Spirit of London , livre ebook

Troubador Publishing Ltd - Rob Keeley

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62 pages

English

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Description

The spirits were at work here, somehow. But why? On returning to London, Ellie investigates the mystery surrounding 47 Foster Square. Who is the sender of ghostly messages asking her for help? What is the secret of the Meadowes family? And what does Edward know about all this? With her parents about to divorce, and her Mum acting very strangely, Ellie quickly discovers that a sinister force lies between her and the truth... TheSpirit of London is the second instalment in the thrilling and suspenseful 'Spirits' series and follows the success of The People's Book Prize-nominated Childish Spirits. It focuses on slavery and a mixed-race family in Georgian times. Ellie finds herself facing a very dangerous foe and will need all her courage and humanity to get her through. The Spirit of London also sets up a story arc that will continue into future books in the series. The book will appeal to girls and boys of upper primary and lower secondary age - and to parents and teachers reading the book aloud!

Informations

Publié par	Troubador Publishing Ltd
Date de parution	11 mars 2021
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781800469402
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0200€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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By the same author
The Alien in the Garage and Other Stories
The (Fairly) Magic Show and Other Stories
The Dinner Club and Other Stories
Childish Spirits

Copyright © 2015 Rob Keeley
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.
Matador
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Email: books@troubador.co.uk
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ISBN 978 1800469 402
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Matador is an imprint of Troubador Publishing Ltd
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter One
“You said we were going home!”
The car pulled up sharply.
Ellie peered out of the rear passenger window into total darkness. She remained in her seat, watching the drama that was going on in the front between her big brother Charlie and their Mum.
“This is home,” Mum said. “For now. Just until I get things sorted out with your father.” She started to get out of the car. “If you want to know why we’re not going back to the old house, ask him.”
“I’ve –” Charlie paused. Mum was already outside, and he had to shout. “I’ve made arrangements! For this weekend! All the guys think I’m coming home!”
“You’re old enough to get a bus, aren’t you?” Mum’s voice came out of the darkness. “Now, come on. I’ve got a working day, tomorrow, and you’re back at school on Monday. We need to get some rest.”
Ellie stepped out of the car. She’d been in underground car parks before, of course, but this one seemed particularly dark. And cold. And unwelcoming.
For once, Ellie agreed with her brother. It had been so mean of Mum not to tell them they weren’t going back to their old house.
They’d had a long and tiring journey back from Inchwood, the country estate where her mother had been Events Organiser for Journeyback UK. Now, Journeyback had a new project for Mum in London.
Ellie had been starting to enjoy living in the country, and thinking about Inchwood made her feel homesick. How could you be homesick, back in the city where you were born?
Charlie was emerging from the car like a reluctant tortoise from its shell. He pulled his hood up.
“Where are the searchlights, then? And the barbed wire?”
He came round and opened the boot of the car.
A painting fell out and landed at Ellie’s feet.
“Hey, watch it!” Ellie picked it up carefully. “That might be worth something, one day. Remember?”
“That thing hasn’t stayed still for the whole journey,” Charlie said. “It’s got a life of its own. It’s been rattling round…”
He glanced at the painting, at the timber frames and tall chestnut trees of Inchwood Manor.
“Never thought I’d miss that place. ‘Least it didn’t smell of car fumes.”
He met Ellie’s eye.
“You’re missing it, aren’t you?” He put out a hand and flicked Ellie’s ponytail over her forehead. “Come on, miniature one. Let’s go and see where we’re living this time.”
He took his holdall from the boot. Ellie took the painting under her arm.
Together, they followed Mum towards a lighted doorway that was visible in the distance.
As they drew nearer, Ellie saw a sign on the door. Flats 5-7. The light was coming through a glass panel. Ellie could see the bottom of a staircase.
Mum tried the door. It was locked.
“Anyone know the password?” Charlie asked.
Ellie grinned. There were moments when Charlie was starting to sound quite like Dad.
“We need to get our keys,” Mum said. She looked around. Nearby was another door, labelled Porter’s Lodge . “Let’s try there.”
They went over. Next to the door was a bell-push. Charlie pressed it. The button fell off. Ellie burst out laughing.
“Mum…” Charlie moved his hand away. “How d’you find these places?”
“It’s always doing that,” a voice said from behind them. All three of them spun around.
Standing there in the half-light was a tall young man with lank hair and a long, beaky nose. Slowly, a grin spread across his face.
“Best just to knock. Or you can phone down here from your flat. Just dial zero.”
He moved towards the Porter’s Lodge.
“I’m Nigel. Property Supervisor. Not porter, so don’t call me that. It says Property Supervisor on my contract.” He took a bunch of keys from his belt. “All the flats are accessed by key-card. I’ll get yours.”
He let himself into the Lodge, and emerged a moment later with a plastic card, which he handed to Mum.
“Thank you,” Mum said. “I’m sorry we’re late. The traffic was bad, coming into the city centre –”
“– yes,” Nigel said. “You seem to mistake me for someone who cares.”
He went over and unlocked the door to the flats.
“This way.”
Ellie, Charlie and Mum followed Nigel up the staircase, with its blue metal banister rail.
“This is yours.” Nigel headed for the flat numbered 5. “Best flat in the block. Outstanding view of next door’s bins.”
Mum swiped the card through the reader next to the front door.
Ellie was the first inside. She found herself in a small, square hallway with doors on every side.
“Bathroom,” Nigel pushed the doors open, “bedrooms, living room with integral kitchenette, which means a fridge, a kettle, a microwave and two cupboards. List of rules on the back of the main door.”
Ellie moved forward into the living room. She switched a light on. It was a long, narrow room, painted pale yellow, with a sofa, a small dining table and chairs and a portable TV.
Nigel strode across the room and slid back a bolt to open a pair of folding doors. Ellie could see him properly now. He had the palest face of anyone she’d ever seen, and was dressed all in black, from his leather waistcoat to his polished boots. The hand on the bolt had a silver skull-shaped ring.
He was right about the kitchenette. There wasn’t even a proper cooker.
“Any problems,” Nigel said, “just dial zero. I have to say that, it’s in my contract. Don’t call after ten p.m. Some of us do need to sleep.”
He turned to Charlie, who was looking doubtfully at the tiny TV.
“I don’t have to do this, you know. I am studying. BSc. Metaphysics. I’ll be out of here in a few months. You may not be.”
He walked back towards the front door.
“There’s a Welcome Questionnaire on the table, which you can drop back to me. To make sure you’re happy with things. Not that anyone will care if you’re not. Good night.”
The door closed behind him.
A moment or two passed before anyone could speak.
“They’d never believe it,” Charlie said eventually. “The child helpline. If I rang them up. “Yes, that’s right. My Mum’s brought us to another flat the size of a shoebox, with no cooker, and a vampire as Property Supervisor.””
“Now, that’ll do, Charlie,” Mum said. “It’s been a long day. We’re all tired. I think we’d better just bring everything upstairs, then see about some supper.”
“What with?” Charlie asked. “We’ve only got tins. What are you going to do? Boil frankfurters in the kettle?”
Mum moved back into the hallway.
“There’s a steak house, just up the road. Passed it on our way in. Tell you what. I’ll buy you a steak. And you can repay me by doing the unpacking tomorrow.”
Charlie followed.
“Thanks a billion.”
Ellie moved after them.
Just for a second, she missed her footing and stumbled slightly. Something had unbalanced her.
She took the painting from under her arm. She stared at it.
It was almost as if it had moved.
“Oh, no.” Charlie’s voice came from a nearby room. “No, I’m sorry. No way.”
Ellie quickly followed.
She entered a bedroom, with two single beds several feet apart. There was a wardrobe, and a dressing table with a large mirror above.
“Whose room is this?”
“You thought things couldn’t get any worse?” Charlie asked. “Well, they just have. We’re sharing.”
“What!” Ellie turned. “ Mum! I can’t share a room with Charlie!”
“I do need some privacy.”
“What about when I want to paint?”
“I’ve got revision to do!”
“His laundry smells!”
“QUIET!” Mum shouted. They both stood and looked at her. “Now, you’ll have your privacy. It’s two rooms in one. Look.”
She moved to the far side of the room. For the first time, Ellie noticed a folding screen similar to the kitchenette door. Mum drew it across the room, hiding the second bed from view.
“Right.” Charlie headed for the first bed, the one in the larger half of the room. He plonked his holdall down on the bed and sat on the dressing table. “Mine. And mine again. You’re in there, Ellie.” He pointed to the screen.
Ellie narrowed her eyes at him.
“You can sort it out between you,” Mum said. “About time you learned to deal with problems for yourselves. Now, I don’t want to hear any more complaining. This flat will do us very well, for the time being. It’s still in the catchment area of your old schools. And it’s handy for Head Office at Holborn, as well as my new site.”
She went back to the door.
“Let’s start bringing everything in.”
Ellie put the painting down on the dressing table as Charlie moved away. She stared at Inchwood Manor.
It had been good, living there. And exciting.
If only she could tell someone about it. Apart from Miss Harvey, who had owned the Manor before Journeyback, no one knew Ellie’s secret.
Ellie could just imagine telling everyone at school about it, in Assembly