Chapter 3

Mrs. Macready didn't really talk to us until we were inside the large house. I could have sworn that the foyer was at least the size of the Pevensies home.

Mrs. Macready then gave us the rules. We weren't to run, shout, and no improper use of house-held items, which included the dumbwaiter. Susan reached out to touch a marble statue and the older woman practically shouted not to touch the artifacts. She then left off saying that we shall not disturb the professor.

Lucy stayed behind for a moment I waited with her. I followed her glance and saw a shadow from under the door. Lucy and I exchanged glances and then we hurried to catch up to the group.

"German aircraft carried out several attacks on Great Britain last night..." the radio said before I turned it off. Peter looked at me with an annoyed expression.

"Peter, we don't need to hear it before we go to bed." Peter nodded and then looked to Lucy.

"The sheets feel scratchy," Lucy said quietly.

"Wars don't last forever, Lucy. We'll be home soon," Susan said.

"If home's still there," Edmund said. I glared at him.

"Isn't time you were in bed?" Susan asked.

"YES, Mum!"

"ED!" Edmund walked into his room. Peter then turned to Lucy.

"You saw the outside. This place is huge. We'll be able to do whatever we want. Tomorrow's going to be great. Really." Lucy gasped as she heard a crack of thunder.

"Can you tell me a story?" Lucy asked.

"Well, I don't see why not." Peter looked to me. "Perhaps Nan has a good one."

"Well not really..."

"Please Nan, please?" Lucy gave her puppy eyes again. I sighed.

"Alright. It's a story of two brothers and their two sisters." I looked at the others for approval and they nodded. I continued my story and when I finished Lucy giggled with delight. I'm sure she had recognized the different fairy tales that was in it.

"That's a stupid story!" Edmund said.

"ED!" the other three Pevensies said.

"What's the point of it?"

"It's just a story," I said as calmly as I could.

"If you listened you would have got the point," Lucy said. The ten year-old's face lit up as she seemed to get the moral of it and I smiled.

"There's nothing in the story to understand. One, animals don't even have personalities, any idiot would know-"

"Oh shut up Ed!" Peter said and Edmund huffed out of the room.

"Thank you for the story, Nan!" Lucy said and she cuddled into her blankets.

"Goodnight." Peter then hugged his sisters and then gave me a hug as if I were one of them, but I'm not complaining. He then whispered; "Thanks." Then almost left.

"For some reason I think we won't be outside at all tomorrow." He sighed as he heard another roll of thunder.

Rain pounded harshly on the windows. Susan and Peter were looking word up in the dictionary to try and entertain themselves. I sat in a chair with my legs resting on top of an armrest and rested my head on the other armrest, I know, not very proper but no one complained.

I tried to find something interesting to look at on the ceiling. I saw a shadow move across it and I was startled. I looked around me but no one had moved. I continued staring and the shadow and it shaped into a lion's head. I was startled and I sat straight up when I heard Susan's voice.

"Gas-tro-vas-cu-lar. Come on, Peter Gastro vascular." I sighed. I must have been seeing things.

"Sounds like a medical term..." I said to Peter, trying to be helpful.

"Is it Latin?"

"Yes…"

"Is it Latin for worst game ever invented?" Edmund asked. I tried to hide my smile and Susan shut the dictionary and huffed at Ed.

"We could play hide-and-seek," Lucy suggested.

Edmund started to complain. "It's a kid's game..."

"But we're already having so much fun," Peter said sarcastically. Susan and I looked at him.

"Come on Peter, please." Lucy looked at him with puppy eyes. "Pretty please?"

"One...two...three...four..." Susan, Edmund, Lucy, and I all ran to find hiding places. Susan hid in a trunk. I ran into a room that had a fireplace and hid under a couch.

"98, 99, 100... Ready or not here I come." I heard Peter come into the room I was in and he searched it thoroughly. I held my breath but I felt a sneeze coming on. I had to let it out so I did it as I thought he had left.

I heard him come back in and he lifted up the couch flap and I gave a half smiled.

"How did you fit under there?" he asked as he helped me out from under the couch.

"Well, I really haven't a clue." I sneezed and saw that I had dust all over me. I dusted myself off and Peter helped get some out of my hair.

"I'm back, I'm back, it's alright," Lucy shouted. Peter and I stood up and we went to where the commotion was.

"Shut up, he's coming!" Ed said.

"You know, I'm not sure if you two have quite gotten the idea of this game!" Peter said.

"But weren't you wondering where I was?"

"That's the point! That's why he was seeking you!"

"Does this mean I win?" Susan asked coming from her hiding place.

"I don't think Lucy wants to play anymore." Lucy then explained what had happened to her. We went to the wardrobe and Susan looked and saw the back of it.

"The only wood in here is the back of the wardrobe," she said.

"One game at a time Lu, we don't all have your imagination," Peter said.

"But I wasn't imagining!" Lucy said.

"That's enough," Susan said.

"I wouldn't lie about this!"

"Well I believe you," Edmund said. I saw a mischievous glint in his eye.

"You do?" Lucy asked Edmund.

"Yeah, didn't I tell you about the football field I found in the bathroom closet?"

"Why don't you just stop it, you always have to make everything worse. Grow up!" Peter said.

"Shut up! You think you're dad, but you're not!" Edmund said marching towards Peter angrily then he stormed out.

"That was nicely handled!" Susan said and then walked out.

"But- It was really there…" Lucy said.

"Susan's right. That's enough." Peter looked as Lucy walked away from him on the verge of tears. I knew he felt as if everyone was against him now. He looked up at me. "What do you think Nan?"

"I don't know. I believe that she is an honest person..." I paused. "Perhaps it was their, perhaps not. Let's not speak of it so we don't upset her." I thought of something. "Do you think she may be ill?"

"Ill?" Peter asked worriedly. I felt bad for worrying him. "Never mind. If things get worse though we should talk to the professor." Peter nodded.

That night Lucy picked at her dinner. I decided to sit with her after her siblings left.

"I know what it's like to have no one believe in you," I said. She looked at me.

"Do you believe me?" I remained silent for a moment not sure what to say.

"It's a hard thing to believe, but I believe that you are an honest person." She came up and hugged me tightly.

"Thank you!" I smiled halfheartedly as she continued hugging me. She reminded me of someone who was close to me.

"What did you mean you know what it's like?" Peter asked when I walked out of the room.

"You listened in!" I said angrily.

"I have as much right to know what you were saying to her as either of my parents do. I have to keep my family safe!" I was offended.

"Safe from me?" I felt my temper flare.

"Oh Nancy, I didn't mean it like that!" I started to walk off but he grabbed my arm. I whipped my head around and glared at him. "I'm sorry." At that moment I forgave him. I didn't know why I was so easy to anger recently. Maybe it was because I felt responsible for them.

"I know. It' hard being the oldest..."

"What do you mean?"

"I had twin younger sisters and I was responsible for caring for them." A few tear rolled down my face and I quickly wiped them away.

"What happened?" I never planned on telling anyone my darkest secret. I sighed. I needed to get it off my chest though. I began my tale.

"My sisters refused to be parted from me after our uncle died. We went on the run. We were living on the streets, hiding from people. Well one day we ran into some trouble. We were running out of food and we had to find something to eat soon. I gave Rosie and Elizabeth the remainders of the money we had. We were walking down an ally and then we were jumped. A man tackled me to the ground and drove a knife into my arm and slit it open and threatened my sisters." I rolled up my sleeve to show part of the scar.

"Oh-" Peter was speechless.

"I told my sisters to run and the one man took the knife and stabbed me again in the stomach. I watched helplessly as my sisters were attacked by two others and-and their throats were slit." I started to cry. "The-the men took the money and left us t-to die. My sisters were dead and I was ready to. I don't remember what exactly happened but I believe I was healed by my guardian angel. Someone had set up a memorial for my sisters and I was determined to get revenge on the men who killed them. I followed them from London all the way to Finchley. The police found them before I did and I stayed in Finchley for a while. I tried to find work after a little while. I found that not many people needed a girl to work so I found some old boys clothes and changed to seem more marketable. Anyone who found out my secret instantly fired me. Soon I had no work and no money. I tried finding more jobs but no one believed that I truly needed them and that I was just a mischievous kid who just wanted to cheat them out of money. Then you pretty much know the rest."

"Whoa. That's quite a story." I nodded.

"It's probably a bit hard to believe. But even if you don't believe me, your family has been the only one that has helped me in a long time and for that I am eternally grateful. I failed protecting my family, I just hope I won't fail yours." I walked away leaving Peter shocked.