Free The Merlin Conspiracy by Diana Wynne Jones Page B

She looked absolutely desperate. My stomach plunged about just at the sight of her. “Why does he want me ?”
    â€œBecause he’s never met you, and you’re near enough to Wales here for him to send and fetch you,” Mam answered distractedly. “He’s told the entire Chamberlain’s office that I’ve no right to keep his only grandchild from him. You’ll have to go, my love—the Chamberlain’s insisting—but be polite to him. For my sake. It’ll only be for a few days, until the Progress moves on after the Meeting of Kings. He says the car will bring you back then.”
    â€œI see,” I said, the way you say things just to gain time. I looked at my fried egg. It looked back like a big dead yellow eye. Ugh. I thought of Grundo all on his own here and Sybil discovering that he hadn’t drunk her charmed water. “I’ll go if I can take Grundo,” I said.
    â€œOh, really, my love, I don’t think—” Mam began.
    â€œListen, Mam,” I said. “Your problem was that he’s a widower, and you were all on your own with him—”
    â€œWell, that wasn’t quite—” she began again.
    â€œâ€”so you ought to allow me to take some moral support with me,” I said. As she wavered, I added, “Or I shall go to the Chamberlain’s office and use their speaker to tell him I won’t go.”
    This so horrified Mam that she gave in. “All right. But I don’t dare think what he’ll say. Grundo, do you mind being dragged along to see a fearsome old man?”
    â€œNot really,” Grundo said. “I can always use the speaker in his manse to ask for help, can’t I?”
    â€œThen go and pack,” Mam told him frantically. “Take old clothes. He’ll make you go for walks, or even ride. Hurry up , Roddy! He’s sent his same old driver, who hates to be kept waiting!”
    I didn’t see why Mam needed to be scared of her father’s driver as well as her father, but I drained my juice, snatched a piece of toast, and rushed off eating it. Mam rushed with me, distractedly reminding me to remember a sweater, a toothbrush, walking shoes, a comb, my address book, everything.... It wasn’t exactly the right moment to start telling her of plots and treason, but I did honestly try, after I had rammed things into a bag and we were rushing up the steep path to the castle, with stones spurting from under our feet and clattering down on Grundo, who was bent over under a huge bag behind us.
    â€œAre you listening to me?” I panted when I’d told her what we’d overheard.
    She was so upset and feeling so strongly for me getting into the clutches of her terrible old father that I don’t think she did listen, even though she nodded. I just had to hope she would remember it later.
    The car was drawn up in front of the main door of the castle, as if the driver, or Mam’s father, imagined that I was staying in there with the King. It was black and uncomfortably like a hearse. The “same old driver,” who looked as if he had been carved out of a block of something white and heavy and then dressed in navy blue, got out when he saw us coming and held out his big stony hand for my bag.
    â€œGood morning,” I panted. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”
    He didn’t say a word, just took my bag and stowed it in the boot. Then he took Grundo’s bag with the same carved stone look. After that he opened the rear door and stood there holding it. I saw a little what Mam meant.
    â€œNice morning,” I said defiantly. No answer. I turned to Mam and hugged her. “Don’t worry ,” I said. “I’m a very strong character myself, and so is Grundo. We’ll see you soon.”
    We climbed into the backseat of the hearse and were driven away, both of us feeling a little dizzy at the speed of events.
    Then we drove and drove