The Girl In the Cave by Anthony Eaton Page A

have you done to my nets?”
    In the light, Kate could see that she had made a bit of a mess. One net, of course, still had the top unscrewed from the handle, and several of the others had been quite badly bent out of shape when she’d shoved them aside to make her sleeping nest.
    â€œYou pernicious little porcupine! You repulsive ruffian! You’ve ruined them all! Get out!”
    He grabbed Kate’s ear and pulled her out of the cupboard.
    â€œYou’ll be sorry for that, young lady. Mark my words!”
    â€œI didn’t mean to, Uncle Dermott.”
    â€œHah!” he snorted, and dragged her towards the study door, still by her ear. “That’s a likely story. Now …” he let her go with a rough shove. “You’re going to walk in front of me all the way down to the kitchen, and if you so much as try to escape I’ll have you back in that cupboard lickety split, and what’s more I’ll tie you up.”
    If she was tied up, then she’d be stuck in the cupboard for good, so Kate obediently led the way down the stairs to the kitchen, where Aunt Tina was waiting.
    For the first time in her life, Kate almost felt sorry for Aunt Tina. She looked like she’d been in a train crash. Splinters of wood and floorboards were stuck in her hair, her face and arms were covered with plaster dust, and there was a cockroach crawling across her shoulder that she hadn’t even noticed. Her pink dressing gown, which she’d been wearing since their meeting with Miss Pincushion the previous morning, was ripped and tattered. It was hard to be sure, but Kate wondered if perhaps she looked just a tiny bit thinner than she had the previous morning. Perhaps all of this work and not eating was doing her good.

    â€œCan we eat now, Dermott? Please?” There were tears in Aunt Tina’s eyes.
    â€œIn a minute. I’ve something I want to discuss first. Sit down, girl.” Uncle Dermott shoved Kate towards an old wooden chair that stood in the corner, where she perched obligingly.
    â€œNow, it occurs to me that for the last eight years you have been cleaning this house every single day, from top to bottom. Right?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWell, in all that time you must have noticed something strange, something out of place.”
    Kate looked thoughtful for a moment. Another plan was hatching in her head.
    â€œWhat do you mean, Uncle Dermott?”
    â€œYour aunt and I are searching for something that is hidden in this house, as you well know, and if you have seen it, or something that will help us find it, then it will save us all a lot of bother. Of course, if you don’t want to assist us, then I might just have to find a way to make you help.”
    â€œI don’t think I’ve seen anything.”
    â€œThink carefully, girl.” He leaned in close and whispered, “If you can help, I might even be able to keep you out of the grasp of Miss Pincushion.”
    â€œWell …” Kate began.
    â€œYes?” Her uncle and aunt leaned forward in their chairs.
    â€œThe other day, when I was down in the basement, scrubbing the laundry tiles with my toothbrush …”
    â€œYes …”
    â€œI thought I noticed something strange in the tiles. It looked sort of like a hatchway down under the house, but I couldn’t open it.”
    â€œWhere? Where, girl?”
    â€œIt was really hard to make out, but it looked like the edges were right under the washing machine.”
    â€œAha! That has to be it. Come on, then.” He grabbed Kate’s ear again and pulled her back towards the kitchen door. “Tina, get down to the basement and start moving the washing machine, while I put this little troublemaker back in the cupboard.”
    â€œBut Dermott, we haven’t …”
    â€œNOW, Tina!”
    Aunt Tina burst into tears as Kate was dragged back up the stairs, into the study, and over to the wardrobe.
    â€œIn