Clementine Rose and the Special Promise 11

by Jacqueline Harvey

  ABOUT THE BOOK

  Clementine Rose has to say goodbye. Her friends, Sophie and Jules, are moving back to France. While she is sad to see them go, Sophie has promised they will return. Plus, Clementine will now have an overseas pen pal!

  At school and home, things are also changing. There’s a new girl in Clementine’s class who looks set to cause trouble. And at Penberthy House, Drew and Will have become such frequent visitors that Clementine begins to wonder whether a very special promise is about to be made.

  Contents

  Cover

  About the Book

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Sweet Goodbyes

  New Beginnings

  Au Revoir

  Mr Baker

  Love is in the Air

  Friends and Foes

  Spoiled Rotten

  Family Matters

  A Very Bad Day

  Out of Sorts

  Dessert Disaster

  To the Moon and Back

  Better Days

  On with the Show

  Concert Chaos

  Cast of Characters

  Little French Words

  About the Author

  Books by Jacqueline Harvey

  Jacqueline Harvey Supports

  Copyright Notice

  For Ian, whose special promise changed my life forever in the best possible way

  Clementine Rose pushed open the door to Pierre’s Patisserie and was met with the mouth-watering aroma of freshly baked bread and sausage rolls. Digby Pertwhistle followed her and paused to breathe it in.

  Clementine loved going to Pierre’s. It had dainty white tables with bentwood chairs and a wall of black-and-white photographs of famous places in Paris. Among them was the Eiffel Tower and a huge cathedral called Notre-Dame. Everything about the shop was pretty, right down to the swirly writing on the faded sign, and the crisp red aprons that Pierre and his wife, Odette, always wore.

  Pierre had just been putting the finishing touches to a birthday cake when he turned to see who had come in. ‘Good afternoon, Clementine! Good afternoon, Monsieur Digby!’ he said, his eyes crinkling as he smiled.

  ‘Good afternoon, Pierre,’ Digby replied with a nod of his head.

  ‘Bonjour, Pierre,’ Clementine said, making sure to get the pronunciation right. ‘Sophie has been teaching me some French words.’

  Sophie Rousseau was Pierre’s daughter and Clementine’s best friend. They’d known one another since they were babies.

  ‘I can ’ear that. For a second there I thought you were French!’ Pierre grinned and rubbed his hands together. ‘Now, what can I get for you today?’

  Clementine peered into the long glass cabinet at the delicious array of treats. Her bright blue eyes darted back and forth between the butterfly cupcakes and the gingerbread men. ‘They all look so yummy I can’t decide,’ she said, her breath fogging up the glass.

  Pierre chuckled. ‘Why not ’ave both?’

  ‘I might not be able to fit in my dinner as well,’ the child said, pressing a forefinger against her lip. She thought for a moment longer, her brows furrowing with concentration.

  ‘You can ’ave one now and take the other one for dessert, non?’ Pierre suggested. He gave her a wink. ‘It’s my treat.’

  Digby Pertwhistle looked at the child. ‘What do you say, Clemmie?’

  The girl beamed. ‘Merci, Pierre.’

  ‘Ah, très bien!’ Pierre clapped his hands with delight. ‘You must keep practising your French while we are gone.’

  Clementine glanced up at him in surprise. ‘Where are you going?’ she asked.

  The man’s smile faltered. ‘Oh dear,’ he sighed. ‘I thought Sophie would ’ave told you the news today.’

  Clementine shook her head. ‘Sophie was in the sick bay with a tummy ache and she looked really sad.’

  The door opened and Mrs Bottomley shuffled into the shop. Her arms were weighed down with grocery bags. ‘Good afternoon, everyone,’ the woman blustered, slightly out of breath. She set down her cargo and pushed up her sleeves. ‘Well, Pierre, that is exciting news about the move to Paris.’

  ‘Are you moving to Paris, Mrs Bottomley?’ Clementine asked. She was surprised no one had mentioned it at school that day.

  ‘Of course not, Clementine,’ the old woman scoffed. ‘What would I do there? I don’t speak French and all that rich food gives me indigestion. No, the Rousseaus are going back to Paris.’

  Clementine’s eyes widened. ‘Paris,’ she whispered.

  Pierre nodded. ‘My father is not well, so we are going to ’elp run ’is business until ’e is better,’ the man explained.

  ‘But how long is that for?’ Clementine asked. She tried to remember how long she’d had to stay in bed after her appendix operation.

  ‘Probably a year or so, I should think,’ the man replied.

  ‘A year!’ Clementine exclaimed. She stood frozen to the spot as the full meaning of the words settled upon her like a heavy blanket. A year was forever.

  ‘It will pass by in the blink of an eye, ma chérie,’ Pierre assured her. He placed a few more gingerbread men into the bag, hoping their discovery might make Clementine feel a little better during the ride home.

  ‘Would you mind if I popped in ahead of you, Digby?’ Mrs Bottomley asked. ‘I’ve got to dash home to prepare supper. Violet’s coming round for a spot of bridge later.’ The old woman bustled forward without waiting for a reply. ‘I’d like a sourdough loaf and two of those large cream buns.’

  Pierre nodded and took up a box and a pair of tongs. ‘I see you ’ave a taste for them,’ he said.

  ‘They’re delicious, especially the ones with custard and cream,’ Mrs Bottomley replied. ‘I thought Violet might enjoy one too.’

  Clementine felt like time had slowed down around her, though her mind was racing a million miles a minute. ‘Aunt Violet says you only have to look at one of those and your bottom gets bigger,’ she said hazily.

  Digby chortled, then quickly smothered his laughter with a cough.

  ‘What was that, Clementine?’ the old woman demanded. ‘Did you say I have a big bottom?’

  Clementine shook her head, the heat rising to her cheeks. ‘No, I –’

  ‘Goodness me, Digby,’ Mrs Bottomley huffed, ‘I think you need to teach that child some manners.’

  ‘I didn’t mean to …’ Clementine tried to explain but it was no use. From a young age, she seemed to have the unfortunate knack of saying or doing things that got her into trouble despite her best intentions.

  Ethel Bottomley handed over the money and gathered up her grocery bags. ‘Good day to you, Pierre,’ she said, rushing to the door. ‘And as for you, young lady, wait until I see your great-aunt this evening!’

  ‘But I didn’t say that,’ Clementine mumbled. She was beginning to feel hot and prickly in her school uniform, much like the way she did when Joshua was being mean to her.

  Digby Pertwhistle gave the child’s shoulder a squeeze. ‘It’s all right, Clemmie, I heard what you said,’ he whispered. ‘Anyway, she has got a big bottom.’

  ‘Perhaps you should call it ’er derrière next time,’ Pierre said cheekily. ‘That means “bottom” in French.’

  Clementine managed a small smile, but her face clouded over as she remembered the news. ‘When are you leaving?’ she asked softly.

  ‘I am afraid it ’as all come about very suddenly,’ the man replied. He hated to see the girl so upset. ‘We fly out at the end of the week.’

  ‘Have you found someone to look after the shop?’ Uncle Digby asked.

  Pierre nodded. ‘Oui, a man called Roger
. I understand ’is daughter …’

  Clementine heard the shop door open. She turned around to see Sophie and her brother, Jules, walk in with their mother. The two girls looked at one another and, without a word, rushed into each other’s arms. Needless to say, there soon wasn’t a dry eye in the shop.

  Clementine finished writing her name, followed by a long line of kisses. She closed the card and studied the picture on the front. It was hard to imagine life without Sophie. The two girls did everything together – school, ballet, soccer and sleepovers. But Clementine decided to be brave for Sophie, who was also upset she had to leave.

  Her mother leaned over her shoulder. ‘That looks lovely, sweetheart. I like the way you’ve written au revoir at the top.’

  ‘Aunt Violet showed me how to do it,’ Clementine replied. ‘It means “until we meet again”, and that’s me and Lavender waving goodbye.’

  ‘I’m sure Sophie and Jules will be back before you know it,’ Clarissa said.

  ‘But why do they have to go in the first place?’ Clementine asked.

  ‘You know why. Sophie’s grandfather isn’t well and they’re going to help him,’ her mother explained. ‘You’d do the same if we lived far away from Uncle Digby or Aunt Violet and they were sick, wouldn’t you, darling?’

  Clementine thought for a moment, then nodded. Not so long ago she wouldn’t have minded living a very long way from Aunt Violet, but things were different now. Her great-aunt was a lot better behaved, and Aunt Violet’s beloved sphynx cat, Pharaoh, was the best of friends with Clementine’s pet pig. The two were inseparable – a bit like Clementine and Sophie.

  The door from the hallway swung open and Violet Appleby stormed into the kitchen carrying a tray piled with teacups, saucers and plates. She was huffing and snorting like a pony.

  Clarissa hurried over to take the tray. ‘What’s the matter, Aunt Violet?’ she asked. ‘I thought you were going to stay and chat.’

  The old woman hurled herself onto one of the kitchen chairs. ‘Godfathers,’ she muttered, ‘don’t ever volunteer me to take tea with the guests again. I was in grave danger in there.’

  ‘What happened?’ Clementine asked. She had a bad feeling Aunt Violet had found the fieldmouse Pharaoh had brought in from the garden last weekend. It had escaped the jaws of death and run off into the house. Clementine had tried to tell her mother and Uncle Digby but they’d both been busy at the time. She had forgotten all about it until now.

  Clarissa grimaced. ‘Grave danger of what?’

  The old woman rolled her eyes. ‘Dying of boredom with Mr and Mrs Snoresby in there.’

  Clementine giggled and picked up a pink pencil.

  Violet Appleby sighed and turned to inspect Clementine’s drawing. ‘Interesting perspective. I like it.’

  ‘We’re having a surprise farewell party for Sophie at school tomorrow afternoon too,’ the child informed her. ‘Me and Poppy and the twins asked Mr Smee and he said that we could. Mummy is baking a cake for it and I’m going to help.’

  ‘Poppy, the twins and I,’ Aunt Violet corrected. ‘One of these days, Clementine, you’ll learn to speak the Queen’s English.’

  Clementine wrinkled her nose and added a love heart to her drawing.

  ‘Speaking of cakes, we’d better get started or there’ll be no time for the decorations,’ Clarissa said, hurrying over to the pantry. She was just returning with an armful of ingredients when the telephone rang.

  Clementine hopped down from her chair and raced over to answer it. ‘Good afternoon, Penberthy House Hotel, this is Clementine speaking,’ she said before breaking into a grin. ‘Oh, hello. Mummy’s here in the kitchen. I’ll get her.’

  Clarissa turned from where she was measuring out the flour. ‘Who is it, darling?’ she asked.

  Clementine placed her hand over the mouthpiece as she’d been taught to do. ‘It’s Drew and he said he has big news,’ she said excitedly, jigging up and down on the spot.

  Drew Barnsley and his son, Will, had become firm family friends with the Applebys since filming a documentary on Penberthy House. They had kept in touch with frequent visits and countless phone calls. The trouble was, the Barnsleys lived quite a distance away and it was not always easy to arrange outings, especially with the hotel becoming busier these days.

  ‘Oh.’ Lady Clarissa patted her hands on her apron and walked over. Clementine couldn’t help noticing that her mother’s cheeks were flushed. Clarissa took the phone from her daughter and smiled. ‘Hello there,’ she said into the mouthpiece, her eyes twinkling.

  Clementine watched expectantly as her mother chatted away. She wondered what the news could be. Maybe Drew and Will were getting a dog. Will had been wanting one since Clementine’s neighbours, the Hobbses, got their cavoodle, Cosmo.

  ‘That’s fabulous. Clementine is going to be so thrilled,’ Clarissa said. There was a short pause as she turned around and lowered her voice. ‘Yes, of course. I am too,’ she whispered.

  ‘The towels are out in all the rooms and I’ve freshened up the flowers too,’ Uncle Digby announced as he skipped down the back stairs and into the kitchen.

  ‘Shush!’ Aunt Violet hissed, madly batting a hand in his direction.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ he asked.

  ‘Mummy’s on the phone to Drew and he has big news,’ Clementine said softly.

  The man’s eyebrows jumped up. ‘Oh, I see.’

  ‘He’d better not be telling her they’re moving to Africa,’ Aunt Violet muttered.

  Clementine’s breath caught in her throat. She couldn’t bear the thought of two friends going to live overseas in the same week.

  Clarissa hung up the phone and turned around to find three pairs of eyes trained on her. ‘What?’ she said, blinking innocently.

  ‘Out with it,’ Aunt Violet demanded.

  ‘What’s Drew’s big news?’ Clementine asked her mother.

  Clarissa blushed. ‘It seems that Drew has … bought a house,’ she said.

  Violet Appleby and Digby Pertwhistle looked at one another and smiled. Clementine’s bottom lip began to tremble. ‘So they are moving to Africa,’ the child said in a wobbly voice.

  Her mother laughed. ‘Of course not, Clemmie. Wherever did you get that idea?’

  ‘Then where are they going?’ Clementine asked.

  Clarissa’s eyes lit up and a coy smile played on her lips. ‘They’ve bought –’

  ‘Crabtree Cottage!’ Uncle Digby and Aunt Violet chimed in unison.

  Clarissa nodded, a look of complete bemusement on her face.

  ‘Told you so,’ Aunt Violet said to the old man.

  ‘I knew first,’ Uncle Digby retorted.

  Clementine wondered why all the grownups were acting so strangely. ‘Where’s that?’ she asked.

  ‘Just around the corner from Mrs Mogg’s shop,’ Clarissa said.

  Clementine’s face split into a smile. ‘Drew and Will are moving here? To Penberthy Floss?’

  All three adults nodded.

  ‘Hooray!’ Clementine exclaimed. A starburst of happiness exploded in her heart and she scooped Lavender into her arms and danced around the kitchen. ‘This week feels like being on a roller-coaster, Mummy, with all the ups and downs.’

  Clarissa smiled at her daughter. ‘I’m sure that it does, sweetheart. Life’s like that a lot of the time – the only thing to do is strap yourself in and enjoy the ride.’

  Angus ran to the door as soon as Poppy and Sophie left the room. Once he saw they had headed across the quadrangle, he turned back and shouted, ‘All clear!’

  The children flew into action. Teddy raced to the storeroom to fetch the balloons and bunting. Mr Smee climbed up on a chair, armed with thumbtacks and sticky tape, while Astrid and Tilda took to the whiteboard. Tilda began drawing huge colourful flowers around the edges while Astrid added all the French words she knew in the spots between.

  Meanwhile, Angus and Joshua were in charge of moving the furniture. They zoomed around the r
oom, stacking the chairs and pushing desks together to form one large table in the centre. The rest of the class then set about preparing the food. There were croissants and eclairs, macarons in blue, white and red, and even fizzy drink too. Mr Smee wouldn’t usually have approved but today was a very special occasion.

  Clementine proudly unveiled the marble cake she and her mother had made. It had mint-green icing and written across the top in pink were the words ‘Au revoir, Sophie’ enveloped inside a huge love heart.

  ‘Hurry up!’ Teddy called from his position as lookout. ‘I hear footsteps!’

  ‘Everyone, hide!’ Mr Smee whispered. ‘Teddy, you can turn off the lights.’

  Evie and Ally squealed with excitement. The children dived under desks while some hid in the storeroom. Joshua crouched behind Mr Smee’s reading chair. The door opened and Teddy flipped on the light switch.

  ‘Surprise!’ the children screamed. They leapt out cheering and clapping.

  Ethel Bottomley almost sprang out of her sturdy brown shoes.

  ‘What on earth?’ she gasped, clutching at her chest.

  The children groaned.

  ‘False alarm, it’s just Mrs Bottomley,’ Joshua said with disappointment.

  The Kindergarten teacher spied the table of pastries and fizzy drinks and tutted loudly. ‘What’s going on in here?’ she demanded.

  ‘We’re having a surprise farewell party for Sophie, and she and Poppy are going to be back any second,’ Clementine explained. She hoped Mrs Bottomley would hurry up and leave before she spoiled everything.

  ‘They’re coming!’ Teddy yelled. ‘I can see them.’

  ‘Quick, everyone, back in position,’ Mr Smee whispered. He grabbed hold of Mrs Bottomley’s arm and shoved the woman into the storeroom with one swift movement. ‘Just stand in there and pipe down,’ he commanded.