The Puzzle Ring by Kate Forsyth

they?’ Roz cried. ‘We’d better take her to the vet.’
    â€˜I called Genie to stop Donovan on his way out,’ Linnet said. ‘He’ll be here in just a minute.’
    â€˜Donovan? What could he do?’ Roz was surprised.
    â€˜He’s very good with animals,’ Lady Wintersloe said.
    Just then the door opened and two boys raced in. Donovanwas in the lead. Behind him charged Max. He was dressed in camouflage pants, and his gold-rimmed glasses were fogged up from the rain. The enormous boots he wore on his feet made his legs look really skinny.
    â€˜Where’s the poor old thing? Let me have a look at her.’ Donovan lifted the cat gently from Lady Wintersloe’s lap and sat down, laying Jinx on her back so he could feel all over her distended belly with gentle fingers. The cat hissed and struck out with her claws, but Donovan was waiting and caught her attacking paw with his hand.
    â€˜Hannah says she tried to bite a toad.’ Lady Wintersloe twisted her thin hands together in anxiety.
    Donovan shot Hannah a quick look. ‘How long ago?’
    Hannah shrugged. ‘Not so long ago. Just after you left.’
    Donovan looked worried. ‘We need to get Jinx to the vet as soon as we can.’
    â€˜I’ll take you if you like,’ Genie said, standing just inside the door.
    â€˜I’ll just rinse out the poison first. Do you have any water?’ Donovan said.
    Lady Wintersloe indicated the jug of water by her elbow. Hannah passed it to Donovan, who thanked her with a quick crooked smile before bending over the distressed cat again. He rinsed out her mouth, wrapped her in a towel and gently lifted her to his shoulder as he hurried towards the door.
    â€˜Don’t you worry, Lady Wintersloe,’ he said. ‘She’s a tough old puss, she’ll be fine.’
    â€˜As a matter of fact, toad poison is pretty toxic,’ Max said. ‘Did you know—’
    â€˜Max! Not now,’ his mother cried. ‘Come on!’
    Linnet followed them all out, adroitly catching a vase Max would have knocked over with the end of his long striped, hand-knitted scarf.
    The room seemed much quieter once they were all gone. Hannah could hear the clock tick-tock-ticking.
    â€˜Where were you all that time?’ Roz asked in exasperation. ‘Look at you! You’re still in your damp clothes. Where did you get to?’
    â€˜I was in the music room,’ Hannah said. ‘With Donovan. He’s asked me to be in their band.’
    Roz was torn between pleasure that Hannah was making friends, and disapproval over whom she was making friends with.
    Lady Wintersloe, however, was delighted. ‘Oh, that’s wonderful! I’m so pleased you’re making friends. You’re all so close in age.’
    â€˜You don’t make friends with people just because you’re the same age,’ Hannah said, thinking of old Mr Wheeler, her music teacher back in Australia who’d been just about the only person she’d liked at all. ‘I hate most girls my age.’
    â€˜Don’t say “hate”, Hannah,’ Roz said.
    â€˜I’m sure you won’t hate any of the midwinter bairns. I call them that because they were all born in midwinter, just like you, Hannah dear. Strange, isn’t it? Is it any wonder I don’t know which is the one?’ Lady Wintersloe leant her head back against her chair and closed her eyes.
    â€˜The one what?’ Hannah asked.
    Her great-grandmother opened her eyes. ‘The one of true blood.’
    â€˜What does that mean?’
    â€˜It’s part of the curse,’ Lady Wintersloe said wearily. Rozmade a small movement, as if to try to stop her speaking, but the old woman went on, in a faint but steady voice, ‘“By fever, fire, storm and sword, your blood shall suffer this bane. No joy or peace for Wintersloe’s lord, till the puzzle ring is whole again. The thorn tree