrated. Curious, she set her books down and reached for it.
    As she leafed through the pages a loose sheet of paper floated to the floor. She knelt and saw that it was a clipping from a local gazette, dated June 22nd, just over fifty years old. It was faded and yellow with age. MISSING GIRL, read the headline, in bold letters.
A HUNT WAS LAUNCHED YESTERDAY FOR THE DAUGHTER OF A LOCAL REVEREND WHO FAILED TO RETURN HOME LAST NIGHT . P OLICE ARE BAFFLED BY THE DISAPPEARANCE OF M ORWENNA B LOOM, AGE FOURTEEN, WHO VANISHED AFTER WALKING IN H ANGMAN’S W OOD YESTERDAY EVENING, SEEMINGLY WITHOUT A TRACE .
     
A POLICE SPOKESMAN REVEALED THAT THERE ARE MAJOR CONCERNS FOR THE SAFETY OF THE GIRL, LAST SEEN BY A SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD LOCAL BOY NEAR THE NOTORIOUS H ANGMAN’S C ATACOMBS, WHICH HAVE CLAIMED SEVERAL LIVES OVER THE YEARS AND ARE A WELL KNOWN SUICIDE SPOT . P OLICE QUESTIONED THE BOY, WHO WAS LATER RELEASED WITHOUT CHARGE . O NCE AGAIN, LOCAL RESIDENTS ARE APPEALING FOR THE HOLES TO BE FENCED OFF IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY .
     
    Tanya slipped the clipping back into the pages.
    The Hangman’s Catacombs lay deep in the forest behind the manor, plunging down into the earth and winding into underground tunnels that went on for miles. It was believed that the holes were natural caves, though there was some speculation that they were old chalk mines. Only in recent years had railings been constructed around each entrance to prevent people from falling into them, but still, Warwick repeatedly forbade Fabian and Tanya to go any farther than the brook that ran along the edge of the woods. Tanya had never felt any inclination to venture into the forest anyway. The teeming population of fairies sure to dwell there was deterrent enough.
    Someone cleared their throat behind her.
    She jumped and spun around. Her grandmother stood in the doorway.
    “What are you doing in here?”
    Tanya gulped noisily, knowing guilt must be written all over her face.
    “I was just… the door was open, and I just wanted to look at your books.”
    Florence walked into the room and pulled a book from one of the shelves.
    “Some of these are very old,” she said, tracing a line in the dusty cover. “Some have been here since the house was built, just over two hundred years ago.”
    Tanya fidgeted. She had been expecting to get told off.
    “I found this,” she said, taking the newspaper clipping out of the book again. “It’s about a girl who disappeared fifty years ago.”
    A strange look crossed her grandmother’s face, something almost like fear. But then too quickly it was gone, replaced by her usual impassive expression.
    “She was my age… we went to the same school. Her father was the reverend of the little church nearby.”
    “Were you friends with her?”
    “Yes,” said Florence. “For a time, when we were younger.” She stopped abruptly, looking troubled. “We… drifted apart.”
    “Was she found?” Tanya asked.
    “No,” said Florence. “She was never seen again.” She placed the clipping on the table and blew at a cobweb. “This room could do with a good clearing out. Warwick promised me he would do it weeks ago, but he still hasn’t got around to it.”
    “Perhaps I could help,” Tanya offered, thinking of the opportunities it would create to search for more information.
    Florence eyed her, her expression unreadable.
    “Thank you.