The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet Fox

coat.”
    The Lady raised her perfect eyebrows. “Really?”
    â€œAnd we’ve seen a crippled boy who should be taken to see a doctor, because his deformity might be fixed. And speaking of doctors, I hear that there’s another boy here, one who looks after the cats, and it sounds like he’s taken ill.” Kat’s cheeks burned by this point and she could almost feel Peter’s astonishment. “I wonder whether they are children of people who work here? Or are they from the village? Surely they aren’t students. Are they? For they would be joining us in studies and meals and so on, wouldn’t they?”
    The Lady was silent; rain beat at the windows. Her eyes ran Kat and Peter up and down from head to toe. “You were outside? You don’t appear to be wet.”
    They said nothing.
    â€œYour parents have given me full charge of you. I don’t suppose you should like to be locked in your rooms for a few days as punishment for wandering without supervision?”
    Kat pursed her lips and Peter said, “No, ma’am.”
    She glared at Kat. “Your father said to be especially strict with you, Katherine Bateson. That you are immature and too sure of yourself and need a firm hand. I have no trouble depriving you both of a meal or two, if that will make you understand that I’m in charge.”
    Kat tightened her fists, and her mouth went dry.
    â€œIf I find you out like this again, I shall be forced to keep you under lock and key and let you go hungry. Is that clear?”
    Peter nodded. Kat was furious. Father would never have said—
    â€œGo,” the Lady said, and pointed up.
    Kat’s face was on fire but she didn’t move; Peter tugged her sleeve.
    â€œNow,” the Lady said, her voice a hiss.
    They went.

    Kat and Peter faced each other in the hallway.
    â€œWhy’d you have to make her angry?” he said in a harsh whisper.
    â€œPeter, she was awful. Don’t you see?”
    â€œWhat I see,” he said, his face red, “is that she’s in charge and we’d better not cross her. Or we’ll go hungry, or worse. Why do you have to be so demanding? She’s just trying tokeep us safe. Plus, I was afraid you were going to say something about the wireless. People have been killed for less, you know. Even children. There is a war on.”
    â€œWhat does it matter if I said something about the wireless? I thought you didn’t believe she was a spy.” She clenched her fists. “What are you really afraid of?”
    He marched into his room and shut the door in her face.
    Kat stood in the hallway, her blood pounding in her ears.
    All she wanted was to keep her brother and sister safe from harm, and bring her family back together, and have the war done and Father home, and be away from this creepy castle.
    Father. Her eyes burned. She couldn’t believe he would have said that. She couldn’t believe he’d have been so hurtful about her. Everything Kat did, she did to show him that she was his logical girl. The Lady was downright mean.
    Unless . . .
    Unless this business of not letting them wander about was to keep them out of the way of something evil. Maybe the Lady knew something terrible, and Peter was right, that she was trying to keep them all safe.
    Kat didn’t think the Lady would really starve them, or lock them up. Why, if their parents found out, they’d be furious. Father would never send them to such a place.
    Except, maybe he would. To give Kat a “firm hand.” She swallowed a sob.
    She went back to her room and stood at the window. Rain streamed down in long ribbons. She leaned her forehead against the cool glass.
    And then, Kat saw movement in the park below the window. She peered through the streams of rainwater. It was Jorry; she couldn’t mistake his tall thin frame. He appeared to be at some form of exercise, jumping and bouncing.
    Kat shook her head,