Clementine Rose and the Famous Friend 7 by Jacqueline Harvey Page B

Clementine babbled. She scurried into her mother’s embrace and the woman kissed the top of her golden head.
    Aunt Violet lowered her magazine and tapped her forefinger against her powdered cheek. ‘Don’t I get a greeting? Or are you too old, now that you’re in Year One?’
    â€˜Of course not.’ Clementine raced around the table and leaned in to kiss Aunt Violet.
    Digby Pertwhistle arrived in the kitchen, holding Clementine’s school shoes in one hand and a shopping bag in the other.
    â€˜Uncle Digby, what are you doing with those?’ Lady Clarissa took the offending footwear and looked at Clementine. ‘Darling, you know you can’t leave shoes lying about in the foyer. If one of the guests trips over them we’ll be in all sorts of trouble.’
    â€˜Sorry, Mummy.’ Clementine took the shoes from her mother and set them down beside the back stairs. Lavender, her teacup pig, and Aunt Violet’s sphynx cat, Pharaoh, were sound asleep in Lavender’s basket in front of the oven. Clementine gave both pets a scratch under the chin. Lavender let out a loud grunt and Pharaoh began to purr, but neither creature opened an eye.
    â€˜Would you like something to eat, Clementine?’ Uncle Digby offered as he unpacked the groceries on the bench.
    â€˜Yes, please. I’m starving.’
    She had just clambered onto the chair beside Aunt Violet when she remembered something important and slid back down again. Clementine went to her backpack andtook out a large pile of exercise books. She heaved them onto the table then climbed back onto the chair.
    Aunt Violet shook her head. ‘Are you a jack-in-the-box?’
    â€˜No,’ Clementine said. ‘I just remembered that Mr Smee said we should cover all our books tonight.’
    â€˜Well, I hope you’re not expecting me to do it,’ Aunt Violet said, her lip curling.
    Clementine shook her head. ‘No. Uncle Digby’s much better at it than you. Remember last time when you tried? There were big air bubbles everywhere and we had to prick them with a pin. Mrs Bottomley got cross at me and said that it looked like a hippopotamus had tried to cover my books. But I told her it was just you.’
    â€˜Pfft.’ Aunt Violet went back to reading her magazine.
    â€˜Oh dear. I hope we have enough paper,’ Lady Clarissa said.
    â€˜We’ve got plenty. I picked some up from Mrs Mogg,’ said Uncle Digby.
    â€˜You’re a gem.’ Lady Clarissa smiled at the man, who was now busy making a glass of chocolate milk for Clementine.
    He set the glass and a plate with two honey jumbles in front of her. She took a large gulp of milk and then exhaled loudly, leaving a chocolate moustache on her upper lip.
    Aunt Violet blanched. ‘Do you have any manners, young lady?’
    Clementine wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Aunt Violet shook her head.
    Lady Clarissa laughed and sat opposite her daughter. ‘So, tell us about Mr Smee.’
    â€˜Oh Mummy, he’s amazing. He taught us songs and played the guitar and he doesn’t like lining up. I don’t think Mrs Bottomley was very happy about that,’ Clementine explained.
    â€˜Poor Ethel,’ said Aunt Violet. ‘That woman worked hard to get your class shipshape last year. I’m sure she’ll be very upset if this upstart comes along and undoes all her good work.’
    Clementine ploughed on. ‘We don’t have rows any more, either. There are lots of bigtables instead. My table has Poppy and Sophie and Tilda and Teddy and Angus and we’re called the Warthogs.’

    â€˜Warthogs! That’s dreadful,’ Aunt Violet scoffed.
    â€˜No, that’s what we wanted to be. Tilda and Teddy told everyone about Theodore and they all agreed that it would be cool to be the Warthogs,’ Clementine explained. Theodore was the stuffed warthog that used to live in the Penberthy House library but was now