Strange Star by Emma Carroll Page A

in such weather?’ I heard Da say, for it was bitter cold still and the rain fell in sheets.
    Peg joined me on the landing, resting her head sleepily against my shoulder.
    ‘Who is it?’ she said. ‘What do they want?’
    ‘Shh! I’m listening.’
    Da’s tone of voice changed. ‘Mr Henderson, I hardly see what this business has to do with us. Of course we haven’t taken anyone’s poultry.’
    Feeling for Peg’s hand, I found it and held it tight. This was just as Mr Walton had said; the villagers suspected Peg of taking their livestock. It was nonsense. Utter nonsense.
    ‘What’s happening?’ she said, bewildered. ‘They’ve not come for Spider, have they?’
    I shook my head. ‘Keep him out of sight, though, just in case.’
    With Spider safely back in our room, we tiptoed down the stairs, stopping halfway to sit side by side on a step. I dreaded what Mr Henderson would say next, but I wasn’t about to miss it, either.
    ‘I’m sorry it’s come to this, Jed,’ said Mr Henderson, not sounding sorry at all. ‘But things have reached a head. We have to do something to stop these attacks.’
    Outside, the noise of falling rain grew louder. Mr Henderson, still standing on our doorstep, would be soaked through. Yet Da didn’t invite him inside.
    ‘What do you propose to do about it?’ he asked.
    ‘We’d like to search your barns, if we may,’ Mr Henderson said.
    Well, he could try, I thought bitterly. He’d not find anything in them, not even our own birds. After last night’s encounter with Mr Walton, I was surer than ever who or what really was to blame.
    ‘You see, Jed.’ Mr Henderson gave a nervous laugh. ‘I’ll get to the point. You know how it’s been since … well … since your loss . People do talk.’
    Da shifted his feet. I imagined him tucking his hands into his armpits, dropping his chin. He didn’tlike to fight. But I knew he would if he had to – and that made me more nervous.
    ‘Not all people,’ Da said. ‘Just the ones who’re keen to judge us for our misfortune.’
    ‘Yes, well.’ Mr Henderson swiftly moved on. ‘Our business today regards missing livestock – hens, ducks …’
    ‘And geese.’ I stood up, unable to stay quiet any longer. ‘Ours got taken last night, Mr Henderson, so it’s no good coming here thinking Peg’s to blame when she was upstairs fast asleep at the time.’
    ‘Why, I never mentioned your sister by name!’ he said, sounding flustered.
    He didn’t need to. The fact he was here at all was enough.
    ‘You’ve seen that hole in our hedge, have you?’ I said, thinking of what had hidden there last night. ‘Something escaped through it with our geese.’
    ‘It’s hardly proof. A badger could’ve made it.’
    ‘A badger? Mr Henderson, what was out there was huge!’ I cried.
    He didn’t reply. Instead, he addressed Da again. ‘So if we could check your barns, Jed, it would clear up any misunderstanding.’
    The doorway grew lighter as Da turned round.‘Did you know about this, Lizzie? Why didn’t you tell me?’
    Peg’s hand in mine felt hot and sticky. Her breath was coming fast.
    ‘I’d heard something about what folks have been saying,’ I muttered. ‘But how can it be Peg who’s taking animals when our birds got taken as well?’
    Da didn’t answer.
    Here in the light of day, I knew I should tell him all of what had happened last night. And I very nearly did. But if I shared Mr Walton’s secret, he’d come after me, I was sure of it. So the words stayed jammed in my throat.
    Peg began to sob. ‘It weren’t me, Da! Whatever the man says, it weren’t me!’
    ‘Hush, my sweet,’ said Da, coming over to us and scooping Peg into his arms. ‘We know it wasn’t you. It’s all a big mistake.’
    From the doorway, Mr Henderson coughed. There were shufflings from outside: other voices, other restless coughs. With a sinking feeling, I realised Mr Henderson wasn’t alone.
    ‘My men and I are ready, Mr Appleby,’ he