"Guy N. Smith - The Lurkers" - читать интересную книгу автора (Smith Guy N)

and faded jeans. She wore jeans, too, but had always prided herself in being
immaculate, even out here. Not a strand of her long golden hair was out of
place, (its natural colour was dark brown but Peter had a preference for
blondes), and the matching denim jacket showed no traces of the household
chores she had done throughout the day. She had put on make-up because she
felt undressed without it. That was the difference between the two of them,
the formal and the informal, a blend of oppo-sites that had somehow worked
out. Until now.

'Where's Gavin?' She tried to peer past him through the open door. It was
almost dark now and she could only just make out the outline of the rickety
front gate.

'He's probably gone up to the granary to look for the cat/ Peter replied.
'This place'll give him a good chance to get used to animals, something that's
been lacking in his life before. The most you could hope for at Perrycroft was
a hamster and a goldfish. Dogs and cats had a high mortality rate.'

'Well, he ought to come inside. It's almost dark.' She couldn't keep the edge
of nervousness out of her tone. She wanted to push past her husband, rush
outside and shout for Gavin to come in quickly. With an effort she controlled
herself. 'Go and call him, please, Peter.'

Tn a minute.' He paused, looked down at the floor as though he had something
to say which was best said in the boy's absence.'Janie, there's something he's
not happy about. Something at school. I don't know what it is, but he'd
probably tell you whereas he'd clam up if I asked him.'

'Oh!' Janie stiffened. 'What makes you think that?'
'The way he was in the car coming home; didn't say a word, just sat staring
out of the window. You know how kids get fears, little things that they keep
to themselves and blow up out of all proportion. It's probably nothing much
but we'd better sort it out. There's no rush, though, there's a whole-weekend
in front of us before school starts again.'

'It was wrong to disturb his schooling.' A reprimand. 'He was getting on OK.
Now he's got to start all over again.'

'That's rubbish.' Peter could feel the friction building up between them
again; it never used to be like this. 'He'll be better out here. There's more
time, less pupils, and things aren't rushed through like they are in big
schools. It's what he needs.'

'Maybe and maybe not.' She was edging nearer the door, trying not to make her
fears obvious. She didn't want Gavin playing outside after dark. Til talk to
him tonight when it's bedtime. But first -'

A movement in the darkness outside had her tensing, almost crying out; a shape
that could have been anything materialising out of the encroaching gloom,
wraith-like, featureless. The scream was forming in Janie's throat. Just in