The Winter Wolf Read Online Free PDF

looking her up and down. He raised one hand and didn’t quite touch her dark curls. “When I first saw you in the corner, I thought you were…” He gulped. “I thought you were Grace. My sister. You know what happened to her, don’t you? If you’ve read the diary.”
    Amelia nodded. “I think so. I’m so sorry. I haven’t read all of it but I know she died…” Her voice went very small. “I’m sorry.” She didn’t know what to say to him.
    “She had a cough, and it wouldn’t go,” he said slowly. “It got worse, so she could hardly breathe. She couldn’t eat, and she just slept all the time, and she only woke up when she coughed. And then she just didn’t wake up any more. You look like her, a bit. Same size. Same curly hair. But I think you’re older – you sound older.”
    “Everyone says I’m small,” she admitted. “I’m nine. My name’s Amelia.”
    “Gracie was only six. She’d be seven, now.”
    Amelia nodded again. She couldn’t think of anything else to say.
    “What are you wearing?” he demanded suddenly, and Amelia almost laughed, she was so surprised.
    “A hoodie. Does it look strange? Isuppose you don’t have them.”
    “You’ve got trousers on!” He sounded quite shocked, and Amelia fought not to giggle. “I know. I suppose girls don’t ever wear trousers here.”
    “Well, if you’re staying, you can’t wear those things.” He swallowed, and added gruffly, “Suppose I could find you one of Grace’s dresses, if you like. And her cap and shawl. You’ll need them, if you’re coming out in the snow to see the pup.”
    “You’d really let me wear her things?” Amelia whispered.
    He shrugged. “You look like her,” he said again. “And you’ve come to help. You said so. You know all those things about me, things you shouldn’t be able to know. So someone sent you, they must have done. I wanted help, and I guess you’re it.”
    Amelia nodded. He didn’t look all that impressed – and considering how she was with dogs, he was probably right not to be. But like he said, something had brought her here. Some sort of magic from the diary, maybe, or a link passed down through their family.
    I suppose Grace was my ancestor, too
, Amelia thought sadly.
Perhaps I can help him for her
.

20th October, 1873
     
    Just writing this quickly while I look in the old trunk for some of Gracie’s clothes. I shouldn’t be, because someone’s waiting for me, but I need to think.
    There’s a girl in the stable. I don’t know how she got there, or where she’s come from, but she’s read my diary. This diary. How can that be? I’ve never shown it to anyone. But she knew things about me, and about Grace, and the wolf pup.
    The girl – Amelia – says that she doesn’t know how it’s happened, either, but she says she can help with the wolf pup – and I need the help. Should I trust her? I want to, but I think that’s because she looks a little like Grace. She has curls likeGrace’s, and the same dark eyes, but her face is rounder. Not so pale and tired-looking. When I first saw her, I wanted to rush and swing her round in the air and make her squeal. I thought she was Grace, hiding so she could jump out at me, but then I remembered that won’t ever happen again.
    I’m letting her borrow Grace’s clothes, because hers are all wrong. She’s got trousers on, which isn’t proper for a young lady.
    It will be strange to see her in Grace’s brown print dress.

 
    A melia stood by the side of the cabin, shivering in her hoodie. She should have waited in the stable, where it was warmer and there was less danger of Noah’s mother or father seeing her. But she couldn’t just stay there, hiding in the dark. So she had followed Noah, watching him hurry through the wooden door. She’d heard him say something – to his mother, she supposed. Then Amelia had crept after him, and up to the tiny window. How could she not look? It was another world.
    She stood at the side, where