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Back Meridon
Chapters (51)
  1. Cover
  2. Meridon
  3. Table of Contents
  4. Map
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  47. About the Author
  48. BY THE SAME AUTHOR
  49. Copyright
  50. About the Publisher
  51. About the Publisher

‘What’s the matter, Merry? You’re as white as if you’ve seen a boggart. It should be me that’s sickly!’

I could hear a distant rushing in my ears as if there was a waterfall far away pouring down a cliff. Something seemed to be coming towards us as fast as the tumbling water.

‘Why?’ I asked urgently. ‘Why should it be you who is sickly?’

Dandy threw back her head and laughed. ‘I wanted to tell you later,’ she said.

She paused and I heard Robert say from the ring inside the barn:

‘And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, Honoured Guest, Welcome Visitors All, We Commence the Second Half of our Nationally-Famous Show with Robert Gower’s Amazing Aerial Display. First with Mamselle Meridon on the trapeze!’

‘You’re on!’ Katie said urgently, holding open the door for me.

Through the gap I could see Rea and Jack checking the stakes which held the catch-net taut. Jack had his back to me, but I could see Rea’s face furrowed with concentration. I had a moment of relief from worry. I knew Rea would make sure the catch-net was safe.

I could hear the clapping, the noise an audience makes when they are excited, waiting. They were waiting for me in the barn, but my feet would somehow not go forward. Jack was coming out past me.

‘Go on Meridon!’ he said softly. ‘You’re on.’ He went on past me to check the set of his shirt in a little mirror Dandy had nailed up near the lantern.

I turned back to Dandy. ‘I won’t go until you tell me!’ I said. It was as if I were seeking for a light at the top of the deep well.

She gave me a little push in the back and her face was alight with triumph and laughter.

‘Go on, Merry!’ she said. ‘You’re stubborn as a mule! I’ll tell you it all later.’ Then as my feet made no movement, she gave me another little push and said, ‘Go on! It’s as I said it would be! I’ve caught Jack and I’m going to tell his da. I’m breeding his child so there’ll be a grandson Gower to inherit all this! And I’ll be his ma. I told you I’d win all this, and I have done! I’ve caught him now and he’ll not get away. I’ll tell him after the show.’