Clementine Rose and the Perfect Present 3

by Jacqueline Harvey

  Her mother went to the pantry to fetch the teacake Pierre had delivered that morning along with the giant layered wedding cake.

  Lavender was lying on her back and enjoying a belly scratch from Clementine.

  ‘Oh, that reminds me, was there any mail yesterday?’ Lady Clarissa asked as she set the cake on the table.

  Margaret Mogg turned from where she was pouring the tea. ‘No. It was very strange indeed.’

  Violet Appleby coughed, then scurried from the room. When she returned, she placed a bundle of letters on the table. ‘Father Bob brought these over yesterday afternoon as I was leaving to pick you up, Clarissa. He said that it was in among his. I completely forgot about it too. It’s probably just bills, anyway, although you do seem to have a knack with those competitions.’

  Margaret Mogg sighed deeply. ‘I can’t leave that husband of mine in charge for more than a minute. I am so sorry, Clarissa. I hope there wasn’t anything important.’

  Clementine washed her hands and sat up at the table beside her great-aunt. She looked at the letters, trying not to get her hopes up again.

  Lady Clarissa flicked through the pile. ‘Bill, bill, bill. Oh!’ She drew in a sharp breath and handed Clementine an envelope. ‘This one’s for you.’ ‘For me? What is it?’ she asked, her eyes wide.

  Clementine tore open the envelope and unfolded the card inside. There was a picture of a king and her name was beside it in large scribbly writing.

  ‘What does it say?’ she said excitedly, and showed the card to Aunt Violet.

  ‘Wait a minute, I have to get my glasses.’ The old woman picked them up from the table. ‘It says, “You are invited, Clementine Rose!”’

  ‘Yippee!’ Clementine’s arms shot into the air. ‘He didn’t leave me out on purpose.’

  Her great-aunt scowled at the interruption. ‘Do you want to hear the rest?’

  ‘Yes, please.’ Clementine clapped her hands together.

  Aunt Violet read the details, including what time and where the party would take place.

  Clementine’s mouth fell open. ‘Oh!’

  ‘What’s the matter now?’ her great-aunt asked. ‘I thought you wanted to go to the party – even though you pretended that you didn’t.’

  ‘I don’t have a present. Angus said that we all had to get him something good or he’d feed us to the dragon that lives at the bottom of his garden,’ Clementine said seriously.

  ‘For heaven’s sake. I wouldn’t want to go to his party if he said that to me,’ Aunt Violet declared. ‘And you do know that there are no dragons living at the bottom of his garden, don’t you? The boy has an overactive imagination.’

  Clementine was not so sure. Angus could be very convincing when he wanted to be.

  ‘Will you take me to the village later?’ Clementine asked her mother. ‘I have to find the perfect present for Uncle Digby too.’

  Mrs Mogg poured three cups of strong black tea.

  ‘Oh darling, I don’t think I have time today. But perhaps . . .’ Lady Clarissa glanced at Aunt Violet.

  Clemmie followed her gaze. ‘Aunt Violet, will you take me? Please?’ Clementine looked up at the older woman, her blue eyes sparkling.

  ‘I don’t know, Clementine. I have some things to do . . .’ Aunt Violet sipped her tea.

  ‘Pretty please?’

  Aunt Violet stared at the girl’s pleading expression. ‘Oh, all right,’ she relented.

  Lady Clarissa and Mrs Mogg exchanged smiles.

  Clementine couldn’t believe it. She’d just been to her first wedding and next week she was going to a birthday party with all her friends. And Aunt Violet had agreed to help her find the perfect presents for Angus and Uncle Digby.

  Clementine and Aunt Violet put on their coats and headed out into the afternoon sunshine. When Clemmie had asked Lavender if she wanted to go for a walk, the little pig had rolled over and kept her eyes firmly closed. Pharaoh was asleep too. He slept a lot.

  Loud music filled the garden and Clementine wanted to stop and have another peek at what was happening. She and Aunt Violet poked their heads inside the marquee and laughed when they saw Uncle Orville on the dance floor copying the moves of some beautiful young women in saris.

  ‘Silly old fool,’ Aunt Violet huffed.

  Clementine giggled.

  Mr Smote was standing near the entrance and overseeing the celebration when he noticed Aunt Violet and Clementine. He shuffled over beside them. ‘It’s all going beautifully,’ he said happily. ‘I think we could definitely recommend Penberthy House for more weddings.’

  ‘That’s wonderful,’ Clementine replied. ‘Mummy will be so pleased, won’t she, Aunt Violet?’

  Aunt Violet looked as if she had trodden in something smelly. ‘I suppose so.’

  The pair said goodbye to Mr Smote and continued through the field at the back of the garden, across the stone bridge and past the church to the Moggs’ shop.

  ‘Do you know what you’re looking for, Clementine?’ her great-aunt asked as they made their way inside.

  Clementine shook her head. She hadn’t a clue, but thought she might know when she saw it.

  Unfortunately, Mrs Mogg’s range of toys was rather small and hardly any were suitable for Angus. Clementine searched and searched but nothing was right.

  When it came to finding something for Uncle Digby, she considered several options. He liked aftershave, but she knew that he only wore a certain kind. A new pen could be nice, but there were only plain ones. At last Clementine remembered that he liked to play cards, but she couldn’t find any. Mr Mogg said that Father Bob had bought the last set earlier in the day.

  This was turning out to be much harder than Clemmie had thought.

  ‘Why don’t you just make Pertwhistle a card and be done with it?’ Aunt Violet suggested.

  Clementine supposed she could do that, but it still didn’t solve the problem of finding something for Angus.

  ‘Your mother might be able to get something tomorrow over at Highton Mill,’ her great-aunt said. ‘Or, even better, doesn’t she have a present cupboard at home?’

  Clementine nodded. Of course she did. Why hadn’t she thought of that earlier? Her mother had won so many things over the years that she had a whole cupboard full of bits and pieces. Surely Clemmie could find something in there.

  Clementine and Aunt Violet said goodbye to Mr Mogg, who seemed very happy to see them go. It probably had something to do with the sound of football on the television out the back. On the way home, Clementine stopped several times to pick up coloured leaves, which she thought she could use to decorate her card for Uncle Digby.

  Clementine was leaning down beside the stone wall when she jumped back in surprise. There was something wedged in the wall.

  ‘Aunt Violet,’ she called. ‘Come and look at this.’

  Her great-aunt sniffed and sauntered over.

  ‘What’s that?’ Clementine pointed at the wall.

  Aunt Violet peered into the space. ‘My goodness. I haven’t seen one of those in years. Not since I was a girl.’ She reached in and carefully pulled out the strange object.

  Clementine looked at her wide-eyed. ‘Does it bite?’ she asked.

  Aunt Violet laughed. ‘No, Clementine, of course not.’

  Clementine had never seen anything so beautiful. ‘It’s lovely.’

  ‘Yes, and very rare too, I think. I seem to recall Pertwhistle having a collection of these when he first came to work at the house.’

  ‘Really?’ Clementine asked.

  ‘Yes. He kept them on the windowsill in the kitchen.’

  ‘Do you think he’d like it?’ Clementine asked.

  ‘I suspect it would be perfect,’ Aunt Violet said with a nod. ‘It’s very fragile, Clementine. Why don’t we take it home and wrap it up safely?’

  Clementine agreed. Now she just had to find the perfect present for Angus too.

  Lady Clarissa was thrilled with Clementine and Aunt Violet’s find. She loca
ted a box and helped Clementine wrap it carefully. A quick search through the present cupboard revealed many treasures a little boy would love. Clementine found something she thought would be just right and her mother helped her wrap it as well.

  ‘Why don’t you make the cards for Uncle Digby and Angus?’ her mother suggested. ‘Then we can tape them to the boxes and make sure they don’t get mixed up.’

  Lady Clarissa frowned. She probably should have found some different wrapping paper for each present but that was the one thing she’d been running low on.

  Early in the evening, Mrs Fox appeared at the kitchen door. Aunt Violet and Clementine were at the table reading together and Lady Clarissa was busy getting the household’s dinner ready. She was wondering how late the festivities in the garden would continue.

  ‘Ahem,’ said Mrs Fox.

  Lady Clarissa stopped chopping the carrots and turned around. ‘Oh, hello. Please come in.’

  ‘I’d just like to give you this.’ Mrs Fox held out an envelope.

  ‘Is the wedding over?’ Clarissa asked.

  ‘Yes, Harriet and Ryan left a few minutes ago and we’re about to pack up and head home too,’ Mrs Fox said.

  ‘I hope it all went well?’ Lady Clarissa felt a little scared to ask. Mrs Fox hadn’t been the easiest of house guests.

  Mrs Fox beamed. ‘Marvellous. Hector and I couldn’t have been more thrilled. The food was stunning, the setting was beautiful and Mr Smote – well, the man’s a magician.’

  Clementine smiled to herself. She knew that already.

  ‘I’m so glad you’ve had a good day,’ Lady Clarissa said with a relieved smile. ‘And I’m sorry about not being here when you arrived.’

  ‘Don’t worry yourself about that,’ Mrs Fox tutted. ‘I just hope that Mr Pertwhistle is better soon. Heaven knows we all have our challenges with the elderly.’

  Aunt Violet frowned.

  ‘Uncle Orville, of course,’ Mrs Fox said quickly.

  ‘Oh, of course,’ said Aunt Violet, nodding.

  Lady Clarissa took the envelope and put it on the sideboard. She rather hoped its contents might cover the new roof. ‘I’ll see you off then.’ She led Mrs Fox to the front hall.

  Clementine followed, and bumped into Dr Gunalingam at the bottom of the stairs. He was bringing down the last of his family’s bags.

  ‘Goodbye, Clementine,’ the man said. ‘It was lovely to meet you.’

  ‘Have the children gone already?’ Clementine asked. She was hoping to say goodbye to Arya, Alisha and Aksara. ‘They’re all sound asleep in the car, I’m afraid. And Clemmie –’ Dr Gunalingam looked at her seriously – ‘I’m sure that Mr Pertwhistle will be fine.’

  Clementine beamed. ‘Thank you. Please say goodbye to Mrs Gunalingam and the children from me.’

  Clementine joined her mother at the front door. As the Gunalingams’ and the Foxes’ cars drove away, she turned to her mother.

  ‘Can you help me find my princess dress?’ she asked.

  ‘Of course, darling. And I have a surprise for you too.’

  Clementine looked up at her mother. ‘A surprise?’

  ‘Yes, the hospital called a little while ago. Uncle Digby should be home on Tuesday.’

  Clementine beamed.

  Clementine couldn’t wait to tell her friends that she was going to Angus’s party too. Her mother had telephoned Mrs Archibald on Sunday afternoon to apologise for their very late RSVP and explained the mix-up with the mail. Mrs Archibald told Clarissa that Angus had been sad that Clementine wasn’t coming to his party, but he’d be very happy now.

  Clementine wondered if that was true or if Mrs Archibald had just said it to be kind. But when she got to school, Angus ran straight up to her.

  ‘I’m glad you’re coming to my party,’ he said, grinning.

  ‘Thank you, Angus,’ Clementine replied.

  ‘Yeah, ’cos now my dragon will have something tasty to eat.’

  Poppy rolled her eyes at him. ‘You don’t even have a dragon.’

  ‘Yes, I do, and it eats girls,’ Angus said and pulled a face. ‘But it only likes sweet ones so that means it won’t eat you, Poppy.’

  Clementine leapt to her friend’s defence. ‘That’s not very nice, Angus! But at least it won’t eat me either.’

  ‘Yes it will,’ Angus insisted.

  Joshua had been standing beside Angus the whole time, and now he gave his friend a funny look. ‘Do you like her?’ he asked.

  ‘No way!’ Angus shook his head. ‘She’s a girl and I don’t like any girls.’ Angus ran off into the playground with Joshua hot on his heels.

  Astrid walked over to Poppy and Clementine. ‘Angus does like you,’ she said.

  Clementine was confused by this comment. ‘I don’t think so. He’s always so mean to me.’

  ‘It’s a boy thing,’ Astrid explained. ‘They’re always mean to girls they like, so he probably likes you too, Poppy.’

  Poppy pulled a face. ‘Well, I don’t like him, that’s for sure.’

  ‘I don’t understand boys,’ Clementine said seriously. But she was glad that Astrid did.

  The day seemed to go by in a blink. Lady Clarissa picked Clementine up after school and when they got home the marquee was gone and there was hardly anything to remind Clemmie of the excitement of the weekend.

  That evening, her mother helped pack her princess costume into a separate bag along with Angus’s present, which Clementine took from the sideboard in the kitchen where it had been sitting next to Uncle Digby’s.

  Clementine took ages to fall asleep. She was so excited about the party and she couldn’t wait for Uncle Digby to get home either.

  Unlike Monday, Tuesday seemed to drag on forever. Mrs Bottomley got cross with the children asking her what time it was over and over. She decided she might as well use their interest to have some lessons on reading a clock. Clementine thought that was long overdue. She’d been wanting to learn to tell the time ever since the first day.

  When the bell finally rang, Mrs Bottomley supervised the children getting changed into their costumes. Much to Clementine’s distaste, Mrs Bottomley made them form two straight lines to march the short distance to Angus’s house. It was only around the corner from the school. They must have looked a strange lot in their crowns and robes, especially the children who were brandishing swords and sceptres.

  The group was ushered out into the back garden.

  ‘Hello Mr Smote,’ Clementine cried, as she ran up to the man. He too was dressed as a king.

  ‘Clementine!’ He made a deep bow. ‘How lovely to see you again.’

  She glanced around the garden and saw a huge cardboard castle. It was big enough for the children to clamber into. There were shields hanging from the fence and even some wooden horses for the guests to be photographed riding.

  ‘You really are a magician!’ Clementine said.

  ‘It was nothing much,’ the man replied modestly. ‘And Angus is such a good boy.’

  Mr Smote definitely hadn’t seen Angus at school, Clementine thought to herself.

  Angus’s mother and Mr Smote had arranged lots of games for the children to play. There was pass the parcel and pin the tail on the pony, musical statues and hide and seek. Clementine and her friends weren’t as keen on that one, as Angus kept pointing out where he kept his dragon.

  Astrid marched off to the bottom of the garden and hid right where Angus said the dragon had its lair. Clementine thought she was terribly brave.

  The afternoon went very quickly. As the sun started to fade, Angus blew out the candles on his castle cake and the children gathered around to watch him open his presents. Some of the parents had started to arrive too.

  Joshua had bought him a train set, Poppy had given him a superhero dress-up costume and Sophie gave him a football.

  Clementine’s present was last of all. She and her mother had found him a tiny remote-controlled bug that could actually fly. Clementine would like to have kept it for her
self but her mother said that it would make a lovely gift for a six-year-old boy.

  The children stood around watching and waiting as Angus tore open the paper. Clementine looked at the little brown box. Her heart sank.

  Angus pulled off the lid and stared. For a moment he didn’t say a thing. Clementine was about to speak but Angus got in first.

  ‘Wow!’ he gasped. ‘That’s the best present ever.’

  Clementine gulped. ‘But it’s the wrong one.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Angus looked at her with a frown.

  ‘That’s not yours.’ Clementine’s lip trembled and tears prickled the backs of her eyes.

  ‘But it’s cool,’ Angus said, ‘and it’s mine now.’ He gently lifted the shell from the box. ‘Whoa, what is it?’

  Mrs Bottomley leaned in and inspected the gift. ‘That is a very rare and precious cicada shell,’ she informed the wide-eyed onlookers.

  ‘It’s the best present ever.’ Angus was so excited he turned and kissed Clementine’s cheek.

  Everyone giggled and Clemmie’s cheeks flushed pink.

  Angus’s ears turned bright red.

  ‘Gross! Girl germs,’ Joshua called out.

  A hand reached through the crowd and Mrs Tribble yanked her son by her side. She scooped him up and kissed him noisily on the cheek too. ‘I’ll give you girl germs, Joshua Tribble.’

  Joshua’s howls of protest had everyone in stitches.

  ‘Don’t worry, Clementine,’ came a voice beside her. It was Aunt Violet. ‘Pertwhistle will understand.’

  Clemmie glanced up, surprised. She hadn’t noticed her great-aunt arrive. ‘Do you really think so?’

  Aunt Violet winked. ‘I know so.’

  It was time to go. The children said goodbye and Angus handed out the lolly bags. When he gave Clementine hers he even said another special thankyou and gave her a hug. Clementine kept her hands by her side as he squeezed her extra tight.

  ‘I love it,’ Angus whispered.

  ‘Come along, Clemmie,’ her great-aunt instructed. ‘Your mother and Uncle Digby should be home by now.’