Clementine Rose and the Perfect Present 3 by Jacqueline Harvey Page A

Steam began to pour from the room.
    Clementine stared at her great-aunt in amazement. ‘You fixed it!’
    ‘Of course I did.’ The old woman strode back into the hallway and Clementine followed.
    Roberta Fox barged into the bathroom and slammed the door.
    ‘Don’t bother thanking me.’ Aunt Violet pursed her lips and hurried away down the corridor with Clementine close behind.
    ‘But how did you do that? Mummy says that Uncle Digby is the only one who can ever fix the hot water in there,’ Clementine said.
    ‘I lived here for a long time too, Clementine,’ Aunt Violet replied. ‘And that heater has been the same ever since I can remember.’
    ‘I thought Mrs Fox was going to burst, she was so cross.’ Clementine smothered a giggle as she remembered the woman’s expression.
    ‘Well, we wouldn’t want that now, would we?’ Violet kept her eyes straight ahead and walked towards the main stairs.
    ‘Aunt Violet?’ Clementine called.
    ‘What is it this time?’ The old woman turned and stared at Clementine. She couldn’t help thinking that the child looked rather sweet in her red ensemble.
    ‘I’m sorry about what I said before. Uncle Digby isn’t sick because of you.’
    The woman coughed sharply and turned away. ‘Don’t be so sure of that,’ she mumbled, but Clementine didn’t hear her.
    ‘Do you want to go for a walk outside?’ Clementine asked.
    ‘I’ll come with you in a little while,’ Aunt Violet replied. ‘Mrs Mogg needs some help first.’
    Clementine could hardly believe her ears. She wondered if something had happened to Aunt Violet. Clemmie glanced up at the portraits on the wall. Maybe her grandpa had had a word.

Clementine ran downstairs and threw open the front door. There were cars all over the driveway and Mr Smote was barking orders as tall floral arrangements were carried through the garden towards the marquee.
    ‘Hello Mr Smote,’ Clementine shouted.
    ‘Good morning, Clementine,’ he called back.
    She thought his clothes looked even smarter than the day before. ‘That’s a lovely tie.’
    ‘Why, thank you, Miss Appleby,’ he said and dipped into a bow.
    The clock in the hall chimed and Clementine counted off the strikes. She wondered where Harriet Fox was – it couldn’t be too much longer until the wedding. Her mother had said that it would start at midday and the clock had just chimed eleven times.
    A white van pulled up and two men jumped out and began unloading a pile of enormous presents wrapped in silver paper with white bows.
    ‘Oh!’ Clementine gasped. ‘They’re so pretty.’
    And that’s when the idea came to her. She should find Uncle Digby a present to cheer him up. Not just any old present; this one had to be perfect, so that he’d know how much she wanted him to get well and come home.
    Clementine wondered what she could get him. She didn’t have very much money in her piggy bank. And the only shop close by was Mrs Mogg’s, and she didn’t really sell a lot of things Clemmie thought Uncle Digby would like.
    Maybe she could ask her mother to take her to the village later on, once the wedding was underway. Clementine closed the door and turned around. At the top of the stairs she saw the most extraordinary sight.
    ‘You look like a princess,’ Clementine gasped, as she took in Harriet Fox’s beautiful gown. It was white and covered with silver sparkles. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a perfect bun and she was wearing a shiny tiara.
    Harriet beamed. ‘Thank you, Clementine. I feel like a princess today. Have you seen the children?’
    Clementine shook her head.
    ‘They’re in the wedding too. Arya and Alisha are my flower girls and Aksara is the pageboy,’ Harriet explained.
    Clementine couldn’t wait to see them all. A moment later, Mrs Gunalingam appeared on the landing behind Harriet with the three children in tow. She was wearing a beautiful purple and red wraparound dress with thousands of tiny sparkles all over it. Right