Troll Fell by Katherine Langrish

just did! And that’s not all,” said Hilde darkly.“There are all sorts of spooky stories about this mill. Idon’t envy you, living here. Still, you probably won’thave very much to do.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œWell, for one thing I’m afraid your uncles are sounpopular that a lot of us went back to hand-grinding athome.” She pulled a face. “Mother makes me do it. I hateit. You see, the Grimssons are lazy. They think they’re so important just because they’re the millers, and yet themill only runs once in a while. They’re always cheatingpeople and not giving fair measure. Our flour used tocome back full of chaff and dirt, which they put in onpurpose. We even found a dead mouse once.”
    â€œWhy would they do that?” asked Peer in irritateddisbelief. He began to think he didn’t like this girl.Couldn’t she say anything good about the place?
    â€œWe have a feud with them,” said Hilde cheerfully.“They claim they own one of our fields. They don’t, ofcourse.” She grinned at him. “I suppose that means wehave a feud with you, too, if you’re family.”
    â€œA feud!” Peer exclaimed, ignoring the last bit. “Andyour father’s called Ralf?”
    â€œRalf Eiriksson.”
    â€œI saw him last night! Didn’t he come over Troll Fellin all that rain? So that’s why my uncle was yelling. Ithought I’d seen your pony before!”
    â€œYou were there? Pa never said. What happened exactly?”
    â€œIt was so dark and wet, he probably didn’t see me,”Peer told her. “I was getting soaked in the bottom of thecart. He came up behind us where the road is narrow. Idon’t know who my uncle thought was coming, but assoon as he heard your father’s voice he went crazy. Hestood up and began shrieking and yelling—”
    â€œYelling what?”
    â€œHe called him a crawling worm,” said Peer. “And athief.”
    â€œ Did he! ” Hilde flashed. She clenched her knuckleson the reins and prepared to ride on.
    â€œHey, you asked!” said Peer. “It’s not my fault. And ifyou hate them so much, why are you here this morning?”
    Hilde laughed scornfully. “I’m not coming to yourprecious mill! I’m riding past, on my way down to thevillage.” She patted her basket. “I’m going to see Bjørnthe fisherman, and trade some cheese and butter. Motherwants fish and my grandfather Eirik fancies a roast crabfor his tea.”
    Cheese! Butter! Roasted crabs! Peer swallowed. Hesuddenly realised how terribly hungry he felt. Hisdowncast look must have touched Hilde, for she said in amore friendly way, “Well, I hope you’ll like living here.Your uncles will give you an easy time at first, won’t they?I know! I can bring our corn to you now, instead of toyour uncles. If you don’t tell them who it’s from, maybethey’ll grind it properly for us. That would be a joke!”
    â€œI don’t really think I could,” began Peer stiffly,feeling sure that her jokes could get him into a lot oftrouble.
    â€œOh, forget it!” said Hilde impatiently. “Of course Ididn’t mean it.” She gave him a look, plainly wonderinghow anyone could be so boring and serious, and Peerflushed. Hilde waved. “I’ll be seeing you!” she cried.
    She rode across the wooden bridge, and on down thehill. Peer blew out his cheeks.
    â€œWho cares what she thinks?” he muttered. “Eh, Loki?”
    Despondently, he called Loki to heel and trailed backinto the yard. The mill door was open and he saw one ofhis uncles standing dishevelled in the morning sunshine,scratching under his arms and staring darkly after Hilde’sback as her pony picked its neat-footed way down theroad to the village. He summoned Peer with a jerk of thehead.
    â€œWere you talking to that lass?” he