Clementine Rose and the Best News Yet

by Jacqueline Harvey

  ‘Come on, Will, Lavender,’ she said, charging along to the end of the hall and through the door that led to the attic stairs. She thumped up to the enormous space under the eaves with her teacup pig behind her.

  ‘Why are we going up here?’ Will asked.

  ‘We need to find something, and fast,’ the child said.

  Meanwhile, Uncle Digby had pulled out the vacuum, hoping that the loud hum would drown out Niki’s wailing. He was almost to the end of the upstairs hall when he realised that the attic door was open.

  Digby quickly pulled it shut, turning the key in the lock. ‘We don’t want the little screamer getting lost up there now, do we?’ he said to himself, although on second thought there was a certain appeal to the idea.

  ‘Hello, Theodore,’ Clementine said, giving the stuffed warthog who resided in the attic a pat on his prickly chin. ‘Now, where do you think I might find my old toys?’

  Lavender rubbed herself against Theodore’s leg. Clementine wondered if she knew they were from the same animal family.

  ‘What are we looking for?’ Will asked.

  Clementine explained about her rabbit.

  Will nodded. Finding the whining kid a spare wasn’t the worst idea.

  ‘But there’s so much stuff,’ Will said glancing about at the weird and wonderful household cast offs, as well as a pile of old sound and lighting equipment his father had only recently brought up to be stored.

  ‘It was way worse before the village hall burned down and Tilda, and Teddy, and Mintie and I had a big clean up. We sold lots of things to raise money for the rebuild, but then we lost Flash up here and that was a disaster,’ Clementine explained.

  ‘But you found him again,’ Will said. ‘So we’ll find your old rabbit too.’

  The attic space ran the length and breadth of the house, with tiny windows facing the front and back gardens. Clementine and Will began searching through the cupboards at the northern end. They found lots of interesting distractions, including a whole wardrobe full of hats Clementine couldn’t remember having seen before.

  ‘Do you think Uncle Digby and Aunt Violet have really split up?’ Will asked after a while.

  Two deep frown lines appeared at the top of Clementine’s nose. ‘I hope not, but I’m worried.’

  ‘Me too,’ Will said. ‘Aunt Violet’s much less cranky when she’s in love.’

  Clementine could only agree.

  The pair opened cupboards high and low, pushing a little stool around so they could get into some of the difficult spaces while Lavender settled down next to Theodore for a snooze.

  ‘I don’t think it’s here,’ Will said.

  Clementine was about to agree when she spotted a basket wedged behind an old exercise bike and a small chest of drawers.

  ‘Come and help me with this,’ the girl instructed. Together they hefted and heaved and pushed and pulled until they finally dragged the basket through the gap and into the middle of the floor.

  Clementine picked up a three dimensional plastic toy covered with various holes. The idea was that you had to push the right shape through the right gap to get the shape to the inside.

  ‘I remember this,’ Will said. ‘I had one when I was little. It’s very educational. We should clean it up and give it to the baby.’

  ‘But they won’t be able to use it yet,’ Clementine said sarcastically, remembering what Will had told her about her gifts. ‘It’s way too hard.’

  Will grinned. ‘True, but that doesn’t matter, does it?’

  Clementine smiled at him while Will dug his way to the bottom of the basket.

  ‘Is this your rabbit?’ the boy held the creature aloft.

  ‘Yes!’ Clementine exclaimed. Uncle Digby was right. Her rabbit was almost exactly the same as Niki’s – even down to needing a wash – but it would be perfect for the toddler.

  ‘Let’s go and give it to the little monster,’ Clementine said.

  She trotted down the stairs with Will and Lavender behind her. Clementine turned the handle to the attic door, but it wouldn’t budge.

  ‘It must be stuck,’ Will said and tried himself.

  The children pushed and kicked and yelled and shouted, but no one came. They could still hear Niki screaming even louder somewhere downstairs. There was no chance of anyone hearing them above that ruckus.

  ‘Maybe there’s someone outside in the garden,’ Will said.

  The pair dashed back up the stairs and ran to the windows overlooking the front lawn. The children tried their best to open one so they could yell out, but every window was stuck fast.

  Will ran to the other side of the attic and peered down into the backyard. The windows there were jammed too, but he could see part of a person out of the corner of the glass.

  ‘Clemmie, come here – quick!’ the boy yelled.

  Clementine charged to her brother’s side.

  ‘Who’s that with Niki’s Babbit?’ the boy said. The lid of the garbage bin lifted up and an arm dropped the toy inside. Will and Clementine strained, but they couldn’t see enough of the figure to tell who’d done it.

  ‘Someone stole Babbit and put him in the bin!’ Clementine cried. ‘And it wasn’t me.’

  ‘It definitely wasn’t,’ Will could hardly believe his eyes. ‘But who would do that?’

  Clementine thought for a minute. It had to be one of the guests. Aunt Violet wouldn’t touch the tatty old thing, and Uncle Digby had no reason to throw him out, either. No one wanted to deal with Niki’s noise.

  ‘Someone’s leaving,’ Will said, listening to the sound of a car engine out the front. He and Clementine ran back to the other side of the attic in time to see Mr Popov’s car driving away. Clementine balled her fists. She was determined to know the truth by the time the family returned.

  ‘Let’s try the door again – maybe someone will hear us now that Niki has stopped making all that ruckus,’ Will suggested. The boy turned to leave when Clementine saw Mrs Mogg’s car arrive. The woman pulled up out the front and took a huge box out of the boot. Clementine pounded on the windows, but Mrs Mogg didn’t notice a thing.

  ‘It’s no use,’ Will said, and the pair tore back down the stairs and banged on the door again.

  ‘Help!’ Clementine shouted.

  ‘Let us out of here!’ Will hollered.

  Lavender grunted and snorted too.

  ‘Granny! Uncle Digby! Mummy!’ The children were bellowing for ages.

  They were just about to give up when they heard footsteps outside and the key turn in the lock.

  ‘Godfathers, what are you two doing in there?’ Aunt Violet sniffed as Clementine stumbled out into her arms. Lavender took off down the hall, clearly not keen to be stuck again.

  ‘Someone put Babbit in the bin,’ Clementine prattled.

  ‘We saw them from the attic,’ Will gasped.

  Violet Appleby looked at the bunny dangling from Clementine’s hand.

  ‘Are you sure about that?’ the woman asked. ‘You appear to be holding him, if I’m not mistaken.’

  ‘No, Granny, this is my rabbit. Uncle Digby said that I had one almost the same, except I stopped loving him when I started loving Lavender instead. I wanted to find it so that Niki would have a spare, but then Will saw someone – a grown-up – throw Babbit in the bin.’

  Digby Pertwhistle arrived on the scene. ‘Oh, you found him, Clemmie.’

  The child nodded. ‘But we got locked in the attic.’

  Digby made a face. ‘Sorry, I think that might have been me.’

  ‘That’s okay. Granny saved us,’ Clementine said, then regaled Uncle Digby with the same tale she’d just told her grandmother.

  ‘Dear me, that does sound curious,’ Digby said. ‘And speaking of mysteries, Clemmie, could I have a word please?’

  Clementine swallowed hard. A word usually meant trouble. She looked at Will, who grimaced.

  ‘I’ll be downstairs if anyone needs me,’ Violet said, eager to avoid the confrontation.
r />   ‘Me too,’ Will nodded.

  The pair departed, leaving Clementine and Uncle Digby alone.

  The child bit her lip. She hopped from one leg to the other and twisted her fingers together. ‘It was me. I did it,’ she confessed.

  Uncle Digby frowned. ‘What are you talking about, Clementine?’

  ‘I made the messes in the sitting room the other day. I didn’t want you to leave and I thought if you had more jobs to do, you wouldn’t have time to go and look at cottages, but then you did anyway,’ Clementine blurted. Tears welled in the girl’s eyes.

  ‘Oh, sweetheart,’ he knelt down and drew her into his arms. ‘I knew that was you – Niki can hardly reach the paintings to send them askew. You needn’t worry – I’m not planning to go anywhere, even if your grandmother isn’t in love with me anymore.’

  Clementine stepped back. ‘But what about the cottage?’

  ‘I was just going to check on Crabtree Cottage in the village. Drew has new tenants coming in and your mother wanted me to make sure that it was spotless for them,’ the man smiled.

  ‘But you were packing,’ Clementine said.

  ‘Unpacking. I hadn’t got around to finishing it as we were so busy,’ the man said.

  Clementine blinked back tears and hugged him tightly. ‘That’s the best news ever. But what was the thing you wanted to ask me about then?’

  ‘You didn’t see a little black jewel box when you delivered my shirts the other day?’ he asked.

  Clementine was about to say no, but decided it probably wasn’t a good idea to tell any more fibs.

  She nodded. ‘I saw it in your suitcase but I put it back. I didn’t even have a peek inside.’

  Digby frowned. ‘That’s strange. I unpacked the case and I can’t find it. It’s rather special and important.’

  ‘I can come and help you look,’ Clementine offered, when there was a terrible scream from downstairs. And this time it wasn’t Niki.

  ‘Mummy!’ Clementine shouted, and took off, bounding down the back stairs two at a time with Uncle Digby right behind her. Clarissa was doubled over on the kitchen bench with Mrs Mogg and Aunt Violet beside her. A puddle was on the floor; Will had just returned from the pantry with a mop.

  ‘We have some broken waters,’ Mrs Mogg said.

  Clementine had no idea what that meant. ‘Mummy, are you all right? Is the baby coming?’ she asked, feeling excited and a little scared at the same time.

  Clarissa managed a grimace and a nod. ‘Yes, darling, it’s on its way.’

  ‘Right – action stations,’ Aunt Violet said. ‘Margaret, you and Will get Clarissa upstairs to bed, and I’ll call the ambulance. Digby, you get the towels.’

  The old man nodded.

  ‘And hot water – jugs of hot water,’ Aunt Violet ordered.

  ‘What for?’ Uncle Digby asked.

  ‘I have no idea, but they always get hot water in the movies,’ the woman barked.

  Clarissa’s face contorted and she let out a scream that filled Clementine with fear.

  ‘Upstairs, now,’ Aunt Violet directed. ‘I’ll call Dr Everingham too.’

  Clementine stood on the spot, not knowing what she should do. What about Drew? He should be here.

  Not a minute later, Aunt Violet slammed the telephone down, muttering about ambulances being miles away when you needed them, then picked it straight up again to dial Dr Everingham. Gaining confirmation that the man would be there as soon as possible, she bounded away upstairs, leaving Clementine shell-shocked and all alone.

  When the doorbell rang, Clementine raced out, hoping that it was the doctor, but she found Mrs Tribble and Joshua standing on the stoop instead.

  ‘Hello, Clemmie,’ the woman said. ‘I’ve brought that thing we arranged. I’m terribly pleased with how it’s turned out.’

  Clementine’s eyes widened. ‘The blanket for the carriage and hair bows! Thank you, that’s perfect. Mummy’s having the baby right now.’

  The woman gasped. ‘Is she at the hospital?’

  Clementine shook her head. ‘The ambulance can’t come. Dr Everingham is on his way, but Granny doesn’t think the baby will wait that long.’

  ‘Perhaps I can help,’ the woman said. ‘Before I had Joshua I was a midwife.’ Mrs Tribble dumped the parcel she was holding in her son’s arms and charged into the house, leaving the children alone.

  Clementine looked at the boy. ‘You can come in – but don’t touch anything and don’t do anything mean to me. I’m about to become a big sister, which is the most exciting thing ever, and I won’t let you ruin it!’

  Joshua seemed taken aback by Clementine’s tone.

  ‘Have you got any cake?’ the boy asked.

  Clementine nodded, glad to have something to do. She wasn’t keen to be upstairs with all that screaming.

  She’d just cut the boy a huge slice of sponge when the doorbell went again. This time it was Mrs Bottomley. Clementine was surprised to see her.

  ‘I thought you were still on your book thing,’ Clementine said.

  ‘I arrived home this morning and had to go and see Mrs Mogg, so I thought I’d drop this off for you,’ the woman pressed a parcel into Clementine’s hands. ‘It’s that special recipe book and miniature cooking utensils for the baby.’

  Clementine smiled. ‘Thank you. Granny and Will and I watched your interview last night. You were really funny and you looked lovely – much better than usual.’

  Unfortunately, today the woman was back in her favourite browns.

  Ethel Bottomley rolled her eyes. ‘Thank you for your high praise, Clementine. Is your grandmother home?’ the woman asked, curling her lip.

  But Clementine didn’t have to explain as Clarissa let out a scream to rival anything of Niki’s.

  Ethel Bottomley flew up the stairs to join the increasingly large group of helpers in her mother’s bedroom.

  The crowd was growing downstairs too. Clementine didn’t know what was going on. Everyone on her list was arriving with their gifts.

  Will had been pacing up and down the hall outside Clarissa’s bedroom and was glad when Aunt Violet shooed him back downstairs.

  ‘Why is everyone coming now?’ Clementine asked her brother, who had a strange grin on his lips. ‘Did you do this?’

  ‘I might have called a few people,’ the boy admitted.

  ‘But you said my presents were stupid,’ Clementine frowned.

  ‘They’re not stupid. I was mean. You’re the most thoughtful big sister in the world and I’m really sorry for what I said.’ Will shrugged.

  Clementine’s smile was huge. She grabbed Will into a bear hug and and kissed his cheek. ‘I love you, Will.’

  ‘Okay, that’s enough,’ Will protested with a laugh, pushing her away.

  Ana brought the ballet shoes and tutu Clementine had asked for, and then Mr Smee dropped in with miniature soccer posts and a tiny ball – who knew where he managed to find that. Mr Mogg even popped round with a skipping rope that was so small it looked like Lavender could use it.

  Clementine was amassing quite the treasure trove in the sitting room, and quite the audience to admire it, since no one wanted to leave once they’d arrived. She put Joshua to work serving cake while Ana insisted on making tea and Will set about organising all the gifts.

  The doorbell rang again, and this time Clementine was happy to see Dr Everingham with his black bag. She took him upstairs, glad to be away from everyone for a minute. As Clementine was about to return to their guests, she spotted Uncle Digby’s door ajar. Remembering her promise to help the man find the little black jewel box, she scurried inside to search.

  Clementine got down on her hands and knees and felt under the bed and the chair before reaching between the chair cushions. She stretched her arm into the space and voilà!

  ‘Thank goodness.’ She pulled out the little black box and couldn’t resist having a quick look. Clementine opened it and gasped. Inside were three rings: a sparkling diamond and two plain
bands. There was a piece of paper too, neatly folded. Clementine took it out and carefully read the words.

  ‘Clemmie!’ Will called. ‘Where are you? Do you know where I can find some more teabags?’

  ‘I’m in here,’ Clementine shouted back and her brother opened the door.

  ‘What are you doing?’ he asked, then noticed the box in her hand. ‘What’s that?’

  Clementine showed him the rings and the note. ‘It’s Uncle Digby’s wedding vows. He was going to ask Granny to marry him.’

  ‘No way. She’s been so mad at him,’ Will said. ‘Why would he want to marry her?’

  Clementine’s face fell. ‘It’s my fault that Granny has been in such a bad mood. I told Uncle Digby she didn’t want to get married, because that’s what she said when I told her I wanted to be a flower girl again, and so he never proposed.’

  ‘Wow! Do you think that’s why she’s so upset?’ Will asked.

  Clementine nodded. ‘You said that sometimes grown-ups say things they don’t mean. That must be what happened on their holiday. But we can fix it!’

  She stashed the ring box into the pocket of her pinafore just as another scream rang out. This time, though, it wasn’t coming from her mother’s room. The Popovs were back. Clementine had almost forgotten about the bunny in the bin until now.

  ‘We need to do something else first,’ she told Will, and his eyes went wide at the reminder.

  The pair raced down the back stairs and out into the garden, where Clementine picked the grotty rabbit out of the rubbish bin. Then she snatched up her own bunny from the kitchen table and met the hotel guests in the hallway. Will was right behind her – just in case she needed back up. Clementine held up Niki’s lost Babbit, keeping her own toy hidden behind her.

  ‘I knew she had it!’ Mrs Froggett snapped.

  Niki’s face lit up and he reached for the dirty thing.

  ‘No!’ Nikolai Popov said crossly. ‘It’s filthy. It’s been . . .’ he stopped in his tracks.

  ‘In the bin,’ Clementine said sternly. ‘It was you who put it there wasn’t it? Will and I saw you.’