A Perfect Gentle Knight Read Free

room contained twin beds covered with pink counterpanes. Each bed had its own white night-stand. Her curtains were frilly white organdy and she had something called a “dressing table,” with a pink skirt gathered around it. The material in the skirt matched the counterpanes.
    If Corrie had known Meredith would be coming she would have tried to tidy up. None of the housekeepers had ever properly cleaned the bedrooms, and Mrs. Oliphant was the worst; she said there were too many stairs.
    Meredith was staring at the far wall. “Is that something growing ?”
    â€œIt’s just a vine that came in through the top. The window won’t close because it’s warped,” said Corrie, trying to sound nonchalant.
    They leaned against the bed, nibbling crackers spread with peanut butter. “Your housekeeper isn’t very friendly !” said Meredith. “What’s her name?”
    â€œMrs. Oliphant. She only came a month ago. She’s such a grouch! We call her the Elephant.”
    Meredith giggled. “Does the Elephant stay all day?”
    â€œShe shops for food for us and comes at ten, just before Fa goes to work.”
    â€œDoes she eat with you?”
    â€œNo, she leaves us dinner in the warming oven.”
    â€œHow many housekeepers have you had?”
    Corrie thought a minute. “Five, I think. They all quit because the house is too big to clean. And before the twins started school, no one lasted long looking after them all day.”
    â€œIs the Elephant a good cook?”
    â€œTerrible! Everything tastes the same. Aunt Madge was a good cook. She made great desserts, like gingerbread with lemon sauce, and chocolate pudding.”
    â€œDid your aunt live with you?”
    Corrie hadn’t meant to say anything about Aunt Madge. “Yes,” she said quietly. “She came after … after my mother died. But she only stayed for a year.”
    â€œWhy did she leave? Didn’t you like her?”
    Corrie swallowed. “I liked her a lot. She was really nice to us. But … well, her cousin was sick. So she went back to Winnipeg to look after her.”
    She could never say the other reason Aunt Madge had left. If only Meredith would stop asking so many questions!
    Luckily Meredith was distracted by a large, shaggy grey cat sauntering into the room. “Oh, she’s beautiful !” cried Meredith. “What’s her name?”
    â€œHe … Hamlet,” said Corrie. She jumped up and buried her face in the cat’s fur. “Hamlet because he’s a pig!”
    Hamlet mrawwed as Corrie dropped him heavily on Meredith’s lap.
    â€œYou’re so lucky ! A dog would be better, but cats are almost as great. Oh, I wish my father wasn’t allergic to animals! Is Hamlet yours ?”
    â€œHe’s supposed to belong to all of us, but he likes Harry best.” Corrie watched Meredith tickle Hamlet’s ears. Hope flickered in her. Meredith was snoopy, but it was fun having her sitting here. Corrie hadn’t had a friend in her room since she was eight.
    â€œWhat a funny name he has,” said Meredith, rolling Hamlet onto his back and stroking his stomach. Hamlet purred like a well-stoked engine.
    â€œHe’s named after a play by Shakespeare. We all are.” Now Corrie actually felt like telling Meredith more about her family.
    â€œYou are? I don’t know a thing about Shakespeare,” confessed Meredith.
    â€œI don’t know much. But I know the names of all the plays our names are from.”
    â€œCorrie is in a play? That’s neat!”
    â€œCordelia. That’s my real name. It’s from King Lear . Sebastian is from Twelfth Night , Roz is Rosalind in As You Like It , Harry is from Henry IV , Orly is Orlando from As You Like It , and Juliet is from Romeo and Juliet .”
    â€œâ€˜Cordelia’ is much more interesting than ‘Meredith.’”
    â€œâ€˜Meredith’ is more