The Deptford Mice 2: The Crystal Prison Read Online Free PDF

further an impatient tapping of the stick brought her attention back to the Starwife.
    ‘How do you do?’ Audrey asked, dropping into a formal curtsey. The Starwife made no reply so Audrey repeated herself, a trifle louder than before.
    The ancient squirrel shifted on her throne and sucked her almost toothless gums. ‘I’m half blind, girl, but not deaf yet.’ She gazed at Audrey with unblinking eyes and sniffed the air.
    Audrey did not like the Starwife one little bit. She looked over to where Thomas and Twit were standing and grimaced at them. No way would this squirrel intimidate her. Rude old battleaxe, she thought to herself. She didn’t see why she had to be on her best behaviour if the Starwife had no mariners of her own.
    For several minutes Audrey remained silent and motionless under the continuing stare of the Starwife until the prolonged silence became embarrassing for her. It occurred to her that maybe the squirrel had nodded off like some old mice did in the Skirtings. Once more she thought of Oswald and felt that this was a waste of precious time.
    ‘Excuse me,’ she began politely, ‘but we can’t stay long I’m afraid.’
    The Starwife blinked and opened her mouth. She rose shakily in her throne and her joints cracked like twigs. The stick pounded the floor indignantly.
    Thomas put his hat over his face and the escort began to stammer idiotically.
    The Starwife switched her stare from Audrey to him. ‘Piers!’ she barked, ‘get out, you imbecile!’ The escort looked around uncertainly, but at that moment the Starwife threw her stick at him. It struck him smartly on the nose and he fled howling from the chamber.
    The Starwife eased herself gingerly back down on to her throne and gave a wicked chuckle. She relaxed and turned once more to Audrey. ‘You must think me a rude old battleaxe,’ she said calmly. Audrey flushed – it obviously wasn’t safe to think in front of this creature. ‘I do have manners but it’s so rare that I find anyone worth practising them on. You must forgive me child.’
    ‘Why did you send for me?’ Audrey asked.
    ‘There are two reasons Miss Brown. Firstly, I desired to speak to the one who sent Jupiter to his doom. Tell me all you know and all that happened on that glad day.’
    Audrey breathed deeply, not sure where to begin. Then she recounted all that had happened to her since One-Eyed Jake had dragged her through the Grille up to the time she had thrown her mousebrass at Jupiter. Throughout her tale the Starwife kept silent, nodding her head on occasion as if she understood more than Audrey about the events. When she had finished Audrey stepped back and waited for the other to comment.
    ‘A dark story you have told, Miss Brown, with more horror than you know. There are certain things contained in your narrative which I had no knowledge of. Of course I knew all the time that Jupiter was a cat. I recognised the body he concealed in the darkness behind those burning eyes of his. A two-headed rat monster – rubbish, as I always maintained. But other things do surprise me. That episode in the pagan temple where Jake murdered Fletch, now that is disturbing – Mabb, Hobb and Bauchan are old gods and it frightens me to think they are but newly worshipped. Who can tell what folly will come of that?’ The Starwife raised her head and gazed distractedly at the star maps.
    ‘Your pardon ma’am,’ said Thomas softly. ‘You mentioned two reasons for wanting to see Miss Audrey – may we know the second?’
    ‘Oh, I’m sorry Triton,’ she replied, and it seemed to Audrey that the Starwife was just a harmless squirrel older than nature had ever intended her to be.’
    ‘Fetch me my stick will you lad,’ she motioned to Twit. The fieldmouse ran to retrieve it from the floor. He bowed as he presented it to her. The Starwife received it gratefully. ‘Thank you lad. It is more than a missile with which I bruise my subjects’ stupid heads – I would not be able to