by Gwyneth Rees
‘Of course not,’ Madame Varty said tactfully. ‘But what I haven’t told you is that I have already offered Florrie a place in my new ballet school – a totally free place you understand – for I believe she has the makings of a very talented dancer.’
‘A dancer, eh?’ Florrie’s father swallowed as he added, ‘Like her ma . . .’
Everyone in the room fell silent, for it was obvious that he hadn’t completely got over his wife’s death – or the way it had happened.
Madame Varty paused respectfully for a little while longer before continuing more gently, ‘What happened to your wife was a terrible tragedy, but I want you to know that I shall be taking the utmost care to ensure the safety of all my pupils. Of course we must discuss this further and you may ask me any questions you wish. But I should also say that I have offered Florrie free board here in my house and – if you are in agreement of course – I would be delighted to have her live with me. Naturally you and Tom may see her as often as you wish.’
‘Well . . .’ Florrie’s father was clearly feeling more than a little overwhelmed by the turn of events. ‘I’ll . . . I’ll . . . have to think on it,’ he stammered. ‘But . . . well . . . what do you say, Florrie? Would you like to live here with this lady and learn to dance like your ma, while Tom learns to be a carpenter like me?’
‘Oh yes, Pa, for I want to be a ballet dancer more than anything!’ Florrie burst out at once. ‘An’ it’s what our ma wanted me to be too!’
‘I know she did, Florrie, and I know it ain’t right to stop you if you’re as good as she was . . .’
‘I think it is highly likely that she is,’ Madame Varty put in, smiling at Florrie, who gave her an even bigger smile back.
‘An’ if that’s how it is, then I’d rather you went to a good school where you’d be safe . . .’ Florrie’s father continued, but at that point his voice cracked and they saw that he was blinking back tears. ‘But for tonight all I want is for the three of us to be together,’ he said. ‘Like I said, my lodgings aren’t far from here and we can come and see you again tomorrow, madame Varty, to talk about the rest.’
‘Well, of course,’ Madame Varty agreed at once.
Marietta stood up too then, saying, ‘Come on, Ava. It’s time we were getting home as well.’
‘Would you like me to summon the carriage for you?’ Madame Varty asked.
‘Oh, no, thank you, it’s only a short walk from here,’ Marietta replied quickly. ‘But there is just one more thing . . . My brother asked me to check if it would be convenient for him to come and interview you for his book tomorrow morning.’
‘Of course,’ Madame Varty said. ‘He may call on me at ten o’clock.’
‘Thank you – and you don’t mind if Ava comes with him, do you? I’m rather busy tomorrow and won’t be able to look after her myself. And as I think you know, her mother is away at the moment . . .’
Madame Varty frowned. ‘Of course Ava may accompany him, but I must say I find it most strange that the child has no nanny or governess to take care of her.’
‘It is a little strange, isn’t it?’ Marietta said carefully. She looked at Ava, adding, ‘After all, it’s certainly not that your father has anything against being out and about in the company of a nanny – is it, Ava?’ And she gave her niece a little wink.
Ava only just managed not to giggle as she called out, ‘See you tomorrow, Madame Varty!’ and quickly followed Marietta out into the hall.
Tom, Florrie and their father left the house along with them, and at the bottom of the drive they all paused to say goodbye.
‘Will we see you here tomorrow then, miss?’ Tom asked her.
‘Oh, yes,’ Ava said. ‘If Da— I mean Papa lets me come with him, that is.’
‘He’ll let you. Don’t worry about that,’ Marietta reassured her. ‘He’s got some quite exciting plans for you and him tomorrow, I believe.’
‘Really? What plans?’ Ava asked in surprise.
‘Oh, I think I’d better let him tell you about that!’ Marietta said, smiling.
‘Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for my children, miss,’ said Tom and Florrie’s father, looking gratefully at Ava.
‘Yes,’ Tom said at once. ‘I’d give you a hug, miss, only I don’t think it would be proper.’
‘Of course it would be proper!’ Ava exclaimed, throwing her arms round him and squeezing him tightly. She hugged Florrie too, who seemed to want to say something else before they parted.
‘I meant it when I said I thought you was an angel, miss,’ she whispered, flushing.
Ava laughed as she whispered back, ‘I’m certainly not an angel, Florrie, but . . . well . . . I’m not exactly a normal person either!’
When they arrived back through the portal and had changed into their normal clothes, they went to find Ava’s dad. He was sitting at the kitchen table, making notes for his new book.
‘Well? How did it go?’ he asked them.
Ava immediately filled him in on Everything that had happened. ‘Isn’t it wonderful that Tom and Florrie have found their father again?’ she finished.
‘It certainly is,’ her dad agreed, smiling at her. ‘And that’s largely down to you, Ava. I know I’m always saying that we shouldn’t interfere too much in the lives of the people we meet on the other side of the portals, but actually in this case I’m very glad that you did.’
‘Madame Varty says it’s fine for you to go back there tomorrow morning to interview her, Otto,’ Marietta told him.
‘Good,’ Dad said. ‘Listen, Ava . . . tomorrow you can come with me to Madame Varty’s house and once I’m finished there I’ll take you on a proper tour of Victorian London – just the two of us. Would you like that?’
‘Oh, yes, please!’ Ava burst out excitedly.
‘We’ll have a look at a map together and we can plan out exactly where we want to go.’ He paused. ‘But, Ava, after tomorrow I’m afraid I shall have to spend quite a bit more time working.’ He turned to Marietta. ‘I’m hoping I can rely on you to entertain Ava for the next few days – without letting her go through any more portals unaccompanied, that is.’
Quick as a flash, Ava asked, ‘Does that mean I can go through some more portals as long as Marietta comes with me?’
‘See, Otto!’ Marietta exclaimed delightedly. ‘Like it or not, Ava has the same adventurous spirit as everyone else in our family!’
Ava’s dad let out a resigned sort of sigh. ‘I suppose if Marietta goes with you, then I can’t object too much, Ava,’ he said.
‘Just as long as she doesn’t take you anywhere I wouldn’t be happy to take you myself.’
‘Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it, Otto!’ Marietta assured him, giving Ava a conspiratorial wink. And she went on to describe a number of particularly exciting fantasy lands, which she was sure Ava would love, and which were remarkably safe as well. ‘Apart from the pirates, of course,’ she added with a mischievous grin.
‘Pirates?’ Ava’s dad queried with a frown.
‘Yes, but you don’t have to worry, Otto,’ Marietta replied cheerfully. ‘Ava and I can both swim, so I’m sure we’ll be fine, even if they do make us walk the plank!’
‘Marietta, this isn’t funny . . .’ her brother grunted.
But Marietta clearly thought that it was, and as she started to giggle her laughter was so infectious that Ava found it impossible not to join in.
Also by Gwyneth Rees
The Magic Princess Dress
Mermaid Magic
Fairy Dust
Fairy Treasure
Fairy Dreams
Fairy Gold
Fairy Rescue
Fairy Secrets
Cosmo and the Magic Sneeze
Cosmo and the Great Witch Escape
Cosmo and the Secret Spell
The Magical Book of Fairy Fun
More Magical Fairy Fun
Cosmo’s Book of Spooky Fun
For older readers
Th
e Mum Hunt
The Mum Detective
The Mum Mystery
My Mum’s from Planet Pluto
The Making of May
Something Secret
First published 2011 by Macmillan Children’s Books
This electronic edition published 2011 by Macmillan Children’s Books
a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited
Pan Macmillan, 20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR
Basingstoke and Oxford
Associated companies throughout the world
www.panmacmillan.com
ISBN 978-1-4472-0313-1 EPUB
Text copyright © Gwyneth Rees 2011
Illustrations copyright © Jessie Eckel 2011
The right of Gwyneth Rees and Jessie Eckel to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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