[Gutenberg 26322] • Peterkin

Excerpt: ...I wished to myself she would have a name of her 98 own for me, but I suppose she thought I was too big. 'I think you are very nice boys, ' she went on, 'not "naughty" ones at all; and if you will promise not to tell any one what I am going to tell you, I will explain all I can. I mean you mustn't tell any one till I give you leave, and as it's only about my own affairs, of course you can promise.' Of course we did promise. 'Listen, then, ' said Margaret, glancing up first of all at the parrot, and drawing back a little into the inside of the room. 'You can hear what I say, even though I don't speak very loudly, can't you?' 'Oh yes! quite well, ' we replied. 'Well, then, listen, ' she repeated. 'I have no brothers or sisters, and Dads and Mummy are in India. I lived there till about three years ago, and then they came here and left me with my grandfather. That's how people always have to do who live in India.' 'Didn't you mind awfully?' I said. 'Your father and mother leaving you, I mean?' 'Of course I minded, ' she replied. 'But I had always known it would have to be. And they will come home again for good some day; perhaps before 99 very long. And I have always been quite happy till lately. Gran is very good to me, and I'm used to being a good deal alone, you see, except for big people. I've always had lots of story books, and not very many lessons. So, after a bit, it didn't seem so very different from India. Only now it's quite different. It's like being shut up in a tower, and it's very queer altogether, and I believe she's a sort of a witch, ' and Margaret nodded her head mysteriously. 'Who?' we asked eagerly. 'The person I'm living with