Ходячий замок
Chapter 11
SophiesawthatbecauseHowlturnedbacktoaskMegan,“Ismyoldcarstillintheshed,orhaveyousoldthattoo?”
“You’vegottheonlysetofkeys,”Megananswereddourly.
Thatseemedtobetheonlygoodbye.ThefrontdoorslammedandHowltookthemtoasquarewhitebuildingattheendoftheflatblackroad.HowldidnotsayanythingaboutMegan.Hesaid,asheunlockedawidedoorinthebuilding,“IsupposethefierceEnglishteacherisboundtohaveacopyofthatbook.”
Sophiewishedtoforgetthenextbit.Theyrodeinacarriagewithouthorsesthatwentataterrifyingspeed,smellingandgrowlingandshakingasittoredownsomeofthesteepestroadsSophiehadneverseen—roadssosteepthatshewonderedwhythehousesliningthemdidnotslideintoaheapatthebottom.Sheshuthereyesandclungtosomeofthepiecesthathadtornofftheseats,andsimplyhopeditwouldbeoversoon.
Luckily,itwas.Theyarrivedinaflatterroadwithhousescrammedinonbothsides,besidealargewindowfilledwithawhitecurtainandanoticethatsaid:TEASCLOSED.But,despitethisforbiddingnotice,whenHowlpressedabuttonatasmalldoorbesidethewindow,MissAngorianopenedthedoor.Theyallstaredather.Forafierceschoolteacher,MissAngorianwasastonishinglyyoungandslenderandgood-looking.Shehadsheetsofblue-blackhairhangingroundherolive-brownheart-shapedface,andenormousdarkeyes.Theonlythingwhichsuggestedfiercenessaboutherwasthedirectandcleverwaythoseenormouseyeslookedandseemedtosumthemup.
