Lizzie Zipmouth Read Free Page B

was up to. And she knew that I knew. We looked and looked and looked at each other.
    â€œSo you’re not going to promise?” said Great-Gran. “Come on then, out of the bedroom this instant.”
    I looked at her pleadingly.
    â€œWhat’s the matter?” said Great-Gran. “ Why can’t you promise?”
    I shook my head helplessly.
    â€œCan’t you talk?” said Great-Gran.
    I shook my head.
    â€œOf course you can talk if you really want to!” said Great-Gran. “Open your mouth!”
    She said it so fiercely I opened my mouth automatically.

    â€œAha!” said Great-Gran. “There! You’ve got a tongue in your head after all. And two rows of shiny teeth. So use them, please, Madam. Now! ”

    My tongue and my teeth started working all by themselves. “I promise!” I whispered.

    Great-Gran smiled triumphantly. All the dolls in her bedroom seemed to be smiling too.
    Mum called out to me from the other room. I zipped my mouth shut again.
    â€œDon’t worry,” said Great-Gran. “I won’t tell the others.”
    She put her finger to her lips. I put my finger to my lips.
    â€œYou’re a caution, you are,” said Great-Gran. “I’m pleased you like my dolls. You can come and visit me again. I have some more dolls stored in trunks. I might let you play with those dolls if you’re a very, very good girl.”

Chapter Five
    I was sometimes a very, very bad girl at Mum and Sam’s place. I’d been a good girl with my first stepdad. They weren’t going to catch me out again. Sam couldn’t fool me. He’d turn out to be mean and scary like my first stepdad. Maybe he’d even be worse . So, if Sam did the cooking I wouldn’t eat any of it, even if it was one of my favourites, like pizza. If Sam chose a video I turned my chair round and wouldn’t watch it, even when it was Little Women or Black Beauty or The Secret Garden . If Sam bought us ice-creams when we were out I wouldn’t eat mine – not even when it was one of those big whippy ice-creams with strawberry sauce and a chocolate flake. My mouth watered but I didn’t even have one lick. The ice-cream melted and dripped down inside my sleeve.

    â€œHonestly, Lizzie, why do you have to be so silly?” said Mum, sighing as she threw my ice-cream into the gutter.

    Sam sighed too. I was sure he was going to shout at me this time. But he didn’t.
    He asked me if I’d like to go over and see Great-Gran again.
    â€œOh, Dad! Do we have to?” said Rory. “I thought we only saw Great-Gran on Sundays.”
    â€œWe can’t play properly at Great-Gran’s. There’s nothing to do,” said Jake.
    â€œThis is a special invitation for Lizzie,” said Sam. “Shall I drive you over there after tea?”

    I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to go and see Great-Gran and her dolls very, very much. But I didn’t want Sam to take me. I looked at Mum.
    â€œI can’t drive Sam’s car, Lizzie,” she said.
    I still looked at her.
    â€œI can’t come too. I have to stay here to keep an eye on Rory and Jake,” said Mum.
    I looked at Mum. I looked at Sam.
    â€œComing, Lizzie?” said Sam.
    I didn’t say anything. I just gave a little nod.
    Sam had to strap me into the seatbelt in the back of the car.
    â€œComfy?” he said.
    I gave another teeny jerk of the head.
    Sam played music as we drove, silly old children’s songs about pink toothbrushes and mice with clogs and circus elephants. Sam sang them all.
    â€œFeel free to join in,” he said.
    I didn’t sing. But my dangling feet did a little secret dance as Sam sang a song about a tiny house in a place with a very, very long funny name.

    Sam took me into Great-Gran’s flat but he didn’t stay. He said he’d come back for me in an hour.
    â€œShe’ll probably be bored in ten minutes,” said