Clementine Rose and the Movie Magic 9 (8 page)

They reached the entrance foyer just in time to see Finley Spencer bouncing down the staircase.

‘Stop right there!' Drew yelled.

The woman paused and smiled like the cat with the cream. ‘Hello Drew. Whatever's the matter?'

‘I'll tell you what the matter is,' Lady Clarissa said, stepping forward. ‘You've been caught on camera, red-handed.'

‘What are you talking about?' Finley demanded.

‘You put Pharaoh in Mr Doncaster's room,' Clementine blurted.

‘I did no such thing.' The woman dropped her suitcase with a thud. At the same time a small gold cylinder fell out of her pocket. It clattered on the ground and rolled down the steps, stopping in front of Aunt Violet's foot.

‘That's my lipstick!' Aunt Violet gasped, reaching down to pick it up. ‘I've been looking for it everywhere.'

Finley Spencer gulped.

Clementine and Will looked at each other and then at the woman.

‘You put the lipstick on the glasses,' Will said.

‘And you cut Nellie's hair and dropped the cake!' Clemmie exclaimed.

‘May I have my key back?' Uncle Digby held out his hand, glaring at the woman. Finley Spencer pulled it out of her pocket and threw it at him.

Mr Doncaster turned to Clarissa. ‘It seems I owe you an apology. What I don't understand
is why. What did you have to gain by doing this, Ms Spencer?'

Aunt Violet suddenly realised what it was that had been bothering her about the woman. ‘It was you in the paper the other day. You're Finley Spencer from Spencer Industries, aren't you?' the old woman flapped.

‘Oh my goodness,' Lady Clarissa sighed. ‘You're the person who's been sending me all those letters asking to buy Penberthy House.'

‘You made the anonymous complaint, didn't you?' Mr Doncaster added, his eyes narrowing. ‘And I bet you found out when I was coming so you could be sure that I'd find all those dreadful things.'

Finley shrugged. ‘Forcing the hotel to shut down would mean they'd have to sell the house.'

‘Why do you want the house so badly?' Lady Clarissa asked, still puzzled. ‘The house has hardly any land and it needs extensive renovation.'

Finley Spencer laughed. ‘I wasn't planning to
renovate
it. I was going to put a bulldozer
through it to make way for the road I need for the housing estate right behind you.'

‘Over my dead body!' Aunt Violet snapped.

‘Over mine too.' Clementine stamped her foot.

Lavender squealed and Pharaoh let out a mighty yowl.

‘Right then, I suggest we call the police,' Mr Doncaster advised.

Lady Clarissa shook her head. ‘I just want an assurance from Ms Spencer that all plans for your development will cease, or I
will
go to the police.'

‘All right, all right,' Ms Spencer spat. ‘Honestly, some people don't know a good deal when they see it. Can I get out of this dump now?'

Lady Clarissa pointed to the front door. ‘Be my guest.'

Finley looked expectantly at Uncle Digby, then at her bags.

The man raised an eyebrow. ‘You can carry them yourself, dear.'

The group watched as Finley Spencer stomped down the last few steps and out the front door.

‘Thank heavens for the two of you and your movie-making,' Lady Clarissa exclaimed, hugging her daughter and Will.

Clementine smiled at Will and then at her mother. ‘That wasn't movie-making, Mummy. That was movie magic.'

The Appleby household

Friends and village folk

Others

Jacqueline Harvey taught for many years in girls' boarding schools. She is the author of the bestselling Alice-Miranda series and the Clementine Rose series, and was awarded Honour Book in the 2006 Australian CBC Awards for her picture book
The Sound of the Sea
. She now writes full-time and is working on more Alice-Miranda and Clementine Rose adventures.

 

www.jacquelineharvey.com.au

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