Emily Feather and the Enchanted Door Read Online Free PDF Page A

eyes.
    Â 
    Emily woke up still tired, her eyes gritty and sore. It was an effort to drag herself out of bed and go downstairs for breakfast. She could only half remember her dream, but it must have been a very vivid one, to have left her feeling so worn out. Gruff followed her out of the room. Emily ran her fingers over the great dog’s rough fur, wondering why Gruff was still sticking so close to her. Was it something to do with the mirror, and the dream? Could he tell how strange she was feeling? He was very good at looking after people – he had hauled her out of the garden pond once, when she was tiny. She couldn’t remember him ever being as watchful as this though – usually he spent most of his time with Robin, although he liked to curl up on Ash’s feet while he was working.
    â€œEmily, are you planning to brush your hair this morning, or are you going to school with a bird’s nest on your head?” Lark asked, twirling a strand of Emily’s knotted dark hair around her finger.
    â€œDon’t…” Emily muttered crossly. “I’ll brush it after breakfast, I’m too tired now. I had weird dreams all night, and I feel like I didn’t sleep at all.”
    Eva looked up from the piece of toast she was eating with one hand, while she scribbled in a sketchbook with the other, and asked lightly, “What sort of dreams, Emily love?”
    Emily flumped down into a chair, and Gruff nosed closer to Eva’s knee, where he could sit and beg for toast.
    â€œI can’t remember them all.” Emily sighed. “They were really odd. I kept going to places, strange places, and I met a girl. A girl with webbed feet. And the funny thing was,” she added slowly, realizing it herself for the first time, “it’s really strange, but I think I’d seen her before. When I wasn’t asleep. I saw her –” she glanced around the table, to make sure that no one was going to laugh, but her family were all staring at her, their faces blank “– I saw her in the mirror on the landing,” she finished, in a hurried mutter.
    â€œIn the mirror?” her father asked sharply, nearly upsetting the huge mug of tea that was in front of him. Gruff leaned over the edge of the table and licked up the wave of tea that had slopped over the side.
    â€œWhat, that big old flowery one?” Lory asked curiously.
    â€œMmm.” Emily nodded, ducking her head so she didn’t have to see them laughing. But no one did. “It must have been a mistake…” she faltered. She had expected them all to tell her she was being silly, or that she was making it up. When no one seemed to think it was funny in the slightest, it all seemed a lot more real.
    Eva reached out and stroked Emily’s rough hair, gently teasing out the tangles. “Was that yesterday, Emily? Was that why you were so quiet at dinner? Rachel said something about you feeling sick. It’s this heat, isn’t it? I’m sure that’s what it was. And that landing is very dark, with the stairs, and that small window…”
    It wasn’t, but no one said so. Even Robin nodded solemnly, and Emily gazed around at them all, suddenly wondering if they thought she was a bit stupid. The ditzy one…
    â€œAnyway, it’s time for school. You need to get your stuff or you’re going to be late,” Eva said, standing up and sweeping all the cereal bowls off to the sink, even though Robin had his spoon halfway to his mouth. For once, he didn’t argue, just took the spoon over to add it to the pile, and went out into the hallway to get his shoes.
    Emily stared after him, gaping, and Eva flapped her hands at her. “Go on, Emily! Rachel’s going to be here any minute!”
    Emily swallowed. “But, Mum…”
    â€œNot now, Emily. Really. Not now.”
    And her mum sounded so serious that Emily just went to get ready for