A BELINDA ROBINSON NOVEL BOOK 3: BELINDA AND THE MISSING WILL
Published by Writers Exchange E-Publishing, Smashwords Edition
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Copyright 2011 Margaret Pearce
Writers Exchange E-Publishing
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Cover Art By: Laura Shinn
ISBN 978-1-921636-64-6
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Chapter one
"Do you think you should come with us after all?" Belinda's father had asked, running his hands through his dark hair so it stood on end.
He lounged by the toaster wearing his gray suit. Her mother had her hair pinned up neatly, and wore an unfamiliar new dress. Two bulging cases squatted by the door. There was going to be a travelling exhibition of Belinda's mother's paintings. As he was still off work, he was going with her.
Belinda shook her head and smiled. She would miss her parents, but it was only for six weeks after all and school was important. Not only was it her first day back after the holidays, but her grandmother was going to look after her.
"Don't be silly, and watch the toast," she ordered.
Her father swung around. Black curls of smoke drifted up from the toaster. "How did that happen?" he grumbled, as he pulled out charred toast.
Belinda gave her mother and father a last hug and left for school. The smell of burnt toast and frying bacon followed her out like a lingering farewell.
It was exciting to be back at school. Everyone was telling everyone else what they had done over the holidays. The shrill voice of Kate Kennedy rang out over the noise as she umpired a brisk game of netball.
Belinda called greetings as she pushed past. Julie Wilson sat alone on the bench staring at her feet. Her eyes were red rimmed and her face blotchy. Her dark hair was tangled and uncombed, her shoes muddy, and the collar of her blouse was grubby and creased.
"Did you enjoy your holidays, and have you seen Amanda?"
"No," Julie snapped, picked up her bag, and ran off.
"What's wrong with her?" Belinda asked Amanda when she arrived.
"I think her grandmother gave her a hard time over the holidays."
"Yes, but..." floundered Belinda.
She had always envied Julie for her luck in having a live in grandmother. She couldn't imagine a grandmother giving anyone a hard time.
"We'll ask her what's wrong," Kate said as she came running up. "'It always helps to talk about things."
Like many of Kate's bright ideas, it was easier to suggest than do. Julie spent the day dodging them. She even shifted from her usual seat in class.
Belinda and Kate passed notes along. Julie screwed them up and flipped them into the wastepaper basket. What was worse, she didn't bother to work at all.
The new teacher got annoyed and gave her a detention. Their regular teacher got cross and also gave her a detention. She was kept in lunchtime and after school. Her three friends waited until she was let out, but she ran past without a word, her eyes fixed into the distance.
"Something's seriously wrong," Kate decided.
"Like what?" Belinda asked.
"Didn't you say your grandmother was arriving?" Amanda asked. "She can ask old Mrs. Wilson."
"Good thinking," agreed Kate. "See you later, slow coaches."
She ran off, bumping her racquet and school bag behind her. Amanda and Belinda walked more slowly along the winding, tree-lined street, and past the old Higgins' place.
"Does Miss Higgins know your grandmother is back?" Amanda asked.
"No," Belinda said. "Let's tell her."
The rusty iron gates were locked, but Belinda and Amanda squeezed through the hole in the stone fence hidden behind over hanging tree branches. Despite the sun, the over grown front yard was gloomy.
They pushed their way along the narrow winding path, skirted past the fishpond with its mossy, green mermaid and hammered the ugly gargoyle that was the door knocker. The echoes boomed, but there was no answered shuffle of footsteps.
"She might be around the back," Amanda said.
They squeezed past the shrubbery along the sides of the house, their feet squelching on the carpet of wet leaves and dead branches.
Miss Annie Higgins, a tall old lady in an old fashioned black dress, stood with her back to them. She leaned on a shovel and stared at the long grass. A few potato plants struggled to survive among the weeds, and four small potatoes sat on the upturned clod of dirt by the shovel.
"Miss Higgins," Belinda called.
The old lady turned around. Her eyes were red and her mouth kept puckering. Her face looked sad.
"Belinda and Amanda, how nice to see you," she said.
"We thought you would like to know that grandmother has come to stay again," Belinda said.
"That's lovely." Miss Higgins stared back down at her feet.
"Can we do anything for you?" Amanda asked.
"I don't think so, dears," was the reply. "I'm just getting my dinner."
"What are you having?" asked Amanda, who was always interested in what people cooked and how.
"Some nice boiled potatoes and a nice fresh egg."
It sounded like a funny sort of dinner. Belinda opened her mouth to say something.
"We'll have to go, or Belinda's grandmother will be wondering why she's late," Amanda said quickly.
"Tell Matilda to come and see me," Miss Higgins called as they ran off.
"What was all that about?" Belinda demanded, when they had wriggled through the hole in the stone fence.
"She must be pretty hard up to eat those horrid little potatoes. Did you notice she had been crying?"
"She must have enough money to buy food," Belinda protested. "She lives in that big house."
"Dinner of half grown potatoes and a new laid egg doesn't sound like enough money to buy food to me," Amanda said darkly.
It was very puzzling! Belinda remembered that her grandmother was home waiting for her and cheered up. Her grandmother would know what was wrong with old Miss Higgins, and what to do about Julie Wilson's odd behaviour.
"Race you home," Belinda suggested.
They started running towards Belinda's place, and Belinda's favourite grandmother, Matilda.
Chapter two
The aroma of hot-spiced fruit buns filled the kitchen. The old lady stooping over the stove turned and smiled, green eyes glowing with pleasure. She had pink cheeks and silky white hair and was the same height as Belinda.
"Matilda!" Belinda shrieked, as she hugged her grandmother.
"Hello, Mrs. Mainwaring," Amanda said.
"I saved some afternoon tea," Matilda laughed. "Kate has been and gone with a supply of buns."
A large blue point Siamese cat launched himself at Belinda, his slanting eyes glowing with intelligence and affection, his loud purring reverberating through the kitchen. A leather collar with a gold bell hung around his neck.
His name was Sennacherib, but he was known as Senna. Strangers might have thought him an ugly cat with his thick heavy body and narrow head, but his slanting eyes glowed with intelligence and affection and Belinda loved him. He was the first cat she knew who could really talk.
She put him down, and sat at the table to have afternoon tea. She was halfway through her third bun when she realized something was missing.
"Where's Senna Two?"
Senna Two was an odd looking kitten, with long fluffy blue fur, a narrow Siamese head and blue eyes that kept crossing. He usually slept on the cushions in the window seat.
"Cats take a while to make friends," Matilda said. "Senna boxed his ears, so he's hiding under the stove."
Belinda got down on her knees to try and coax Senna Two from under the stove. The glowing crossed eyes glared at her, but the kitten stayed put. Senna curled up on the window seat and fell asleep. Amanda told Matilda about Miss Higgins' odd dinner.
"And they were horrid little green potatoes. I'm sure it isn't good for Miss Higgins not to have proper food. Is she that poor?"
"Her family used to be quite well off, but that was a long time ago," Matilda said.
"And then there's Julie Wilson," Belinda explained. "Amanda thinks her grandmother is upsetting her."
"I'll pay a visit to Henrietta Wilson and find out what's happening," Matilda promised.
Amanda went home. They had dinner. The kitten sneaked out to eat, then scuttled back under the stove. When Belinda went to bed, Senna was already curled up on her bed.
He was pretending to be asleep, but Belinda could tell he was awake by the way his tail lashed. Suddenly, he opened both eyes. His ears pricked forward. The hum of the vacuum cleaner came from the back yard!
Belinda knew all about Matilda's odd use of a vacuum cleaner. She opened her door. Senna streaked out, and she followed him into the backyard.
Matilda had her pretty straw hat firmly on her head and her black cloak billowing around her, as she stood by the vacuum cleaner. Senna sprang on to the barrel.
It floated off the ground and started plunging and rearing, its nozzle questing blindly into the air. Senna's fur stood on end, until he looked twice his size.
"I thought I'd visit Annie Higgins for a little while," Matilda explained.
"Can I come?" Belinda asked. "It's only a short walk."
"Walk!" Matilda exclaimed. "At this hour of night! Get your father's dressing gown. The night air is cold."
Belinda ran to get her father's old black dressing gown. It smelt of burnt toast, bacon, car grease and the green soap her father liked. She wrapped it around herself.
The big gum tree reared silent and dark, throwing a dense black shadow over the yard and house. Belinda sat on the vacuum cleaner behind Matilda, Senna's warmth against her back. The vacuum cleaner drifted upwards over the fence and housetops into the clear starry night.
"Besides," continued Matilda. "Annie Higgins keeps that place of hers locked. You don't expect your grandmother to be climbing through holes in the fence at her age, do you?"
"No, Matilda," Belinda replied meekly.
They swept across the treetops, past the Vicarage roof, and swooped down in a fast circle into the Higgins' front yard.
"Aren't we travelling too fast?" Belinda started to ask, when the cleaner spun in a last fast turn, throwing them against the thick shrubbery.
"Dear me," said Matilda.
"Oh," gasped Belinda.
"Yeowh," screeched Senna.
They picked themselves up, and headed up the steps towards the front door. The Higgins' house looked black and spooky.
"Do you think she's gone to bed?" Belinda whispered.
"Nonsense! She's probably in the back of the house," Matilda said as she thumped the doorknocker.
Above them something creaked open. Belinda stared up. She remembered that there was a circular rose patterned window directly above them.
"Open up, Annie, we've come to visit," Matilda called.
There was the creak of the window closing. They waited in the darkness. Belinda felt for Matilda's hand. It was spooky waiting in the dark.
The front door swung open. Miss Higgins' face floated in mid air, lit by the flickering candle. Belinda clung to her grandmother more tightly. Miss Higgins moved the candle, so it lit up the rest of her long black clad figure.
"Come in, dears," she welcomed in a quavering husky voice. "The pesky electricity people cut off my power."
She shuffled down the hall and opened a door. Her tall figure was outlined in the cheery light of the open fire as she opened a door. A lamp threw a soft glow over the cosy, cluttered little room.
Belinda sat on the old sofa. Senna jumped into the armchair by the fire, curled up and went to sleep. Miss Higgins bustled around making mugs of cocoa.
Belinda drank her hot cocoa, and Matilda and Miss Higgins put their heads together in a low voiced conversation. They had attended an extremely odd school together when they were children and were best friends. After Belinda finished her cocoa she plucked up courage to interrupt.
"Miss Higgins, why do you live in this little room at the back of your big house?"
"Bless you, child, I can't afford to keep the house warm and liveable. It's too big."
"So why don't you shift into a smaller place?"
"My dear Papa left the house to my young brother. He was the vicar you know. I only have the use of this house for my lifetime."
"And where is your brother?" Belinda asked.
"He and his family were drowned in a shipwreck years and years ago," Miss Higgins said sadly.
Belinda thought it sounded very tragic, and then she thought of another question. "Why didn't your father change his Will after that?"
"He did."
"Did he?" Matilda asked. "Then why didn't you shift out years ago?"
"It's all right for you to talk, Matilda," Miss Higgins said. "Papa went quite odd after he got sick. He kept thinking they were still alive. I had to keep all the rooms ready for their arrival." Miss Higgins sighed again. "When the funeral was over we couldn't find his last Will. We don't know whether he destroyed it or hid it. So the terms of the first Will stands. I have the use of the house in my lifetime, and then it reverts to the church."
"So, if you could find the second Will, you could sell up this monstrosity, buy a small flat, and perhaps come travelling with me?" Matilda said.
"If?" Miss Higgins said with a sigh.
"The Will could still be hidden around the house," Belinda said.
"I've turned the house upside down. It isn't!"
"We'll have another look," Matilda said. "There are the children to help. Fresh young minds you know."
"You know how I feel about people poking around."
"And it's time you got over it."
"Can we really, Matilda?" Belinda's eyes were round.
"Well, that's settled, Annie." Matilda got to her feet, and put on her cloak and hat. "Come on, Senna," she ordered. "It's time we left."
Senna stood up, stretched, and streaked out the open door into the blackness of the hall. Miss Higgins picked up her candle, shielded it from the draft, and led them back down the long passage.
"Goodbye, dears," she whispered, and closed the big front door behind them.
"Now where is that dratted vacuum cleaner?" Matilda said.
Belinda peered into the blackness of shrubbery. There was a soft hum. Branches creaked and swished. The vacuum cleaner forced its way out of the shrubbery to the open space by the front door Senna crouched like a dark shadow across it.
"Thank you, Senna," Matilda said. "I would never have found it. Come on, Belinda. Your mother wouldn't like it if I kept you out late."
Belinda sat on the vacuum cleaner and wrapped her arms around Matilda with Senna behind her. She yawned as the cleaner floated up over the treetops and swooped towards their back yard.
She was tired. So much seemed to have happened since this morning. Her parents had left. Matilda had arrived. It was her first day back at school. There was Julie Wilson's odd behaviour, and the exciting prospect of searching for Miss Higgins' missing Will.
It had been a long day.
Chapter three
Belinda poured milk into the cat bowl. The kitten shot out from under the stove and dug teeth and claws into Senna's long tail.
"Yowah," Senna snarled.
"It doesn't look as if they are going to be friends," Belinda said.
"Give them time," Matilda said.
Belinda glanced at the clock. "I'll have to run. See you, Matilda."
When she arrived at school, Kate was playing netball, but Amanda listened to Belinda's story about the missing Will.
"We can start searching this afternoon."
The school siren sounded. Kate joined them, still flushed from her game. Belinda explained again about the missing Will.
"I haven't any tennis tonight or tomorrow night, so I can help," Kate said. "Anyone seen Julie?"
Julie Wilson wasn't at Assembly. Halfway through the second lesson with their new teacher, Julie slouched in. She dropped her books on her desk loudly. The teacher raised an eyebrow. Julie stared at her.
"You nearly got another detention," Kate said as they jostled out at recess.
"Who cares," Julie said, and ran off.
"We won't wait for her this afternoon," Kate said. "She's headed for another detention."
After school, the three girls wriggled through the hole in the Higgins' fence, and hammered the ugly gargoyle on the front door. Belinda started to wonder if they were doing the right thing. After all, Miss Higgins had been searching for years for the missing Will.
The door opened. Miss Higgins peered down at them.
"If you don't want us poking around, Miss Higgins," Belinda began with a rush.
Miss Higgins smiled, a warm friendly smile that lit up her face. "Nonsense! It will be just like a treasure hunt. In you come. I'll be in the back parlour if you want me."
"We can start upstairs," Amanda suggested, leading the way up the winding staircase.
"Wonder if there are any secret passages?" Kate murmured, running her fingers along the curved wood panelling.
"Why would a Will be hidden in a secret passage?" Amanda jeered.
"And why not, Miss Knowall?" Kate retorted.
"It's got to be hidden somewhere," Belinda said.
"Did you notice the griffin on the roof?" Kate asked. "I wonder if it would have any hiding place?"
"We'll start from the very top and work down," Amanda suggested.
"I'll do all the climbing, if you two work though the window boxes and cupboards." Kate offered.
They paused at the top of the stairs. At the end of the landing was the circular stained glass window, filtering a yellowish light into the hall. Doors opened off each side. Belinda wrinkled her nose at the musty smell.
"There should be stairs leading to the tower," Amanda mused.
"All these rooms are empty," Kate called as she opened doors.
"Bathroom, bedrooms, broom cupboards," grumbled Amanda. "There must be stairs somewhere."
They searched again. There were rooms off rooms, cupboards large enough to be rooms and rooms small enough to be cupboards, but no staircase leading to the tower.
"Perhaps it's a secret passage," Kate suggested.
Amanda didn't greet this suggestion with the contempt she had previously. She looked thoughtful. "If the tower is directly above us, the stairs must be on this side of the house."
"There are two bedrooms, a dressing room, a bathroom and a hall cupboard on this side," Belinda pointed out. "No stairs."
Amanda walked into the bedroom and through the dressing room and out again. "How come the dressing room wall doesn't continue past the hall cupboard?"
Kate flung open the cupboard door again. It was a tall shallow cupboard with shelves each side. In the back wall was a doorknob. She turned it. The back wall swung open revealing steep steps.
"I knew this house had a secret passage," Kate crowed, as she scrambled up to the square of trap door at the top.
Belinda and Amanda followed her more slowly. Kate banged at the trapdoor. It flew open and light flooded down.
They climbed into the small tower. The tower seemed to float alone in a sea of trees, instead of an ordinary every day suburb.
"What a beaut view," Kate called.
She scrambled over the balcony, and wriggled along the high peak of the roof to where the griffin crouched with wings outstretched.
"Be careful," Belinda warned.
The griffin looked very solid on its base. Kate inched over and straddled its back while she felt in the crevices of its snarling mouth, its ears, and under its wings.
"Nothing here," she called. "It feels solid right through."
She wriggled her way back. The tower had a timber floor, an iron lace balcony, and the curved tin roof. There were no other hiding places.