Inkheart

36 . IN CAPRICORN'S HOUSE

Two narrow metal bunks, one above the other against a whitewashed wall, a cupboard, a table by the window, a chair, an empty shelf with nothing but a candle on it. Meggie had hoped to be able to see the road or at least the parking area through the window, but the only view was of the yard below. A couple of Capricorn's maids were bending over the vegetable patch pulling out weeds, and chickens were pecking around in a wire-netting run in one corner. The walls surrounding the kitchen garden were high enough for a prison.

Fenoglio was sitting on the lower bed, staring gloomily at the dusty floor. The wooden floorboards creaked whenever they stepped on them. Outside the door, Flatnose was protesting to Basta.

"You want me to do what? No, find someone else for the job, damn it! I'd rather go over to the next village, put gas-soaked rags outside someone's door or hang a dead rooster from the window frame. Or run around outside the house with a devil mask on, like Cockerell had to do last month, but I'm not cooling my heels here just to keep watch on an old man and a little girl! Get one of the lads. They'll be glad to have a change from cleaning cars. "

But Basta wasn't open to persuasion. "You'll be relieved after supper, " he said. Then he was gone. Meggie heard his footsteps retreating down the long corridor. There were five doors to pass, then go down the staircase, at the foot of the stairs turn left for the front door… She had carefully taken note of the way. But how was she to get past Flatnose? She went over to the window again and opened it. Just looking out made her feel dizzy. No, she couldn't climb down. She'd break her neck.

"Leave the window open, " said Fenoglio behind her. "It's so hot in here I feel as if I might melt."

Meggie sat down on the bed beside him. "I'm going to run away, " she whispered. "As soon as it gets dark."

The old man looked at her incredulously, shaking his head very firmly. "Are you mad? It's much too dangerous!"

Out in the corridor, Flatnose was still muttering angrily to himself.

"I'll say I have to go to the toilet. " Meggie was clutching her backpack. "Then I'll just run off."

Fenoglio took her by the shoulders. "No!" he whispered emphatically. "No, you won't! We'll think of something. Thinking up ideas is my job, remember?"

Meggie tightened her lips. "Yes, all right, " she murmured, getting up to go back to the window. Dusk was already falling outside. I'm going to try, all the same, she thought as Fenoglio stretched out with a sigh on the narrow bed behind her. I'm not going to just sit here as bait! I'll run away before they catch Mo, too.

And for the hundredth time, as she waited for darkness she tried to push away the question that kept coming into her head: Where was Mo? Why hadn't he come?