Free Secrets of the Dragon Tomb by Patrick Samphire Page B

she commanded. “It’s bad enough that you shame our family in front of Lady Ashville”—she looked ready to faint—“but to continue to lie…”
    To make matters worse, when I led Mama and Papa up to Freddie’s room, the sword had disappeared.
    â€œYou can still see the hole in the ceiling,” Putty said, but that only made Mama have another fit of hysterics.
    Finally, the carriages began to pull away, carrying the partygoers home. Mama and Papa stood by the door, seeing them off. Poor Mama looked like she might swoon at any moment. She leaned heavily on Papa’s arm. Out on the lawn, Jane was walking with a young man. I couldn’t see his face—he was wearing a wide-brimmed hat and he held his head dipped, as though he were listening to her—but there was something familiar about the way he walked. He was probably one of Jane’s suitors. I’d met most of them, but they never seemed worth remembering. They were basically all the same: young, rich, handsome, and as dumb as a brick wall.
    The door clicked open behind me. I turned away from the window just in time to see Freddie slip in.
    â€œSir Titus Dane was here,” he said.
    It wasn’t really a question, but I nodded anyway.
    â€œWhat did he want?” Freddie asked.
    â€œHe said you’d stolen a map from him,” I said. “He wanted it back.”
    Freddie peered out the window at the disappearing guests. “Perhaps I should have stolen it.” He looked back at me. “That’s not what happened. I found the map on his desk when I went for a tutorial. I didn’t steal it. I copied it. I thought he wouldn’t realize, but he must have been watching me. Obviously, he became suspicious and followed me when I returned to Mars.”
    â€œObviously,” I said.
    Freddie raised an eyebrow.
    â€œWhy would you want to copy his map?” I said.
    He sighed. “I can’t tell you that, Edward. I really wish I could, but I can’t.”
    The last of the carriages disappeared. Mama sagged back against Papa. Jane and her admirer had disappeared.
    â€œHow convenient,” I said. “Why would Sir Titus want your copy if he’s got his own?”
    â€œSo I won’t have it, of course.”
    Freddie glanced out the window as Papa helped Mama up the steps, into the house. “At least he’s gone now. I followed him into town. He had chartered an airship, and I watched him board it. After you pushed him out the window, he must have decided it wasn’t safe to stay around, in case someone believed your story.”
    â€œYou’d better be telling me the truth,” I said. Something occurred to me. “Sir Titus was carrying a sword when he attacked us, but when we came back up, it wasn’t there.”
    Freddie gave a lopsided grin. “Ah. That was me, I’m afraid. I disposed of it.”
    â€œYou did what ?” I said. “Why would you do that? You made me look like a liar. Everyone would have believed me if you’d just left it alone.”
    â€œAnd then what?” Freddie said. “People would have started asking questions.”
    I shook my head, so disgusted I could barely look at him. I’d thought he was an idiot, but he was something much worse. “That’s all you’re worried about, isn’t it? That people would work out what you’re up to.”
    â€œNo!” Freddie said. “You’re wrong. Sir Titus is a dangerous man. He wouldn’t hesitate to kill anyone who got in his way. Your family would be in danger. Do you want to involve them in this?”
    â€œYou’ve already involved them!” I shouted. “They’re already in danger. You brought all this to our house.”
    â€œI know.” Freddie’s head drooped. “Forgive me. I never intended to.”
    I swung away to gaze out the window. Below me, the gardens were quiet and empty.
    When I managed