‘Tell HER,’ the Crow said, ‘that anyone who thinks they are Sherlock Holmes is too silly to help.’

‘Tell HIM,’ Seren gasped, ‘that at least I’m not scared of Them.’

Suddenly she grabbed the Box and marched to the door with it. ‘And I’m not silly. And if HE doesn’t want my help, then HE won’t get it. GOODBYE.’

She marched out with her head high and along the corridor to her room. Once there she slammed the door with the loudest slam she could make, threw the Box onto the bed and herself after it. She was furious!

She lay with her chin on her hands looking towards the open window.

Slowly she calmed down.

It was very hot.

That was part of the trouble.

The window was wide and the sky beyond it was a deep, deep blue, as if it went on for ever.

You could never see the sky in the orphanage. The windows had always been tiny, and high up in the walls, and when no one was looking you had to grab with your hands and tug yourself up just to get your chin over the sill.

Seren shook her head. She hated remembering the orphanage and she wasn’t going to. And she wasn’t going back there either.

But maybe it would be a school.

What would that be like?

‘If I don’t like it,’ she said aloud, ‘I can just run away.’

Outside, swallows flitted, catching flies on the wing. Suddenly she scrambled up and ran to the window and looked across the lawns at the lake. There were always birds on there; now she saw geese and out on the water, swans. They had cygnets with them, a small line of five grey shapes sailing along behind their parents. So she couldn’t even steal a swan’s egg. Not that she would have done that.

Sadly she leaned her head against the side of the window.

The Crow was such an irritating creature!

There was a small tittering sound. She glanced up and saw that the line of starlings on the roof of the house had got longer. There must be forty or fifty of them now. They were watching the preparations for the Ball.

Some of the maids were carrying out huge red lanterns; Gwyn was up a tree stringing the lanterns from the branches. There were tents on the lawn, too, and tables inside ready for food and drink.

The smell of freshly cut grass rose to her.

Gwyn waved.

She waved back.

When the last lantern was up he climbed down and came and stood under her window.

‘What’s the matter, Seren? Beth sy’n bod?’

‘Nothing.’

He shook his head. ‘I can tell. You’re cross.’

‘Well, maybe. But I can’t explain. There’s something I have to find and I don’t know how to find it and it’s the Ball tonight and I’m worried … about Them.’

‘So is Denzil.’

For a moment they watched Lily and Sian carry out tables and set them up. Then Seren said, ‘Gwyn, where would I find a swan’s egg?’