Archie's Battleflat Adventures: The Harriman Mystery Read Online Free PDF

seem to think, and instead sat dumbly looking at
the food before him without moving.
    “ Archie?” His dad’s voice penetrated the thick fog that
settled in his head. Archie jumped nervously. “What’s the matter,
boy? You sickening for something?”
    Archie
stared absently at his father for a moment. The enormity of the
afternoon’s events, and his bravery a few minutes ago was finally
beginning to sink in, and he fought the urge to cry. He wasn’t
usually a crier - that was Sammy’s job. He was the mardy baby.
Blinking back the unfamiliar sting of tears, Archie shook his head
solemnly, reluctantly picking up a slice of bread and took a bite.
The thick slice of bread slathered in a rich layer of creamy butter
exploded in his mouth. Whether it was the familiar taste of his
favourite tea, or the comfort of the mundane behaviour of his
family Archie wasn’t sure, but he immediately felt something inside
him begin to ease and calm. He realised just how hungry he was, and
tucked in. While he ate, his mind began to settle and work again.
He was able to think about what he had seen a little bit more
clearly, and began to consider what he needed to do
next.
     

CHAPTER TWO

     
    As he
ate, Archie studied the various members of his family. Although he
couldn’t see her, Archie could hear his mother bustling around in
the small kitchen at the back of the house like she usually did. He
often wondered what she did in there that needed her to be in there
practically all day, every day, and strongly suspected that she
messed about in there so she didn’t have to supervise Ben and
Sammy’s antics.
    Not that
he could blame her, Benjamin and Samuel were a pair of scallywags;
always getting into trouble. If they weren’t bickering and
fighting, they were getting up to scrapes and japes that inevitably
got them a sound scolding from Dad. The problem was, they never
seemed to learn. Even now, under the increasingly stern gaze of
Dad, they were still pushing and arguing, completely oblivious to
the impending scolding. Archie knew that even once they had been
told off and sent to bed, they would be up in their bedroom, still
bickering and throwing the punches.
    His gaze
turned toward Betsy, his eldest sister and Emilie, his youngest
sister. Emilie was so much like himself, Archie had often wondered
if she was really his twin. They thought alike, and had the same
interests. In that moment, as though Emilie sensed his disquiet,
she glanced at him in silent enquiry. He knew from the look in her
eyes that she had realised something had happened, and would be
asking him questions later. She smiled gently at him in silent
sympathy, quietly offering her support as she usually did. He knew
that whatever he told Emilie, she would always stand beside him.
She would listen to what he had to say, think about it and then
tell him what he should do. More often than not, her advice was
right.
    Martha,
on the other hand, was his oldest sister and was the most distant
of all of his siblings. She worked as a scullery maid at the big
house owned by Lord and Lady Brentwood, and spent most of her
waking hours fetching and carrying for them. Although he knew
little about what scullery maids really did, he knew that Martha
left just before dawn every day and would be gone until just after
dark; sometimes later than that. If she wasn’t back by the time it
went dark, Dad often went up to Battleflat Manor to wait to walk
her home. She spent very little time at home and, when she was
there, was busy either helping Mum or catching up on gossip with
Emilie, who worked in the buttery and knew everything practically
before everyone else did.
    Archie
finished the last slice of his apple with a sigh. He was suddenly
glad that he had decided to eat. His stomach felt pleasantly full,
and the fear that had held him in such a ruthless hold had begun to
ease. Unfortunately though tiredness began to take its place,
clouding his thoughts and making his movements slow and