Lights Over the Marsh
Page 8
‘Here, catch!’ yelled Luke, and he threw the skull down to Ollie who jumped and caught it in two hands.
‘It’s just what I’ve always wanted!’ Ollie yelled back.
‘See you in Rye!’ screamed Lizzie as they floated gently towards Old Joll and the sea.
CHAPTER 20
Green Parrots Everywhere!
A big crowd had turned out in Rye. They’d heard about the capture of the criminals who had kidnapped Esmeralda and the Professor. News must have got around very quickly as it was still early in the morning. There was also the small matter of a very valuable diamond tiara that had been stolen by Dinah when she took off in the balloon pretending to be Esmeralda.
Grandma, Bert and Ollie had driven into Rye to meet them, and so had Grandma’s friends, Rose, Julia and Hattie, and they were all waiting for the balloon to arrive.
Very soon the balloon appeared in the distance bobbing gently along on the breeze. It hovered for a moment over the Salts then landed, bounced a couple of times and came to rest as Ollie, Grandma and Bert and all Grandmas’ friends rushed forward to secure the ropes.
‘I said it was my turn next,’ laughed Ollie, ‘still I’m glad you’re all back in one piece!’
Grandma was hugging them one after another. ‘I found your note on the table, Violet, it’s lucky I was up so early for breakfast!’
Esmeralda managed to sign a few autograph books but everyone was very understanding when she said she had to go. Then they piled into various cars, Grandma’s, Julia’s and Hattie’s and Rose’s for the short drive back to Old Joll.
Grandma told them that she had called the police straight away when she found Violet’s note. The police remembered them and were ready to act as they had decided that Dinah’s behaviour had been rather odd and Professor McDonald had seemed genuine.
‘They said it was lucky that you decided to act when you did or they would have got away with it,’ explained Grandma, ‘and what would have become of Esme and the Professor? Well, it doesn’t bear thinking about.’
Bert had been finding out more about the smuggler called Cornypie.
‘He was a very rich man by the name of John Pycorn; some people even reckoned he were a member of the clergy. The marsh churches were very useful when they wanted to hide their brandy and laces and so on. Cornypie was how he came to be known in smuggling circles and all his wealth came from buying and selling goods from illegal trade. Anyway,’ continued Bert, ‘in the end he disappeared without a trace and I reckon the skull you found is that of Mr John Pycorn. And I should think they’ll most likely find the rest of his bones somewhere in the garden; unless that black panther ate ‘em… hahaha…’
Everyone had lunch and talked over the events of the last week and how well it had all turned out. Dan told them that he had been seized by Marcos and Luigi on the Friday afternoon and was made to fly back to Cornypie House. It gave the kidnappers a chance to find out how to work the controls. It also explained why they had all seen the balloon drifting over Old Joll so much earlier in the evening. Then he announced that it was time to get back to his balloon and Cornypie to sort everything out
Esme declared that she ‘never wanted to go back there ever again’ and Grandma said it was understandable and that another bed could be made up for her so that she could share with Steph, Violet and Lizzie.
‘We’ll have such a laugh,’ said Steph, ‘let’s do it now!’
‘Actually there’s something else I can’t wait to do,’ said Lizzie.
‘What’s that?’ asked Violet.
‘I’ve been longing to jump on that four-poster bed. I bet it’s really bouncy. Come on girls!’
Bert smiled at Grandma as they ran off upstairs screaming with laughter, ‘they’re a bit of a handful, eh Mary?’
‘Is it alright if I come with you, Dan?’ asked Ollie. ‘I don’t mind walking back.’
‘Can I come too?’ asked Bert, ‘More years than I like to think about since I was up in a hot air balloon!’
‘Of course,’ said Dan, ‘I’ll be glad of the company, and I dread to think what has happened to the house while the horrible Dinah, Luigi and Marcos have been living there.’
‘You can take my car, Bert,’ shouted Grandma from the kitchen as they wandered out into the courtyard. They could hear her chatting with her friends, Hattie, Rose and Julia about their renovations and how they were going to make loads of money.
‘Well, just us left,’ muttered Luke to Tom, ‘come on, let’s go through the arch into the wild garden.’
‘Parrots,’ said Tom as they sat in the sun on the garden steps, ‘green parrots everywhere, what a strange place this is!’
FRIDAY
CHAPTER 21
A Grand Finale!
Violet gazed in the mirror hardly believing her reflection. All the girls had chosen gowns designed and made just for the occasion; a grand ball to celebrate the safe return of Esmeralda, all expenses paid by ‘Light-As-Air Queen of Cupcakes’.
‘I’m so excited, it’s such a gorgeous blue!’ she squealed, ‘and I love your dress, Steph, and yours, Lizzie, and yours, Esme!’
‘I’m glad I don’t have to wear one,’ laughed Luke, ‘aren’t you, Tom?’
Everyone was invited, all the people who had shared in the adventure including Bert, and Grandma, who was accompanied by her three friends. And Ollie and Dan and Esme’s Mum; and all the other Mums, Clare, Sue and Ruth; and the Dads, and Lizzie’s big sister Caroline who was home from her school journey.
Ollie couldn’t wait to go up in the balloon again but Dan was busy sorting out the patent for his new invention, the remarkable remote controlled balloon, so he would have to wait.
After the meal there were lots of speeches and the Inspector of Police praised them and explained that the criminals were in police custody. Then the man from the Tower of London, the one who kept the tiara in the purple velvet box, stood up. He told them that the tiara had been retrieved but, and this was a shock to everyone, it was a replica and no one would allow the real Crown Jewels to be used in a publicity stunt, however worthy.
Then Luke, Steph, Violet, Tom and Lizzie were invited onto the stage and presented with a medal each and a voucher entitling them to free ‘Light-As-Air Cupcakes’ for the next five years.
But the biggest surprise came at the end when Esme came on stage and invited them all to the set of her latest film.
Then everyone clapped and cheered and said how proud they were and it seemed to go on forever.
SATURDAY
CHAPTER 22
The End! (for now)
‘It’s great to be back at Old Joll,’ said Tom the next day. ‘It was interesting and it’s good to have all the free cakes but… And at least we’ve still got almost a week of holidays before they pick us up to go home.’
Luke looked thoughtful, ‘Mmm, I wonder what we can do to pass the time, any ideas?’
Grandma shook her head, ‘I can’t believe what I’m hearing, Luke! Just you settle down, I don’t want any more excitement, is that clear?’
‘Yes, Grandma, anything you say,’ he gave her a cheeky grin, ‘come on you lot, let’s visit Dan. We can see if he’s found the rest of old Cornypie.’
‘Haha, yes, his grisly bones…Arrrrrrrrr…’ snarled Lizzie.
‘I think they’re probably buried under the apple tree,’ said Tom, ‘or there could even be another secret room!’
‘Great idea, as long as Luke doesn’t bring them home…’ Steph shivered, ‘I don’t want the ghost of a smuggler floating round the house; we’ve already got his skull!’
‘Jolly Johny Pycorn,
You’ll never find him…’ sang Violet.
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