Lily thought hard. “Matt said he sewed material together to make a pouch. Maybe I’ve got something in here that would do.” She rushed over to her wardrobe.
At the bottom, among all the shoes, was a yellow cloth bag. Lily picked it up and showed it to the others. “How about this? I think it’s just the right size.”
“It’s nice and soft!” Scarlett touched the bag. “And maybe we could pad it with something to make it cosy.”
Lily searched through her drawers and pulled out some pairs of stripy socks. “These are soft and comfortable.”
Zina held the joey tight while the other girls stuffed the socks into the bottom of the cloth bag. Then Lily carefully lifted the sleeping animal out of Zina’s arms and slid her into the bag. She hung the bag from the handle of her wardrobe door. The joey woke up and started to wriggle.
“Shh! It’s all right.” Lily swayed the bag very gently.
“How about a lullaby?” Scarlett began singing softly. “Go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep little Fudge…”
The others joined in and Lily carried on rocking the cloth bag very carefully until Fudge fell fast asleep.
“We should make those posters for the cake sale right now,” whispered Lily. “Fudge might need a place at the kangaroo sanctuary and without more money Matt can’t even open it.”
Lily led Zina and Scarlett downstairs to fetch the paint and paper. Then she cleared everything off her desk to make room for them to start.
“I’m going to make a ‘Please buy our cakes’ sign,” decided Scarlett.
“I’m drawing a mother kangaroo with a baby in her pouch. Then everyone can see what we’re raising money for,” said Zina, concentrating hard.
“They’re going to look brilliant!” beamed Lily, squeezing glue on to her poster and shaking gold glitter all over it.
Half an hour later, the princesses had finished their posters. Each one was very different but together they looked amazing. A fluttery feeling grew in Lily’s stomach as she left them out to dry. With these colourful posters, they were sure to get lots of people coming to their cake sale. Then they would raise plenty of money for lost kangaroos everywhere!
Lily gathered up the paint pots and brushes. “We’d better go and wash these.”
Zina nodded. “We should fetch some more milk as well. Fudge might be hungry when she wakes up.”
“We could get some extra cookies from the kitchen too,” said Scarlett, picking up the last biscuit on the plate.
“And I can show you my new ninja moves on the way,” Lily said eagerly. “I’ve been practising a lot.”
The girls crept out quietly so that they didn’t wake Fudge. They washed the paintbrushes and pots in the bathroom sink before hurrying downstairs.
Lily led the way, stopping every few steps to check if anyone was coming. “This is how I’ve been practising ninja moves!” she whispered to the others.
“Remember – keep low!” hissed Scarlett. “You have to try and stay invisible.”
Lily reached the bottom of the stairs and crouched behind the coat stand. Peeking round the parlour door, she saw her mum reading a book.
The palace was quiet and the only sounds were parrots squawking in the garden and the distant neighing of a horse. Lily hesitated. It would be tricky returning the paint things to the cupboard without being heard.
Zina nodded encouragingly, so Lily crept past the parlour door. She ducked through the doorway into the dining room just as Cook came down the corridor. Cook passed by without seeing her and Lily breathed a sigh of relief. She really wanted to prove to the others that she could be a perfect ninja princess.
Tiptoeing out of the dining room, she went to the cupboard and opened the door.
CRASH! Five tins of crayons slid off the shelf on to the ground. Lily jumped and dropped her paint pots, making a second crash.
“Oh it’s you, Lily.” Her mum appeared in the parlour doorway. “What’s going on? Are you all right?”
“Yes, sorry! I just dropped some things.” Lily gathered up the tins and pots. Zina and Scarlett rushed to help her tidy up.
“Have fun, girls! Don’t forget dinner is at half past five.” Her mum disappeared back into the parlour.
Lily’s cheeks turned red. “It’s no good! I try to be quiet but something always goes wrong.”
“But you were doing so well until you reached the cupboard,” Zina told her.
“That’s what happens every time.” Lily sighed. “I feel like I’m finally managing to do the ninja moves properly but then I trip or knock something over.”
“You just need a bit of training.” Scarlett shoved the last of the paint pots and glitter into the cupboard. “Watch me! I’ll creep into the kitchen and get some cookies without Cook seeing. Then you can copy me.”
“All right.” Lily waited with Zina, as Scarlett sneaked down the corridor.
Cook was humming to herself as she washed up at the sink. Scarlett tiptoed past her, dipping behind a cupboard as Cook turned round to get a tea towel. Then she opened the cupboard without making a sound, took out the cookies and slipped back into the corridor.
“That was amazing!” whispered Lily. “Cook didn’t see or hear a thing.”
Scarlett grinned. “It’s just about being quick and finding a good hiding place when you need one. Now you try! See if you can fetch Fudge’s milk without anyone seeing.”
“All right!” Lily’s heart beat faster as she peered round the kitchen door. Cook was drying the dishes. Now was the perfect time!
Dashing across the kitchen, she pulled the fridge door open very carefully. The milk was right at the back behind a large bowl of trifle. Cook was still turned away looking out of the window as she dried the dishes. Lily’s hand shook as she poured some of the milk into a jug. She’d nearly done it!
She put the milk back and closed the fridge without a sound but when she turned to go, her shoe squeaked on the tiled floor.
Cook swung round. “Hello, Princess Lily! I didn’t hear you come in. Are the other girls still thirsty?”
Lily looked down at the milk jug. She wanted to tell Cook about the joey but what if she didn’t approve of them bringing Fudge indoors?
Cook studied her. “What is it? I won’t be cross, I promise.”
Zina and Scarlett ran into the room. “We’re looking after something upstairs,” began Scarlett.
“It’s a joey that fell out of its mother’s pouch,” explained Lily. “We’re looking after it till Matt gets back.”
“I see! Well, make sure you keep the little animal nice and warm.” Cook glanced at the cookies in Scarlett’s hand and smiled. “And if you need more cookies after you’ve finished those then I’ll bake you a fresh batch!”
Scarlett beamed. “Thanks! I think your cookies are the best ones I’ve ever tasted.”
As the three girls hurried upstairs, Zina added, “Your cook is really nice.”
“She’s lovely,” Lily agreed, opening her bedroom door. “But I wish I’d done the ninja moves properly. It was all going well until my shoe squeaked. I don’t think I’m ever going to be good at them.” She sighed.
“I can help you!” Scarlett’s eyes gleamed. “I haven’t shown you the scissor jump move yet.” She made a huge leap across the bedroom.
“Shh!” said Zina, with a warning look at Fudge, who was fast asleep.
Lily set the milk jug down and sank on to a chair. “I don’t know if it would make much difference.”
“But Rescue Princesses never give up!” Scarlett put her hands on her hips. “We can start right now if you want.”
“Maybe we can find something else that will help you with your ninja moves,” Zina’s brow wrinkled thoughtfully, “like practising movements on a trampoline.”
“I’ve got an even better idea.” Scarlett smiled as she pressed her heart-shaped ruby ring. The jewel glowed brightly. Then Lily’s sapphire ring and Zina’s diamond ring lit up too. “I think we should make a new magic jewel
!”
Lily gazed at her glowing sapphire ring. Her stomach did a somersault as she thought about the magic inside. It would be so exciting to make a new magic jewel. “Did you bring the special jewel-making tools in your suitcase, Scarlett?”
“Course I did!” Scarlett dashed out of the room, returning a minute later with a small wooden box. Inside was a tiny set of chisels and a little silver hammer. “Ever since we became Rescue Princesses I’ve been doing as much jewel-making as I can. My cousin, Ella, sent me these special polishes too.” She pulled out a little drawer in the bottom of the box and took out three glass pots. The first one was full of glittery golden polish, while the second and third had silver and orange polish.
“What do those do?” asked Lily.
“Ella told me the golden one is for friendship, the silver is for wishes and the orange one is for finding lost things. I used the gold pot when I made our magic rings. I just cut the jewels into a heart shape and rubbed a little polish on each of them.” Scarlett smiled proudly.
“You did a great job!” said Zina, touching her diamond ring.
“Thanks!” Scarlett looked at Lily seriously. “Don’t forget you have to choose the jewel you like best.”
Lily opened her jewellery box and searched until she saw something that made her heart skip a beat – a beautiful bracelet made from pink crystal stars. “What do I do next, Scarlett?”
“Choose a polish and rub a little on each jewel.” Scarlett’s eyes gleamed.
Lily put on the bracelet and studied the pots of polish one by one. At last she chose the silver pot, the one for wishes. She smeared a little polish on each crystal. Then she closed her eyes for a moment. I wish I was better at ninja skills…
Zina gasped. “Lily, look!”
Lily opened her eyes again. The silver polish had started shimmering. Then little by little the polish disappeared, leaving the crystals brighter than before!
“Try a ninja move!” said Zina excitedly. “We won’t look.”
Lily left the room and waited till Scarlett and Zina had turned away. Then she slipped back in, feeling as though she was full of fizzy lemonade! Her feet hardly seemed to touch the ground and she stopped right behind her friends, smiling.
“Lily, are you coming in?” called Scarlett.
“I’m here!” Lily said, laughing.
Zina and Scarlett spun round.
“I didn’t know you were there!” gasped Scarlett. “The polish really worked then.”
“I feel so much more ninja with the bracelet on,” explained Lily. “I can do everything more smoothly.”
“That’s amazing!” said Zina.
“Can I have a go at wearing it?” asked Scarlett.
Lily handed the bracelet to Scarlett. “Thanks for helping me, Scarlett. I think this bracelet will come in very handy!”
When Fudge woke up, she wriggled inside the bag and squeaked crossly.
“Do you think she’s tired of being in there?” said Zina anxiously. “Maybe we should take her out for a while.”
Lily lifted Fudge out of the bag and sat down with the joey on her lap. The little kangaroo wriggled more than ever. “Do you want to get down, Fudge?” She put the baby kangaroo on the floor.
Fudge’s eyes brightened. She looked around and then did a few wobbly jumps across the room. Stopping beside Scarlett, she nibbled gently at the princess’s skirt.
Scarlett giggled. “Stop it, Fudge. Your nose is tickly!”
Fudge straightened up and flexed her back legs as if she wanted to jump higher.
“Look, she’s trying to hop properly,” cried Lily. “Good try, Fudge.” She knelt down and stroked the joey’s soft ears.
“If she’s fed up of being inside the bag then we need another way of carrying her around.” Zina pushed her long dark hair over her shoulder. “And she needs to feel safe – just like she would in her mother’s pouch.” She hurried out of the room and came back with a fluffy yellow jumper. “Do you think she’d feel cosy under this jumper? You try it, Lily.”
Lily pulled on the jumper. Then she slipped Fudge underneath, letting the little kangaroo’s head poke out of the top. Fudge looked surprised for a moment, then she bleated happily. Lily smiled. “I think she likes it and she’ll definitely stay warm.”
Zina took a belt from Lily’s wardrobe. “If you tie this round your waist then she won’t slip out the bottom.”
“Thanks, Zina!” Lily did up the belt and slipped the magical star bracelet into her pocket. She felt a bit hot with the jumper on, but Fudge seemed comfortable. “Let’s put up the posters for our cake sale and then we can get on with baking the cakes.”
The sun came out from behind a cloud as the princesses stuck their posters to the royal gates. It was a busy street as the palace was close to the middle of the town, so people stopped to read the posters straightaway.
Lily grinned at the others, an excited, tickly feeling in her stomach. Soon lots of people would know about the cake sale. “Now we just have to make the cakes!” she told the others.
As the girls hurried back across the garden, Lily noticed a gleaming black car parked by the front door. “I wonder why Lady Hamilton’s here again. She doesn’t usually visit two days in a row.”
“I hope she asks her driver to go more carefully this time,” said Scarlett darkly.
Lily bit her lip. Maybe Lady Hamilton had come to say sorry for frightening the mother kangaroo yesterday. She took Fudge out of her jumper and handed the little kangaroo and the sweater to Zina. “I’m going to find out why she’s here. I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”
Zina put on the jumper and settled Fudge comfortably. Lily tiptoed to the parlour door and listened for voices.
“But, Sarah, I’m sure it won’t be as bad as you think,” Queen Caroline was saying.
“It will be terrible!” cried Lady Hamilton. “The noise … the smell… It’ll make living in this area a nightmare.”
Lily frowned. What were they talking about? What was going to be terrible? Taking the star bracelet out of her pocket, she slipped it on to her wrist. At once, every move she made felt smooth and perfect, like a swan gliding across a lake. Tiptoeing into the room, she ducked neatly behind an armchair. Lady Hamilton and the queen didn’t even look up.
Lady Hamilton was sitting on the edge of her chair, fidgeting with her pearl necklace. Her face was flushed.
The queen took a sip of tea. “Perhaps if you had the chance to speak to Matt you’d see there’s nothing to worry about.”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but I know that opening a kangaroo sanctuary around here would be a complete disaster!” Lady Hamilton’s eyes were stern. “I’m determined to stop it happening and I demand that you help me.”
Lily put her hand to her mouth. Why would Lady Hamilton want to stop the kangaroo sanctuary from opening? Without it, there would be no safe place for Fudge to grow up. Lily fiddled with the star bracelet and it fell off. Scrambling to pick it up, she bumped into a cupboard and made it rattle.
“What was that?” Lady Hamilton stared around.
After sliding the bracelet back on to her wrist, Lily tried not to move or even breathe.
“Never mind!” Lady Hamilton smoothed her dress. “As soon as I discovered that this kangaroo park would be right next door to my house, I knew I couldn’t allow it to happen. The kangaroos will break out of that place! They’ll squash the flowers and chew on the fences. It’s inexcusable!”
“I understand it must have been a surprise,” said the queen. “But I think having somewhere for lost kangaroos to go is a very good thing. We have to look after our Estaland animals, especially the baby ones.”
“They’re nothing but pests!” Lady Hamilton rose to her feet and picked up her handbag. “I heard of a place where kangaroos squashed every plant in the garden. That could happen here if you let those awful creatures bounce around everywhere. I think you’ll be very sorry you didn’t listen to me, Your Majesty. Goodbye!”
; Lily shrank back into her hiding place as Lady Hamilton swept from the room. Her mum sighed and took another sip of tea. Lily crept out of the parlour and took off the star bracelet as she hurried to the kitchen.
Scarlett was at the kitchen table, weighing out the flour and the sugar while Zina searched for a mixing bowl. Fudge had fallen asleep again inside Zina’s fluffy jumper.
Lily explained what Lady Hamilton had said. “She’s determined not to let the sanctuary open, but if it doesn’t all the poor kangaroos will have nowhere to go.”
“That’s awful!” cried Zina. “She can’t stop the sanctuary opening, can she?”
Lily curled her hair behind her ear. “I don’t know. I think she’s cross because it’ll be close to her house.”
Scarlett stirred the eggs fiercely. “She can’t stop us! We’ll make the best cakes ever and raise lots of money – enough for twenty kangaroo sanctuaries.”
Lily smiled. “You’re right – we can’t let her spoil everything. Pass me the butter and I’ll start mixing!”
The girls added sugar, butter and eggs and mixed them carefully. They looked up dozens of recipes in the queen’s royal cookery books. They put chocolate in some of the cakes and lemon in others. Once they’d made twelve batches of cupcakes, they baked some muffins and five trays of brownies.
Zina, who was still carrying Fudge, had to put the joey down when she awoke as she kept trying to lick the wooden spoon. Fudge did some baby kangaroo hops round the kitchen, her feet hardly leaving the ground. She sniffed at the flour and ate half a packet of chocolate chips before Scarlett rescued them.
Cook came back in time to put the cake trays in the oven. When the cakes were cool enough, the girls mixed up icing in a rainbow of colours. On top of the iced cakes, they added butterfly decorations and tiny jelly sweets.
“My goodness!” said Cook. “I’ve never seen so many cakes on one table.”
“There are twenty-four different kinds.” Lily wiped her hands on her apron. “I counted them!”
The Star Bracelet Page 2