Lights Over the Marsh

by Carol Prior

  ‘I don’t like the look of those two men,’ whispered Violet as they walked away, ‘do you think they’re trying to steal his invention?

  ‘Don’t see how,’ said Steph ‘how would they steal a balloon, it’s much too big? I just knew there would be trouble when Lizzie and Luke got together, I only hope the Prof is right and they come back soon, I won’t feel happy until they’re on the ground.’

  ‘Well Tom is just as bad,’ added Violet, ‘still at least it’s not boring when they’re around. Look there’s the poster the Professor mentioned, over there on that giant board, what does it say?’

  THIS SATURDAY

  COME AND JOIN US

  FOR A THRILLING DAY OUT WITH

  ‘Light-As-Air Queen of Cupcakes’ will be filming their new promotion with daring Esmeralda who will be lifted high above Rye in a real hot air balloon. In addition, to add to your enjoyment, she will be wearing a valuable diamond tiara that dates back to Tudor Times, on loan from the Tower of London Collection.

  BALLOON LIFT OFF AT 2pm

  ‘Well, I shall look forward to that,’ said Violet ‘assuming the balloon actually comes back by Saturday to lift her high above Rye.’

  Steph looked blank, ‘Well I’ve never heard of her, who is she? I’m sure I would have if she was that famous! And did he think we’d be interested just because we’re girls!’

  ‘I don’t believe it! You must have heard of her, she’s in all the soaps, and magazines, and lots of ads.’

  ‘No, sorry, Vi, I’ve never heard of her! Come on let’s hook a duck, and buy some toffee apples. I just hope the others come back soon!’

  CHAPTER 7

  Over the Sea

  The balloon soared high into the clouds leaving the land far behind. Luke had managed to get his other leg in so he was able to help Tom who was hanging onto the outside of the wicker basket. His arms ached and his face was bright red by the time Luke pulled him in. They collapsed exhausted in a heap at the bottom of the basket. Lizzie peered down at them; she looked scared and guilty at the same time.

  ‘It wasn’t my fault; I thought it was tied up. How was I to know it would just take off like that?’

  ‘You could at least say thank you,’ gasped Tom. ‘You would have floated away all by yourself if we hadn’t jumped in when we did. Steph and Violet must be wondering how to get us back.’

  ‘Actually, I was wondering that myself,’ said Luke. ‘We could end up anywhere, France, Spain, Africa even.’

  ‘You don’t have to go on about it,’ Lizzie looked sulky but her bottom lip was starting to wobble. ‘I didn’t do it on purpose, and, I’m sorry. There’s a great view though!’

  ‘Well, that’s alright then, so long as there’s a great view,’ Tom looked about to explode, ‘and Grandma will be furious when she finds out!’

  When they looked back they could see the beach at Camber hidden by wisps of cloud and beneath them the sea was an azure blue with white tipped waves that sent spray high in the air.

  ‘It’s no good, I can’t look,’ said Tom, he had turned pale. ‘I don’t mind heights normally but this thing jumps around a bit and I can’t help wondering where we’re heading.’

  ‘Yes, it’s quite breezy up here.’ Luke licked his index finger and held it up in the air, ‘Well my finger is cold on the left side which means it’s a south east wind.’

  ‘Does that mean we’ll get blown back eventually?’ asked Lizzie.

  ‘We can always hope but it makes me wonder why we weren’t blown that way in the first place, but then I’m not sure how balloons work.’

  ‘Hot air, of course,’ Lizzie laughed, ‘I thought everyone knew that. Heat underneath makes the balloon full of hot air then it floats up into the sky, then when the air cools it comes down again.’

  ‘Great, so we just have to cool the air then we’ll come down?’ said Tom, ‘but how do we do that?’

  ‘I don’t think this is a normal balloon though,’ continued Lizzie. ‘Look, the heat seems to be coming through some sort of engine.’

  ‘Whoa! Never mind that, we’re turning round now,’ yelled Tom, he looked paler than ever. ‘We’re going inland and we’re losing height, hold on everyone!’

  The balloon swooped back towards the shoreline and over the marsh. They could see pebbles on the beach and sheep in the fields and tiny houses dotted around.

  ‘Look!’ screamed Lizzie suddenly ‘there’s Grandma’s weird old house! Can you see it, down there; we’re going to sail over it any moment. Look, look, there it is!’

  ‘Then this is the balloon that goes over every evening, the unidentified flying object that Violet thought was going to abduct us,’ yelled Luke above the sound of the wind, ‘and it looks like we’re going to land on the other side of the main road somewhere near the old undercliff.’

  ‘I can’t say I’m sorry,’ moaned Tom, ‘in fact I’ve gone right off hot air balloons and I’d be happy never to set foot in one again!’

  ‘Hooray, we’re coming down,’ cheered Lizzie ‘I knew it would be alright.’

  Luke was silent; he was staring transfixed at the house beneath them. ‘Is it my imagination,’ he gasped ‘or is this house identical to Grandma’s? See it has two wings, and a little courtyard, and it’s built of grey stone…’

  ‘You’re right! It is exactly like Grandma’s house and we seem to be landing in the courtyard, I can’t wait to get out of this basket!’ Tom was already leaning over the side ready to leap. Then the balloon gave a little bounce and a slight judder and… lifted off leaving the ground far behind.

  ‘No…ooo… not again!’ yelled Tom.

  CHAPTER 8

  Bert

  ‘There’s Grandma’s house, again,’ muttered Luke. He was starting to feel bored. ‘Do you think we’re going to go back and forward between Rye and the mystery house forever?’

  ’All I know is that as soon as we get to Rye I’m going to leap out, even if I break a leg in the process,’ said Tom. ‘And what’s more, next time you want to run off like that, Lizzie, you’re on your own, is that clear?’

  ‘Stop going on and on about it,’ moaned Lizzie. ‘I said I was sorry, I’m stuck up here too. Maybe we should have a plan, just in case it doesn’t land, is there anything we can use to make some sort of rope ladder?’

  ‘No, we just need a big sign with HELP in huge letters that we can wave to attract attention,’ said Luke. ‘Don’t suppose you’ve got a petticoat, Lizzie, have you? Girls used to have petticoats to wave; like in that old film that Grandma makes us watch when they had to stop the train, but not anymore.*

  Now they just leap into balloons and lead everyone into perilous situations.’

  *The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit

  ‘It’s obvious I’m not wearing a petticoat,’ snarled Lizzie, ‘as if!’

  ‘Stop it, you’re making me feel worse,’ complained Tom. ‘I’m just hoping someone will spot us and get us down.’

  ‘Well at least we’re heading in the right direction; I can see Rye! Hooray! We’re up here, up here!’ Lizzie waved her arms frantically. ‘We’re coming down, and there’s Steph and Violet! Oh look, Tom, Luke, we’ve made it! We’re back! Hooray!!!’

  ‘They’re here!’ Violet grabbed Steph’s arm, ‘See, just above the water, Luke is waving at us, and there’s Lizzie, I can’t see Tom though.’

  ‘Thank heavens!’ said Steph. ‘Professor Dan was right; he can guide the balloon by remote control. They’ve been lucky this time.’

  They were all getting out of the basket when Steph and Violet arrived. Luke was helping Tom to climb down; he looked chalky white and seemed shaky on his legs. He was very angry with Lizzie; they could hear him snapping at her even at a distance.

  ‘It’s your fault, running off and climbing into someone else’s balloon without even asking first. Well next time I’m not coming after you!’

  Lizzie was smiling serenely; she didn’t appear to be at all bothered.

  ‘You made it then,
’ said Steph, ‘we thought you might have gone for good but luckily Professor Dan has developed a remote control system so he was able to bring you back. That’s him over there, you should go and say sorry for taking his hot air balloon, and thank him for rescuing you.’

  ‘Have to say, it was quite exciting,’ Luke grinned ‘and we’ve discovered something really interesting, you’ll never believe it!’

  Lizzie was looking very pleased with herself. ‘I suppose we should apologise first,’ she smiled happily, ‘then I want a toffee apple and a go on hook a duck.’

  ‘Not hook a duck, please!’ said Steph. ‘We’ve been hooking ducks and eating toffee apples for ages already! Haven’t we Vi?’

  Violet nodded in agreement, ‘Yes, I’ve had three already, and a candyfloss! Go and say sorry then come and tell us what you’ve found out.’

  Professor Dan listened patiently as Lizzie and the boys explained to him how Lizzie had thought the balloon was tethered just like one she had been up in before on her visit to Italy, and the boys had only wanted to save her.

  ‘Well, I can understand that,’ he said. ‘You boys are right to look after your cousin and who can resist such a beautiful balloon. I like people who have enquiring minds. And I think it’s fair to say, Lizzie, that you have a very enquiring mind.’

  ‘Oh, she’s got an enquiring mind, alright,’ muttered Tom, he still looked pale and annoyed.

  ‘And Italy is one of my favourite places,’ added Professor Dan, ‘so much to see, and the language is so musical, so expressive!’

  ‘Thank you for being so nice about it all,’ said Steph ‘and we’ll definitely be back for Esmeralda’s ‘Light-As-Air Queen of Cupcakes’ at the weekend.’ She laughed at Luke’s puzzled face.

  ‘Right, Steph, what were you talking about?’ he asked as they were walking away. ‘What’s a queen of cupcakes? And who is Esmeralda?’

  ‘You know, Esmeralda, she’s in that program, and that perfume advert?’ said Violet.

  Luke still looked puzzled. ‘No, me neither,’ laughed Steph, ‘but I told the Prof we would come so we will.’

  ‘I think I know who you mean,’ said Tom, he was looking a bit calmer and his cheeks had more colour, ‘that blonde one with the big teeth. How about you, Lizzie, have you heard of her?’

  She smiled at Tom, ‘No, I don’t think so.’

  ‘I haven’t forgiven you, you know. I’m only being polite,’ he said, ‘though on reflection, now I know we’re back in one piece, it was quite thrilling! And we did find the strange house that’s identical to Grandma’s.’

  Steph and Violet couldn’t believe what they were hearing. How could it be possible? Grandma’s house was so odd, why would it have a twin?

  ‘Well where is it?’ asked Violet.

  ‘Surely you’ve guessed? Come on, Vi, just think about it. We floated out to sea then over Grandma’s house, landed, briefly, and then came back here.’ Luke raised his eyebrows at Tom and Lizzie who laughed.

  ‘Of course,’ said Violet, ‘you were in the unidentified flying object we’ve been looking out for every night; the mystery balloon that goes over Grandma’s house and lands near the undercliff on the other side of the main road.’

  ‘Exactly, and that’s where the house is but we didn’t have time to get out. I thought Tom might jump for it but we took off too quickly.’

  ‘And I was enjoying the ride!’ added Lizzie.

  ‘If we go up into the church tower we can show you,’ said Luke. ‘You can probably see the house from there. And we can buy a snack at the same time.’

  ‘I don’t think I’ve got room for any food,’ said Steph. ‘I’m completely full up and I never want to eat another toffee apple ever again!’

  They left the fair and crossed the road then climbed the ancient steps that led up past Ypres Castle and across cobblestones to the Town Square. St Mary’s Church stood in the centre surrounded by pretty houses and trees and an ancient graveyard. The tower was open so they went in and climbed the narrow staircase and the wooden ladder into the belfry that led out onto the parapet.

  Luke pointed to distant rooftops, ‘Look, over there, that might be it; it’s hard to tell without binoculars!’

  ‘We could go tomorrow, and take a look,’ suggested Steph, ‘maybe walk around the outside and peep over the wall, and then we could tell if it’s really the same. What do you think?’

  ‘It’s a good idea,’ agreed Violet. Her hair was blowing wildly in the breeze and she was trying to hold it down, ‘Actually, I’d prefer to go now, there’s something about this tower that makes me feel very queasy. Oh, look down there, it’s Bert, let’s go and say hello.’

  They raced down the stairs and over to the bench where their old friend Bert spent much of his day chatting to the locals and watching the world go by.

  ‘If it isn’t my old friend Violet Garden,’ he laughed as she ran up and hugged him, ‘and all the other Gardens. Hello, there’s a new one, who are you?’

  ‘I’m Elizabeth,’ she said ‘but everyone calls me Lizzie for short. I live in Devon and I’ve got a big sister, Caroline, but she’s on a school journey, she’s older.’

  ‘And you’re a Garden too?’

  Lizzie nodded, ‘Yes our Dads are brothers, and there are three of them.’

  ‘Well that’s the family history sorted. Are you on the trail of robbers again, or just a quiet holiday this time?’

  ‘Oh we’ve already had an unexpected ride in a hot air balloon,’ said Luke. ‘It was Lizzie’s fault but it was exciting and we discovered something very interesting.’

  ‘Why am I not surprised? I suppose you want to pick my brains, am I right?’

  ‘It’s quite complicated,’ said Steph. ‘Grandma has bought a house on the marsh and she’s planning to renovate and make loads of money.’

  Bert smiled, ‘That sounds just like something your Grandmother would do! What’s this old house called?’

  ‘It’s called ‘Old Joll’ which is odd for a start. And, it has a secret room and a strange archway to an enclosed garden.’

  ‘But, we saw another house from the balloon,’ continued Tom, ‘actually we landed there, briefly,’ he scowled at Lizzie, ‘and it matches Grandma’s house exactly, it looks identical.’

  Bert was scratching his head, ‘Old Joll, Old Joll, now why does that sound familiar? Of course, it’s the name of a smuggler. If you go into the museum at Ypres Castle you’ll see his name listed with some of the other smugglers. And, I know the house, a strange place with a courtyard that’s raised to keep it from the marsh.’

  ‘Yes,’ Grandma told us about that,’ said Steph.

  ‘As I recall, the houses were built by two brothers, there was a lot of money to be made by smuggling, providing you didn’t get caught and…’ he drew his hand across his throat. ‘I can’t remember the name of the other house, it began with a P… or maybe a C… no it’s gone. Let me know when you find out, and no more balloon rides, dangerous things hot air balloons, and I speak from experience!’

  CHAPTER 9

  Tickner, Nasty Face and Towser!

  ‘Let’s go down past Barnacles.’ Luke turned to Lizzie, ‘It’s where we stayed last time,’ he explained, ‘and we had an amazing adventure while we were there!’ *

  ‘And we’re going to Paris in the autumn to see our friend Nicole,’ added Violet, ‘she is really nice.’

  ‘Wish I could come too,’ said Lizzie wistfully, ‘I’m sure Mum would let me!’

  ‘But first we have to call in at the museum,’ said Steph, ‘we need to check if Old Joll is mentioned. It won’t take long, maybe we can ask on the way in and then we won’t have to pay.’

  The man on the desk recognised them straight away from their last visit* and when they explained why they were there he let them go in just to see if Old Joll was on the list of smugglers as Bert had said.

  Lizzie ran her finger down the list, ‘There it is, Old Joll! What strange names they had, Tickner and Nasty Face!’


  ‘And Towser,’ laughed Violet, ‘he sounds more like a dog than a person.’

  ‘I wonder what the other house is called?’ murmured Steph thoughtfully, ‘I’m sure it

  *‘Treasure Hunt’ by Carol Prior

  wouldn’t be Nasty Face!’

  They wandered slowly through the town stopping from time to time to look in the shop windows and buy ice cream then they set off back across the marsh to Old Joll.

  ******

  ‘How was your day?’ asked Grandma. ‘I hope you’ve behaved yourselves. My friend Julia, you know the one who lives over the road from my cottage, well, she came for tea. Actually you’ve just missed her; anyway, she told me that she saw a hot air balloon just as she was coming down the road on her bicycle, she nearly fell off she got such a surprise. She said she was sure she saw Luke leaning over the side of the basket and waving at her but I told her it wasn’t possible. It wasn’t you, was it Luke?’

  ‘It might have been.’

  ‘Was it, or not?’ asked Grandma.

  Luke shuffled his feet, ‘Um… yes, I suppose it was me, and Tom, and Lizzie.’

  Lizzie glared at him. ‘Yes, it was us Grandma, but it was fine. We had a lovely ride, it was quite safe and the Professor knew exactly what he was doing. It was a bit like the tethered balloon that I went up in on our visit to Italy, quite safe!’