Dear
Diary,

It's
been months since Justin and I returned from our stay in London. I still didn't
tell anyone about my parents except for Nanny and Nicodemus. I've decided to
keep it a secret, especially since Jenner completely lost it. Today's been a
rather strange day, and it's not even over yet. First of all I'll start telling
you about this morning. I went outside for a walk in the sun. Even though it's
not spring yet, this morning was a nice one. I was glad to enjoy the warmth on
my fur. I realized that winter wasn't going to last forever after all. I guess
it's too early to celebrate since it's only the middle of February, but perhaps
spring will be early this year! I really hope it will bring us all the food we
need to mend the wounds that winter gave us. We have all lost a big amount of
weight. Luckily, nobody died this year. Well, once outside I suddenly heard a
noise. It came from a place near the old watermill. At first I thought that
Dragon had caught a young crow or something, but when that crow managed escape
I sensed that the cat was after something else. I decided to take a closer look
and saw a mouse running for her life. I didn't hesitate and jumped into the
water. I did fear that this mouse owned the same personality as Mitzy, the
fluffy tailed squirrel, but I just had to help her! I was able to get the mouse
to a safe place, but the cat scratched my back rather heavily. I'm really sore
now, but at least I was able to save the little mouse's life. She was really
grateful to me and she was about to ask my name, but that young crow
(named  Jeremy) came back so I was able
to leave without a sound. I was able to get inside the Rosebush without being
seen. You know rats aren't allowed to go outside without permission. I didn't
have any permission and no reason to go outside, so I'll be in deep trouble
when they'll find out. I hid my blouse, which was ripped and covered in blood
and changed to go downstairs, to take the minutes again...

Well,
it won't be a big surprise to you when I tell you that I was late again. Jenner
didn't pay any attention to me, so I was lucky. He's different since I came
back from London, or rather since the scratch he placed on my neck. He did
apologize to me a few days after it happened. Which is ok, of course. But you
know, there was something about the way he said it. It's getting even more
weird, for he was particularly interested in my necklace. He wanted to know
where I got it and who gave it to me. He wanted names. He had this scary look
in his eyes, so I told him that it was given to me by Antoinette Jones. Gosh
,you should have seen the expression on his face after he heard that name! He
looked as if he had seen a ghost! I asked him if he knew Mrs. Jones, but he
shook his head and muttered something about reading it in the newspaper. Yeah,
right... Oh well, anyway, he was attacking Nicodemus again. The Plan to go to
Thorn Valley is almost final now. Some of us have already been there. I
haven't. I'd like to see it, though... According to Justin it's a beautiful
place. I believe him... He's been busy; I haven't seen much of Justin lately. I
guess I miss him, even though we live in the same colony.

Anyway....
Jenner was spitting fire and didn't even notice Justin, Mr. Ages (who broke his
leg yesterday!) and a visitor coming in. To my surprise I saw that the visitor
was the mouse I helped that morning. Jenner was furious! He was shouting his
head off that visitors weren't allowed inside the Rosebush etcetera but Justin
kept really calm and made a fool out of Jenner. I couldn't help grinning.
Suddenly Jenner turned at me and grabbed my chin firmly the way he always does
when he knows he can't win a situation. Justin really got mad! I guess that's
the moment that Mrs. Brisby (yes, that was the visitor, which I saved!!! Me,
can you believe it? I saved the famous Mrs. Brisby! Jonathan's widow!!)
recognized me. So, then she said that I saved her life that morning and that I
got injured on my back and so on... I can assure you that Jenner wasn't very
pleased with me. He started  shouting
that I could have been seen and could have brought myself and the entire colony
in jeopardy and so on and so on and so on....

Anyway,
I'll get to the point. Mr. Ages told the Counsil that Mrs. Brisby needed help
to move her house! The farmer had started to plough and her son Timothy is very
ill. I really thought Jenner was going to lose it after hearing her request but
instead he and Sullivan had a little chat. Unfortunately I wasn't able to
overhear it because the entire Counsil was talking at once. After Jenner had
spoken to Sullivan, who had a strange, not-understanding expression on his
face, he welcomed Mrs. Brisby over-politely. He went completely down on his
knees! I was surprised he wasn't drooling all over the poor mouse! He said that
it would be an honor to help her. An honor!? Can you believe that! Yuk!  Mr. Ages seemed really puzzled. I was also amazed.
Justin looked at me and gave me an ‘I've-got-to-have-a-word-with-you' look.
Justin, Mr. Ages and Mrs. Brisby were ready to leave the meeting hall and I
wanted to come along because Justin wanted to talk to me, when Jenner suddenly
took me by my arm. He told me to never ever go outside without permission
again. Again he had this strange look upon his face. Not an angry one... more a...
worried one. Do you know what he did? He grounded me! Can you believe
it? He grounded me for at least a month! I didn't want to waste any to listen
to his nonsense so I went outside right behind Justin.  

I
found Justin right outside the door. I was just about to tell Justin that
Jenner had grounded me, but I didn't even get the chance! He was rather upset
with me. Ever since we came back from London he's more... careful with me. He
really wants to know every move I make and Nanny told me he had been looking
for me all Friday while I was just in my room. That is so sweet and I really
felt bad. I mean, I hurt Justin's feelings and I hadn't seen him that much
anymore and my back was really sore... So I started crying like a lunatic. He
immediately comforted me and held me with both arms. Now THAT was painful, so
we both started laughing and then he suddenly gave me a small kiss! I mean, not
on my cheek or forehead but on my lips!!! He started to blush and so did I, and
then Mr. Ages came back to tell Justin he had to prepare the boats. Gosh,
why... WHY does everybody interrupt us all the time! Well, anyway, I'm off now,
I've promised to bring Nicodemus and Mrs. Brisby some tea....

It's
been a weird morning and afternoon, but I haven't felt this good in a long
time, in spite of the pain in my back...

Love,

Your
Wendy Elisabeth Victoria Emma Kenmare....   

Wendy went to the kitchen to
prepare the tea. Everybody was back to his or her work so the place was
normally crowded. She found Nanny in the kitchen. She was preparing a huge pan
of soup for dinner. She looked up at Wendy with a concerned expression on her
face. ‘Are you alright my dear, did somebody check your back?' Wendy smiled at
Nanny. ‘No Nan, nobody checked my back... but
that's ok, I've never felt better in my entire life!.' She gave Nanny a wink.

‘Goodness grace, that scratch
infected your brain, didn't it? Mr. Ages should have to take a look at that
back of yours and he has to do it right now!'

‘Nanny! Justin just kissed me!'
Wendy shouted.

‘He did WHAT!?' Nanny immediately
stopped stirring the soup. ‘You're joking, aren't you?' Nanny paused for a
second ‘You are not joking, are you!?' Wendy smiled and shook her head. ‘Why...
how....' Nanny stumbled. Wendy smiled and told Nanny the entire story. While
telling the story, she prepared the tea and when she was finished she kissed
Nanny good-bye on her cheek and she rushed the tea up to Nicodemus' office.

Wendy knocked on the huge wooden
door. She heard the nice soft voice of Nicodemus asking her to come in. ‘Wow,
he must be the nicest person on the face of the earth!' Wendy thought while she
softly opened the door and walked towards the huge chair where Nicodemus was
seated. Mrs. Brisby was standing in front of the huge book, where Nicodemus
used to write all kinds of things in, although Wendy had no idea what he wrote
in it. She always assumed it was a diary, like hers, but she would never think
of somebody reading in it.

Wendy presented the tea to
Nicodemus, who nodded to her friendly, and Wendy was about to leave but Mrs.
Brisby stopped her.

‘Em... Wendy isn't it?' Mrs.
Brisby started carefully. ‘Yes, that's me.' Wendy answered.

‘I really hope I didn't cause any
trouble by telling them you saved me' Mrs. Brisby continued.

‘Oh no Mrs. Brisby! Jenner and
I... just... well, we don't get along that well. He was just glad that he had
another excuse to GET me into trouble, but I don't really care that much about
what the others think.' She gave Mrs. Brisby a smile to reassure her a bit.

Mrs. Brisby smiled. ‘Well,
Wendy... I'm really glad I can properly thank you for saving my life this
morning and for putting your own life at risk.'

‘Oh Mrs. Brisby, it was nothing.
I'm sure you would have done the same thing.'

‘If there's anything I can do for
you... please ask me.' Mrs. Brisby said.

‘You don't have to repay me or
anything, I was just at the right place at the right time I suppose... But I
ought to get going now, I have to stop by the library and it's my duty to help
Nanny in the kitchen today.' Wendy smiled and gave Mrs. Brisby a wink as she
left the office.

Wendy closed the wooden door and
nearly bumped into Justin. ‘Hi!' He said. ‘Now we meet twice a day! Strange
isn't it, I mean... we live in the same colony, but we rarely ‘bump' into each
other.'

‘Yes, it is.' Wendy answered with
a blush.

‘Well, I know the solution to that
problem.' Justin smiled and gave her a wink. ‘When we move to Thorn Valley,
I'll make sure that our rooms are next to each other! Then I could come around
whenever I want to... to borrow a cup of sugar or something!' They both laughed
for a moment. ‘Well, I'd better go inside. I've prepared the boats, so we can
take Mrs. Brisby home. It's already quite late, she should be home in time for
her children.'

‘Yes, she should... oh Justin...
who's going to drug the cat now? Mr. Ages isn't able to run now his leg is
broken!' Wendy wondered.

‘Yeah, that's a problem alright,
but I'll think of something. I could get into the kitchen through the
attic...I'll ask what Nicodemus thinks about it.' He paused for a moment.
‘Well, I suppose I'll see you around later?'

‘Yes, sure... I'll see you again
tonight, could luck Justin.'

‘Thank you, it would be a pleasure
to see you again tonight.' While he said these words he softly touched her
chin. She thought she was going to faint right there... But then he opened the
door and Wendy continued her way to the library.

As she passed Jenners room she
heard voices. She stopped to hear who he was with. It was the voice of
Sullivan. She carefully moved a bit closer without making a sound.

‘What did you mean in the Main
Hall?' Sullivan asked.

‘I meant that this is our chance
to get rid of Nicodemus, once and for all....' Jenner answered. ‘Moving a house
like the Brisby home is a tricky organization, you see, it's a large cement
block. An accident could happen.'

‘An accident?' Sullivan asked.

‘Nicodemus will be present when
the house would be moved. The house would be moved through the air. If we cut
the ropes, the weight of the block will crush his bones.'

‘What about Justin?' Sullivan
asked.

‘Leave him to me....' Jenner said.
Wendy heard enough. She made a quick dash back to Nicodemus' office, but
everybody was already gone. She ran towards the boats as quickly as possible,
but the boat was already gone as well. She was on her own, she had to save
Nicodemus' life, she just had to.

Her mind drifted off to Jenner.
‘Why does he act the way he acting? Is it really just the Plan or is there more
that's going on.' She started thinking the conversation over which she had with
Jenner briefly after the scratch. ‘Why did he react on Jones's name that
strongly? She didn't belief the newspaper-nonsense-story. He couldn't even READ
back then! He HAD to have known her. According to Nicodemus, Jenner was also an
Irish rat. Perhaps she is his mother after all! That must be it! I must be
raised by Jenner's mother, YUK!' But the strangest part was the you-are-grounded-for-at-least-a-month-thing.
Jenner has never grounded anyone, not has any other rat inside the colony,
unless they were related! ‘Jenner must be losing his mind...' She shook her head
and she started to prepare herself for the moving.