The Angel of Nitshill Road Read Online Free PDF

Ian. Zabeen. Tracey. P.T.O.
    And all that was just on one page. No wonder everyone crowded round Marigold, keen to hear any tiny thing she could remember about what happened with a Book of Deeds. No wonder, when Celeste finally sailed through the gates, her gleaming frock mirroring the shine of her hair, her eyes bright with excitement, everyone (even Marigold) ran over to greet her.
    â€˜Where have you
been
?’
    Celeste spread her hands.
    â€˜Disaster! Last night I cried so much I had to peg up my pillowcase. I’m being moved.’
    â€˜Moved?’
    Everyone was horrified.
    â€˜Moved
where
?’
    â€˜Moved
how
?’
    â€˜
Why?
’
    Celeste settled on the step, and tucked her frock neatly around her.
    â€˜Blame my father entirely!’ she told them. ‘Granny has told him time and again that trying to teach me arithmetic is like trying to plough the sea. But he won’t rest. First he harped on about it, day and night. Now it seems he’s been flitting from school to school, green with worry, looking for somewhere a dilly like me can learn to slap eight and eight together, and make fourteen.’
    â€˜Sixteen,’ they corrected her, but she wasn’t listening. She was far too excited.
    â€˜And so I’m to be swept off again, like a loose leaf tumbling around the world.’
    â€˜But where?’
    â€˜When?’
    She made a face.
    â€˜Almost at once. Would you believe, I’ve even had to beg for these few hours to totter in and exchange a few sad farewells!’
    In the shocked silence that followed, the ringing of the bell came almost as a relief.
    Celeste rose to her feet, sighing, and brushed an invisible speck from her frock.
    â€˜Come along,’ she told them. ‘Let’s go and break the news. I shall sob so hard Mr Fairway will have to mop all the floors behind me as I go.’
    Appalled, they set off in a bunch across the playground. Her eyes still shining, she strolled after them.

9
‘Only a joke. Only a game.’
    Before they reached the school door, they heard Barry Hunter shouting.
    â€˜Bombs away!’
    Everyone spun round to watch as Barry swung back his foot and, giving the old box one last tremendous boot, sent it flying – up, up, up and over.
    It landed – plop! – on top of poor Mark’s head.
    â€˜Bull’s eye!’ yelled Barry Hunter.
    They all stood waiting for Mark to tear the box off his head. They were waiting for the red face. They were waiting for the tears and the temper. Tracey said, ‘Bags be first witness,’ and everyone else looked round to check that Celeste was carrying her big black book and her fancy gold pen.
    Mark staggered round the playground like a robot out of control.

    Above Penny’s head, the staff-room window opened, and she heard Mrs Brown ask Mr Fairway anxiously:
    â€˜Is he
hurt
?’
    Like everyone in the playground, Mr Fairway watched Mark swivel his headround as if he were looking for radio signals.
    â€˜No,’ Penny heard him say. ‘I think he’s actually making a bit of a joke of it.’
    Mrs Brown sounded astonished.
    â€˜Mark? Making a joke of something Barry Hunter did to him? Now there’s a change!’
    Just at that moment, Marigold ran up to offer Mark a guiding hand.
    â€˜Am I
dreaming
?’ said Mrs Brown. ‘Is that
Marigold
who just ran up and joined in the game?’
    â€˜She was telling them all a story about an angel yesterday,’ said Miss Featherstone.
    â€˜I don’t believe it!’ Mrs Brown said. Then, glancing down, she noticed Penny just beneath the window. Quickly, Penny ran off, pretending she was going to help Marigold steer Mark away from all the people standing round clapping his brilliant robot act. The last thing she overheard was Mrs Brown saying:

    â€˜Really, that child Penny’s clothes are practically falling off her! It’s time she tightened her buttons.’
    For the