[Fairleaf]

Reggie stood up and reluctantly put his marbles back into his pouch and from there into his pocket. Neviel held out his hand with the marbles Reggie had loaned him for the game. ‘Not all of them, Neviel,’ Reggie said, picking out only the ones he’d first loaned his new friend. ‘You get to keep the marbles you won fair and square.’ He pushed Neviel’s hand shut round the small number of marbles left there. ‘Maybe your Da can make a little pouch for you to keep them in.’

Daisy waved at Reggie, trying to get his attention. ‘You want to sit with me? And the other fellows?’ he asked Neviel, making his way to where his sister held out a slate for him. He patted a seat on the bench near him, and laid his slate carefully on the table. ‘I hope she tells us a story first,’ he whispered, pointing toward where Miz Bella stood. ‘She knows ones about dragons.’

A ‘Sssst!’ from his sister made him forego any other comments on what Miz Bella might or might not do. He turned his head toward the teacher, watching her as she spoke with the man and the older girl near the bookshelves.