Clementine Rose and the Movie Magic 9 Read Free Page B

Mummy,’ Clementine said. ‘We’re making a proper movie, and Pharaoh and Lavender are the stars.’
    â€˜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 theirguests. ‘What about the boarding kennel and cattery over in Highton Mill?’
    â€˜No!’ Clementine gasped. ‘Please don’t take them away.’
    â€˜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.
    â€˜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.
    â€˜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.’
    â€˜Don’t be silly, Clementine,’ Aunt Violet said. ‘Pharaoh won’t have any fun while he’s away. He’ll miss me far too much.’
    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.
    â€˜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.’
    â€˜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.’
    â€˜I can take it, Mummy,’ Clementine offered.
    â€˜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.
    â€˜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.
    â€˜Aachoo!’
    Clementine sneezed twice more before the tickle stopped. She carefully wiped her noseand put the tissue back into her pocket, then turned around to retrieve the jug.
    â€˜Pharaoh! No!’ she exclaimed.
    Upon hearing his name, the cat lifted his head. A dribble of cream wobbled on his chin.
    â€˜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.
    â€˜Good