The Magnificent Lizzie Brown and the Devil's Hound by Vicki Lockwood Page A

the rope twanging as he did, then somersaulted on the spot. In response, Collette climbed up onto her bicycle seat and pretended to shake her fists at him.
    The blend of comedy and daring high-wire action was causing a sensation with the crowd, but Lizzie felt sick with nerves. She knew she shouldn’t watch, but privately she was afraid of what might happen if she didn’t.
    As a finale, Dru solved the stalemate by climbing up the bicycle’s front wheel and balancing on his sister’s shoulders. He bowed, and the audience went wild.
    The band played a jolly tune, and Lizzie pressed herself against the side of the tunnel as the clowns came running past her. They hurried through the beaded curtain and out into the bright light of the circus ring. She gave them a thumbs-up for luck.
    JoJo staggered past after the rest of the bunch, clutching his stomach. Lizzie caught a whiff of something nasty, like sour sweat.
    Nora came up next to her. She’d been warming up the horses while Lizzie had been transformed into a Sullivan twin. “Don’t fret, Lizzie,” she said. “You’ll do fine.”
    â€œWhat’s JoJo doing out there?” Lizzie whispered. “He’s supposed to be resting!”
    â€œHe didn’t want to let Fitzy down,” Nora said.
    The clown routine was set in a bakery. Didi, the serious whiteface clown, was bossing the others around, demanding they work faster. But the more the other clowns tried to follow his mimed orders, the more chaos resulted. Clowns carrying pies crashed into each other and, as messy fights broke out, pies were slipped in and sat on.
    JoJo was usually the craziest of the bunch. He typically ran around, making trouble for Didi. Tonight, though, he was just lurching around the ring, holding his belly and sometimes falling to his knees.
    Didi pelted him with pies and aimed kicks at his baggy bottom while the band played. The audience ate it up. Some of them were falling out of their seats from laughing so hard. But all throughout the act, Lizzie could see JoJo grimacing under his painted-on smile.
    â€œThey don’t know,” Lizzie said, alarmed. “They think it’s all part of the act. Poor JoJo must be feeling terrible.”
    â€œHe’s a trooper, though,” Nora said. “He’s had his clown face on since he came out of his trailer this morning! I expect he’s raring to get back to work.”
    All too soon, the clowns came back out and Fitzy was introducing the next act — “Two incredible young equestrian performers.”
    Lizzie’s stomach did flip-flops. They’d all be watching her now.
    Nora gave her a quick squeeze. “You’ll be fantastic.”
    Hari came up behind them, leading Albert and Victoria. Lizzie looked into Albert’s calm brown eyes.
    â€œPlease show your appreciation . . .” Fitzy was saying. There was a roll on the drums.
    Lizzie stroked Albert’s nose. “Look after me. Please?”
    Albert whinnied softly. Lizzie took a deep breath and mounted his back.
    â€œ. . . for the Amazing Sullivan Twins!” Fitzy finished.
    To the sound of a fanfare, Lizzie and Nora rode out into the dazzling lights of the sawdust ring. A sea of faces surrounded her.
    I can do this , Lizzie thought. She forced herself to smile and steadily rose to a standing position, holding Albert’s reins firmly.
    Meanwhile, Nora was already on one leg, cantering around the ring and waving at the crowd. There was a smattering of applause, but it was all for Nora.
    It didn’t matter. All Lizzie had to do was look pretty and not fall off. Despite the hundreds of people watching, she felt her confidence rise.
    I trust you, Albert , she thought. She gave the reins a twitch and Albert obediently trotted forward with Lizzie still standing upright.
    â€œBravo!” a man shouted. Was he mocking her? Lizzie didn’t dwell on it. I’m doing my best. What more can I