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Back Mattimeo Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. CAPTURED!
  2. Other Books
  3. Title Page
  4. Map
  5. Introduction
  6. BOOK ONE
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. BOOK TWO
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. BOOK THREE
  46. 38
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. 46
  55. 47
  56. 48
  57. 49
  58. 50
  59. 51
  60. 52
  61. 53
  62. 54
  63. 55
  64. What’s next onyour reading list?

Mordalfus folded up his glasses and yawned. “Still no sign of them yet, Cornflower?”

“No, Father Abbot. But don’t you worry, they’ll come home soon.”

“You have great faith, daughter. That is good. But we must learn in this life that the time comes to be realistic. You must see that they’ve been gone nearly a season’s length now. That is a long time in the span of any creature.”

A tear rolled down Cornflower’s cheek, and she wiped it away busily.

“Oh dear, my eyes get so watery when I’m tired. Maybe I should get Brother Dan to make me spectacles like yours.”

Constance’s heart went out to the brave little mouse, and the badger stood up decisively.

“Right, it’s quarter moon tomorrow night. If they’re not back by the time the moon is full, then I’m going out to look for them!”

The Abbot nodded his approval. “An excellent idea, old friend. I’ll send the remaining sparrows with you and whoever you choose to take.”

They shook paws across the table. Constance winked cheerily at Cornflower.

“Come on, Cornflower. Off to bed with you, or you’ll be too tired to climb those south wall steps tomorrow.”

*   *   *

When Cornflower had gone, Constance shook her head.

“I’m afraid I must agree with you, Mordalfus. A season is a long time, and the longer they’re away the less chance they stand of coming back.”

“I know, Constance, but I couldn’t say that in front of Cornflower. She keeps her hopes up, though she looks so sad these days, and the churchmice too. D’you really suppose they’ll come back?”

Constance toyed with some crumbs on the tabletop. “My heart likes to think so. However, my brain tells me different. At least the hope that we’ll be sending a search party out soon should cheer her up. Ah well, come on, young feller, it’s past bedtime.”

The two friends shuffled off wearily up the steps into Great Hall.

*   *   *

Shortly before dawn, Cornflower turned restlessly on her pallet in the dormitory. She had decided not to sleep in the gatehouse cottage until her family was reunited. Soft voices rang through her head as grey figures stole across her dreams. “Matthias, is that you, are you back?” she called out in her sleep. “No, wait, you’re not Matthias. It’s Mattimeo. Oh, my little Matti, how you’ve grown. Is it really you? Come closer and let me look at you.”

The figure loomed closer out of the mists of slumber. It was a warrior mouse, neither Matthias or Mattimeo, but so like them both. The mouse smiled at Cornflower and pointed in the direction of the south wall.

“Martin becomes Matthias becomes Mattimeo, and so it goes. Go now,” a voice said.

*   *   *

The dream faded as some creature tugged at Cornflower’s paw.