SECRET SEVEN MYSTERY by Enid Blyton

CHAPTER 4 JUMBLE FOR MRS SONNING

Peter and Jack went out of the shed together. 'Do you know the address of the grandmother?' asked Jack.

'No, I don't,' said Peter. 'But I know her name is Sonning, the same as the girl's - so I vote we look it up in our telephone book.'

'Good idea,' said Jack. 'We'll get our bikes afterwards.' The two boys went down the path to the garden door, and Peter looked for the telephone book. He found it and began to hunt for the name of Sonning.

'What are you looking for, dear?' asked his mother, coming into the hall. 'Can't you find a number?'

'I was looking for the 'phone number of that runaway girl's grandmother,' said Peter. 'But she's not on the 'phone apparently.'

'But Peter, dear - you can't telephone her house and ask her questions about her granddaughter!' said his mother, quite shocked.

'I wasn't going to, Mother,' said Peter. 'I was going to call there with Jack - but I don't know her address.'

'I know it,' said his mother, surprisingly. 'She often runs jumble sales for Belling Women's Institute, and it was only last week that she wrote and asked me for some old clothes.'

' Some jumble?' said Peter, excited.' Oh, Mother -what a chance for us! Can't we take some over to her, and say it's from you - and maybe she'll tell us a lot about Elizabeth, her granddaughter. We're looking for her, you know, just as Daddy suggested.'

'Oh dear - you and your Secret Seven!' said his mother. 'Very well - I'll give you some jumble, and you can say I've sent it by you. But you're to be polite and kind, and if she doesn't want to say a word about Elizabeth, you are NOT to ask questions.'

'All right, Mother. We'll be quite polite, really we will,' said Peter. 'Where's the jumble?'

'In those two boxes,' said his mother. 'I dare say Blackberry Lane".'

The two boys hurried off jubilantly with the jumble. 'Wasn't that a bit of luck?' said Peter. 'Come on-we've got a wonderful excuse for calling on the old lady!'

They rode off with Scamper running beside them, panting. They soon came to Belling Village, and asked for Blackberry Lane.

It was a little winding lane, with fields on one side and a wood on the other. Bramble Cottage was the last house in the lane, a pretty little place with tulips and wallflowers in the garden, and creepers climbing up the whitewashed walls.

'Here it is,' said Peter, seeing the name on the gate. 'Get your jumble, Jack.'

They carried the two cardboard boxes up the path, and rang the bell beside the green front door. They heard footsteps coming, and then someone in an overall opened the door and looked inquiringly at them.

She couldn't be the grandmother, Peter was certain. She looked a good deal too young. He raised his cap politely.

'We have brought some jumble for Mrs Sonning's sale,' he said. 'May we speak to her, please? I have a message from my mother.'

'Come in,' said the woman, and led the way to a small sitting-room. 'Put the boxes down there, please. You can't see Mrs Sonning - she's in bed, not very well. I'm Miss Wardle, her companion, and I'll tell her you brought these.'

'I suppose she's very upset about her granddaughter,' said Peter, plunging in at once. 'My mother was sorry to hear about it too.'

'Ah, yes - the old lady is very troubled,' said Miss Wardle. 'She's so fond of Elizabeth, and is longing for the child to come to her. She doesn't believe all that nonsense about stealing money. Neither do I!'

'Do you know Elizabeth, then?' asked Peter.

* Know her! I've known her since she was so high!' said Miss Wardle. 'And a nicer, more honest, straightforward child I've never seen. A bit of a rascal at times, but none the worse for that. Poor child -1 can't bear to think of her hiding away somewhere, afraid to come out.'

'Do you think she's somewhere about here?' asked Jack.' She has been seen in the district, hasn't she?'

'Yes - and, what's more, it's my belief she's been

here, to this very house!' said Miss Wardle, lowering her voice. 'I haven't told Mrs Sonning about it, it would worry her. But some of my tarts went last night and a meat pie - and a tin of biscuits! And a rug off the backroom sofa!

This was news indeed! Peter looked at Jack. Elizabeth must certainly be in the district!

'Why do you suppose she won't come to her grandmother and stay with her instead of hiding away?' asked Peter. 'People usually only hide when they feel guilty. But you say you don't believe Elizabeth is guilty of stealing that money!'

'That's true -1 don't,' said Miss Wardle. 'But the pity of it is - the money was found in her chest of drawers! So what are you to believe?'

'Who's that, Emma, who's that?' a voice suddenly called from upstairs. 'Is there any news of Elizabeth?'

'That's Mrs Sonning. You must go,' said Miss Wardle, and ran up the stairs at once.

'Come on,' said Peter to Jack. 'We've got quite a lot of information! AndonMonday we'llsee if there's any more! I'll find another boxful of jumble, Jack -and we'll bring it to Miss Wardle and see if she has anything more to report - maybe another rug gone, or a pie! Come on, Scamper - we've done well!'