‘I would like to keep Ms Spencer happy, if you and Will don’t mind,’ Clarissa said apologetically. With the Health and Safety Inspector due the next day, the last thing she needed was another disgruntled lodger.
‘We’ll go and get our things,’ Drew said, standing up.
‘Thank you,’ Lady Clarissa replied. ‘I’ll take Ms Spencer through to the sitting room. Clemmie, please show Will and Drew to the Peony Suite. Aunt Violet, could you organise a fresh pot of tea for Ms Spencer?’
‘Me?’ the old woman grumbled. ‘What do I look like – a waitress?’
Clementine giggled behind her hand and Drew gave her a wink before the three of them disappeared up the back stairs.
‘All sorted,’ Drew said as he wheeled Will’s bed into the room. ‘Why don’t you two make a start on your movie while I give Mr Pertwhistle a hand straightening up the Blue Room?’
Uncle Digby began to protest but Drew wouldn’t hear another word of it.
‘Do you want to?’ Clementine asked Will.
The boy looked uncertainly at his father.
Drew nodded. ‘It’s all right. Clementine doesn’t bite.’
‘Come on,’ Clementine said, reaching for the boy’s hand. ‘We can take Lavender and Pharaoh outside. They love to chase the butterflies in the garden,’ the child babbled as she led Will along the corridor and down to the kitchen. ‘Lavender is really good at soccer too. Pharaoh only chases the ball a bit because he’s too much of a scaredy-cat to touch it.’
Will picked up the camera and pressed a couple of buttons.
‘Is it okay?’ Clementine asked.
‘I just had to check that it was charged properly,’ he said. ‘What kind of movie do you want to make?’
Clementine shrugged.
Will looked at Lavender and Pharaoh curled up in a basket by the cooker. ‘They must really like each other.’
‘They love each other,’ Clementine said. ‘Aunt Violet thought it was disgusting at first, but now she doesn’t seem to mind.’
‘We could make up a story about them,’ Will suggested.
Clementine’s face lit up. ‘That’s a great idea!’
Will grinned. ‘I’ve never really heard of a pig and a cat in love, but Dad says that the best movies are the ones that surprise you. We should get some shots outside before the light fades too much.’
Clementine bent down to pick up Pharaoh and called to Lavender. ‘You know a lot about making movies,’ she said, leading the way to the garden.
‘Where are you going to put Mr Doncaster tomorrow, Clarissa?’ Digby Pertwhistle asked as he stirred a pot of gravy on the stove.
‘I think the Sage Room might be best,’ Lady Clarissa replied. ‘It’s quiet at the end of the hall and close to the newer bathroom.’ She opened the oven to check the progress of the roast beef.
‘Don’t you worry about him,’ Digby said. ‘You run a fine establishment, and whoever made that complaint was obviously just out to cause trouble.
‘Mr Doncaster’s timing is terrible, with the movie being shot this week,’ Clarissa said as she closed the oven door. ‘The last thing we need is a bad report from the council.’
‘Oh, you never know. The man might fancy being on film.’ Uncle Digby chortled. ‘I’m sure we could find him a part as an extra.’
Clementine was halfway down the stairs when she heard her mother and Uncle Digby talking.
‘Who’s Mr Doncaster?’ she asked as she leapt off the bottom step and onto the flagstone floor. ‘And why is the council giving us a bad report? I thought Mrs Bottomley was the only one who gave those,’ the child said, referring to her Kindergarten teacher.
Lady Clarissa and Uncle Digby exchanged knowing grins. ‘Mr Doncaster is the Health and Safety Inspector who is staying for a couple of days. I need you to make sure that Lavender and Pharaoh don’t wander into the guest areas, and please don’t leave anything lying about for anyone to trip over,’ her mother instructed.
‘I wonder if Mr Doncaster might not be thrilled to see a pig and a cat in the kitchen,’ Uncle Digby pointed out. Although we know they don’t go anywhere they shouldn’t, he might not believe it.’
‘Oh, heavens, I hadn’t even thought of that,’ Lady Clarissa said. She dreaded to think what else she’d neglected to consider.
‘They can stay in my room,’ Clementine offered. She picked up Pharaoh and gave him a cuddle. The sphynx nuzzled into her neck and began to purr like a lawnmower.
‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea, darling,’ her mother replied. ‘What about the back shed?’
‘No, Mummy, it smells really bad,’ Clementine said, wrinkling her nose.
‘Who smells bad?’ Aunt Violet asked, stomping down the stairs.
‘The back shed,’ Clementine replied.
‘Old socks and dirt, it’s never been any different,’ Aunt Violet said with a nod. ‘Why, may I ask, are we discussing that spider-infested dump?’
‘Mummy wants to put Lavender and Pharaoh in there while Mr Doncaster is staying.’
‘Over my dead body!’ Aunt Violet barked. ‘I have half a mind to put him in the shed.’
‘That’s probably not a good idea,’ Uncle Digby said as he filled a large gravy boat and placed it into the oven to keep warm.
‘Well, you could save yourself all this worry and just sell up to that development company that keeps pestering you, Clarissa.’ Aunt Violet walked over to the dresser and counted out the knives and forks for dinner. ‘You could buy yourself a lovely little cottage and never have to work again.’
Digby Pertwhistle looked up from where he was straining a saucepan of carrots. ‘Where would you live then?’ he asked pointedly.
The old woman curled her lip at him.
Clementine gasped. ‘Sell the house? But I love our house, and Granny and Grandpa would be so sad if we left them.’
Pharaoh leapt out of the girl’s arms and darted into the pantry.
‘Darling, we’re not going anywhere. Penberthy House is our home.’ Lady Clarissa glared at the old woman. ‘Why don’t you help Aunt Violet set the table?’
Clementine washed her hands and counted out the placemats. ‘I asked Will if he wanted to have dinner with us in the kitchen but he said he’d rather be with his dad,’ she said with a tinge of disappointment.
‘I think Will’s a bit shy, darling. It’s probably for the best that Ms Spencer has some company tonight, and there’s plenty of time for the two of you to play during the rest of the week,’ her mother replied.
‘We’re not playing, Mummy,’ Clementine said. ‘We’re making a proper movie, and Pharaoh and Lavender are the stars.’
‘Speaking of which, we still haven’t solved the problem of what to do with our little friends for the next few days,’ Uncle Digby said as he finished plating up three roast dinners for their guests. ‘What about the boarding kennel and cattery over in Highton Mill?’
‘No!’ Clementine gasped. ‘Please don’t take them away.’
‘No, indeed!’ Aunt Violet huffed. ‘I won’t have my boy cavorting with the local riffraff.’
Clementine thought hard. ‘Tilda and Teddy could look after them, and then Flash could be in our movie too,’ she said excitedly.
‘I still don’t see why they have to go anywhere.’ Aunt Violet pursed her lips. ‘If that man doesn’t like how we live, too bad.’
Lady Clarissa took off her apron and picked up two of the plates. Digby Pertwhistle took the third and balanced the gravy boat on a silver tray.
‘I don’t think we can afford to take that chance, Aunt Violet,’ Lady Clarissa said as she and Uncle Digby headed for the door. ‘I’ll give Ana a call after dinner.’
Lavender walked over to Clementine and looked up at the girl. The little pig seemed to know something was up.
Clementine leaned down to give her a scratch. ‘I think you might be having a sleepover with Flash and Pharaoh. It will be lots of fun, just like when Tilda and Teddy stay here.’
Clementine opened her mouth to say something but decided she’d better not. It was probably best Aunt Violet didn’t know that Pharaoh had howled all day when Mrs Mogg had told the cat Aunt Violet was on her way to pick him up after their holiday by the sea.
‘How’s everything going in there?’ Lady Clarissa asked as Uncle Digby returned with a tray of empty plates.
‘They seem to be having a lovely time,’ the man replied. ‘Ms Spencer is charming and she’s been hooting at Drew’s stories all night.’
‘Oh, that’s a relief.’ Lady Clarissa smiled. ‘Dessert’s almost ready.’
The woman loaded the silver tray with three bowls of home-made apple pie and ice-cream for Uncle Digby to take to the guests.
Clementine picked up her plate and walked over to the sink.
Lady Clarissa glanced across the bench just as Uncle Digby disappeared through the swinging kitchen door. ‘Oh, silly me. I forgot the cream.’
‘I can take it, Mummy,’ Clementine offered.
‘Are you sure you can manage it?’ Clarissa asked, handing her the crystal jug.
The child nodded. ‘I’ll be careful.’
Clementine gripped the handle with one hand and rested her other hand beneath it. Her mother held open the door and Clementine walked into the hallway. She was halfway to the dining room when her nose began to itch.
‘Stop it,’ the child said to her nose, but the sneeze refused to wait. Clementine looked around for somewhere to put the jug. She was too far from the front hall table, so she quickly set it on the floor and dived into her pocket for a tissue.
‘Aachoo!’
Clementine sneezed twice more before the tickle stopped. She carefully wiped her nose and put the tissue back into her pocket, then turned around to retrieve the jug.
‘Pharaoh! No!’ she exclaimed.
Upon hearing his name, the cat lifted his head. A dribble of cream wobbled on his chin.
‘Is everything all right, Clementine?’ Uncle Digby asked, appearing in the hallway.
The child spun around while Pharaoh slunk away. ‘I was bringing the cream but then I felt a sneeze and I didn’t want it to go in the jug, so I put it down,’ she began to explain.
‘Good girl. I was just on my way to fetch some for Ms Spencer.’ The man picked up the jug and hurried away before Clementine had time to finish.
‘But …’ Clementine gulped and rushed after him.
By the time she reached the dining room, the jug had been placed in the middle of the table. Clementine spotted Will and waved. He grinned and waved back.
The girl turned to Ms Spencer, who was sitting opposite Drew and Will. ‘Hello, I’m Clementine,’ she said brightly, keeping one eye on the jug.
Digby turned around, wondering why Clementine had followed him in.
‘Oh, hello,’ the lady replied. The woman’s honey-coloured hair fell over her shoulders in loose curls and she wore a teal silk blouse with a ruffle at the front.
Clemmie’s eyes wandered to the lady’s hand. ‘That ring is ginormous,’ she blurted out.
‘It’s an emerald.’ Ms Spencer fanned out her fingers for Clementine to get a closer look.
‘Are you staying for long?’ Clementine asked.
‘For as long as I need to,’ the woman replied mysteriously.
Digby Pertwhistle walked over to Clementine and began ushering her from the room. ‘We should be getting back to the kitchen,’ he said. ‘I’m sure our guests would like to eat their dessert in peace.’
‘See you tomorrow, Clemmie,’ Will said, waving his spoon in the air.
Clementine hesitated, unsure of what to do. It wouldn’t be right to serve the cream to the guests. As she watched Ms Spencer reach across the table for the jug, Clementine’s heart thumped. ‘I’ll get it!’ she yelped, diving for it.
Their hands collided, sending the crystal pitcher flying. Cream splashed down the table and all over Ms Spencer.
‘What did you do that for?’ the woman cried out. Her beautiful silk blouse now resembled a preschooler’s spatter painting.
‘I’m s-s-sorry,’ Clementine stammered. ‘I just wanted to help.’
Digby Pertwhistle rushed in to set the jug upright and stem the tide of cream. ‘Oh, I’m terribly sorry.’
Finley Spencer dabbed at the white splodges with her napkin.
Will, looking as if he’d swallowed a fly, watched on in horrified silence.
‘It’s just a bit of cream,’ Drew whispered to Clementine. ‘Accidents happen.’
‘Not to me, they don’t,’ Finley Spencer barked.
‘Clemmie, please run and get a cloth from the kitchen,’ Digby Pertwhistle instructed the child.
Clementine looked at Ms Spencer. ‘I didn’t mean to,’ she whispered before dashing from the room.
‘Ms Spencer, we’ll have your blouse dry-cleaned in the morning,’ Digby said.
‘Yes, you will,’ the woman snapped.
Clementine charged through the kitchen door, leaving it swinging wildly in her wake.
Her mother looked up from the table, where she had just poured two cups of tea for herself and Aunt Violet. ‘What’s the matter, darling?’
‘I spilled the cream,’ Clementine said. ‘But I had to.’
‘Oh dear.’ Lady Clarissa jumped up and grabbed some cloths from the sideboard. ‘Stay here. You can tell me what happened when I get back.’
Her mother darted from the room.
‘What do you mean you had to?’ Aunt Violet asked.
Clementine took a deep breath. ‘I was taking the cream and I sneezed and –’
Aunt Violet shook her head. ‘Godfathers, Clementine, why didn’t you just bring it back and change it over? You can’t serve cream with snot in it.’
‘It didn’t have snot in it,’ Clementine said. ‘I put the cream down so I could sneeze, but then Pharaoh licked it.’
‘Oh.’ Aunt Violet pulled a face.
‘Uncle Digby took it before I could tell him what happened,’ Clementine said. ‘I couldn’t let Ms Spencer eat cream with cat spit in it, so I tried to pick it up but then we knocked it over and now it’s everywhere.’
‘Never mind, Clementine,’ Aunt Violet said. She could feel a headache coming on.
‘Ms Spencer was really, really angry. I just didn’t want Mummy to get a bad report from the council.’ Clementine’s eyes began filling with tears.
‘Your mother won’t be getting any bad reports,’ Aunt Violet said. ‘The man from the council isn’t here until tomorrow, and I’m sure Ms Spencer knows it was just an accident. It would have been much worse if you’d served her the cream. Although, you could have stayed quiet and no one would have been any the wiser.’
Clementine recoiled at such an idea.
‘Don’t look at me like that,’ Aunt Violet said. ‘I was joking. Come here.’
Clementine walked around to her great-aunt, who wrapped her arms around the child. Clementine leaned in and put her head on Aunt Violet’s shoulder.
‘Why don’t I take you upstairs and run your bath?’ the old woman suggested. ‘You can practise your lines tomorrow.’
Clementine sniffed. She looked up at Aunt Violet and nodded. ‘Yes, please.’
‘How are you feeling this morning, Clementine?’ Lady Clarissa asked as she helped the child wriggle into a beautiful white drop-waisted dress with a wide grey bow.
Clementine’s big blue eyes widened as she looked at her mother. ‘I’m sorry about what happened, Mummy.’
‘Clemmie, it was just a misunderstanding. I know you were trying to do the right thing,’ her mother said. ‘Next time, though, it might be better to ask one of us for help rather than covering the guests in cream.’
Clementine gave a little grin. ‘Is Ms Spencer still angry?’
Lady Clarissa shook her head and smiled. ‘Uncle Digby
’s taking her blouse to be cleaned this morning and I offered her a special afternoon tea. I’m sure she’s already forgotten about it all.’
‘Aunt Violet was really kind to me last night,’ Clementine said. ‘She’s a lot nicer than when she first came.’
Her mother nodded. ‘Yes, sometimes I think she’s almost the same person I knew when I was a little girl.’
‘Before she got barnacles?’ Clementine said, remembering the way her mother had described the woman when she’d received that fateful letter announcing Aunt Violet’s impending arrival.
‘Yes,’ Lady Clarissa giggled, ‘before she got barnacles.’
Digby Pertwhistle knocked on Clementine’s bedroom door and poked his head around.
‘Good morning, Clementine,’ the man said. ‘Don’t you look lovely.’
‘Thank you, Uncle Digby,’ Clementine said as her mother pinned back her hair with a large white bow.
‘Clarissa, our guests have all finished their breakfast, and Drew and Basil are setting up in the library,’ the man said. ‘Ms Spencer has gone up to her room, although I have given her a few brochures for some of the local attractions. I thought she might like to go out for a while.’
‘Wonderful. We’ll be down in a jiffy,’ Lady Clarissa said before Digby left them.
‘I wish Lavender and Pharaoh didn’t have to go,’ Clementine said sadly. Ana Hobbs had called in early that morning to pick up her two house guests while Clementine and her mother had been eating breakfast. ‘Can you take me to see them this afternoon?’
‘I’m not sure if I’ll have time, Clemmie. Perhaps Aunt Violet will go for a walk with you,’ Lady Clarissa replied.
Clementine nodded and decided she’d ask her straight away.
Lady Clarissa was returning Clementine’s hair brush to the dressing table when she spied something jutting out from under the bed. ‘Darling, what’s that?’
Clementine pulled out a dark timber chest a little bit bigger than a shoebox. ‘I found it in the attic when we were cleaning up for the fete, but there isn’t a key. You said that I could keep it, remember?’
Lady Clarissa took it from Clementine and sat it on the bed. It was a pretty thing, with an inlaid geometrical carving in a lighter-coloured timber on top. ‘Oh, yes,’ she said, tracing her finger over the pattern.
Clementine Rose and the Movie Magic 9 Page 2