Clementine Rose and the Perfect Present 3 by Jacqueline Harvey

bothered to have locks installed on the bedroom doors, I’d never have been confronted by that ghastly man – who, by the way, was missing his teeth!’
    Lady Clarissa changed the subject. ‘Well, Aunt Violet, do you think you could manage to give Mrs Mogg a hand this morning with some tidying up? The caterers will be here soon – thankfully everything is pre-prepared and they just have to use the ovens to heat things up.’
    ‘I’m exhausted, Clarissa,’ Violet snapped. ‘And you’ve employed half the village to help. Why do I have to get involved?’
    Lady Clarissa stood firm. ‘Aunt Violet, with Uncle Digby in hospital we are still short-staffed.’
    ‘Well, it’s just like him to bunk off when we’re busy,’ Aunt Violet complained.
    Clementine had been getting crosser by the second. ‘It’s your fault Uncle Digby’s not here!’
    ‘I beg your pardon, young lady?’ Aunt Violet turned sharply to look at the girl.
    ‘If you hadn’t made Uncle Digby go to the shop with me yesterday afternoon he’d still be all right. You made him sick!’ Clementine pushed the plate of bacon and eggs so hard that the bacon scattered all over the table.
    ‘How dare you?’ Aunt Violet’s lip trembled. ‘I did no such thing, Clementine.’ She stood up and strode towards the back stairs.
    Clementine began to cry. She’d never felt so mixed up inside. One minute she was excited and the next minute she was worried about Uncle Digby or sad that she hadn’t been invited to Angus’s party. Clementine didn’t like it at all.
    Lady Clarissa rushed over and wrapped her arms around Clementine, giving her a big hug.
    ‘I’m sorry, Mummy,’ the girl sniffed. ‘I didn’t mean to upset Aunt Violet.’
    ‘It’s all right, darling. I know we all want Uncle Digby home as soon as possible. But really, it’s not Aunt Violet’s fault that Uncle Digby is sick.’ Lady Clarissa kissed her daughter’s cheek. ‘Why don’t you finish your breakfast, then run along upstairs and get dressed. I’m sure that Mrs Mogg would love to see you in one of her pretty dresses. And then you can pop out into the garden with Lavender and watch everything from there.’
    Mrs Mogg smiled at Clementine, who sniffled once more and then nodded back.

Clementine did exactly as her mother suggested. She put on one of her favourite dresses, a lovely red one with a matching coat. She added her shiny red boots and finished off the ensemble with a bow in her hair and a scarf around her neck.
    Clementine was on her way downstairs when a shriek filled the house. She ran down to the second floor, and was greeted on the landing by the bride’s mother. Mrs Fox was wrapped in a towel and dripping water all over the floor.
    ‘Tell your mother there’s no hot water,’ Roberta Fox shouted at Clementine. ‘How am I supposed to get ready for the biggest day in my life when I can’t even have a hot shower?’
    Her husband Hector emerged, already dressed, from the bedroom.
    ‘That’s funny, dear. I thought it was the biggest day in our daughter’s life,’ he chided.
    ‘You know what I mean, Hector. Just go and find someone to fix it. NOW!’ she screeched.
    Orville Fox was on his way downstairs when he ran into the group.
    The old man winked at his niece-in-law. ‘I’m afraid you might have to put on more than that for the wedding.’
    His nephew chortled loudly. ‘I was thinking just the same thing myself, Uncle Orville.’
    ‘Oh, stop being ridiculous, the pair of you!’ Roberta glared at her husband and his uncle, who scurried away downstairs.
    Clementine was just about to suggest that Mrs Fox could use the bathroom upstairs instead, when Aunt Violet appeared.
    She pushed past the woman and straight into the bathroom. Clementine dashed after her. She was surprised to see Aunt Violet giving the taps some rather violent attention, and then banging on the old boiler in the corner.
    ‘That’s done it,’ Aunt Violet announced as she ran the taps.