Clementine Rose and the Movie Magic 9 by Jacqueline Harvey Page A

grinned.
    â€˜Good luck, sweetheart,’ Lady Clarissa called. ‘You’ll be wonderful.’
    Digby Pertwhistle walked into the hallway and stood beside Aunt Violet. The pair of them smiled up at Clementine.
    â€˜Penberthy House introduction, take one … Action!’ Basil called before snapping the clapper board like a castanet.

    Clementine took a deep breath and looked directly into the camera. ‘Hello, my name is Clementine Rose Appleby and this is my home, Penberthy House Hotel. When my granny and grandpa were alive –’ Clementine looked up at the portraits of her grandparents on the wall, then back at the camera – ‘it was just Penberthy House without the hotel.
    These days we have lots of guests coming and going. It’s the best place to live in the whole wide world, especially since we got the new roof and we don’t have to put buckets out every time it rains.’ Clementine gave a small grin. ‘I hope you love learning about our house as much as I love living –’
    Just as Clementine was about to finish the sentence the telephone in the hallway rang.
    â€˜Cut!’ Basil called out.
    Lady Clarissa apologised and ran to answer it.
    â€˜Why didn’t you take it off the hook, Pertwhistle?’ Aunt Violet glared at Uncle Digby. ‘Honestly.’
    The man ignored her.
    Clementine looked over the banister at Basil and the others.
    â€˜That was fabulous, Clemmie.’ Basil gave her two thumbs up. ‘We’ll do it again once your mother comes back.’
    Clementine nodded.
    It was quite a while before Lady Clarissa returned to the group, and when she did her face was flushed.
    â€˜Are you all right, Mummy?’ Clementine asked.
    â€˜Yes, of course, darling.’ The woman gave a pinched smile.
    Aunt Violet arched an eyebrow at her niece. ‘You don’t fool me, Clarissa,’ she whispered. ‘What was that about?’
    Lady Clarissa lowered her voice. ‘It was the local council. It seems they’ve received an anonymous complaint about Penberthy House. They’re sending their Health and Safety Inspector to do a full assessment of the hotel.’
    â€˜I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about,’ Uncle Digby reassured her in hushed tones. ‘When is the inspection?’
    Clarissa winced. ‘Tomorrow.’
    â€˜Tomorrow!’ Aunt Violet exclaimed. ‘That doesn’t work at all. We’re shooting a movie.’
    â€˜I tried to put them off but they insisted,’ Lady Clarissa said helplessly.
    â€˜Well, surely the inspector will only be here for the day,’ Aunt Violet said.
    â€˜I’m afraid we’ve got Mr Doncaster for as many days as he needs to be certain of his findings,’ Clarissa replied.
    â€˜That’s ridiculous!’ Aunt Violet huffed. ‘Clearly the council enjoy paying people to have holidays. I’ll take care of him. You know I can be utterly charming when required.’
    â€˜Clearly that’s not required very often,’ Digby mumbled.
    Aunt Violet shot the man a look that would have stopped a charging rhino in its tracks.
    Clementine wondered what her mother and Uncle Digby and Aunt Violet were talkingabout. Whatever it was had given them all frowny faces.
    â€˜Ready, Clementine?’ Basil called out.
    The child nodded. A tiny flutter tickled her tummy again.
    Basil held up the clapperboard. ‘All right, everyone. Penberthy House introduction, take two … Action!’

‘So how did you enjoy your first day on set, Clementine?’ Basil Hobbs’s eyes sparkled as he sipped his tea.
    Filming had finally wrapped for the day and Basil, his sound engineer and assistant cameraman, Drew, and Drew’s seven-year-old son, Will, were enjoying afternoon tea in the kitchen with the Appleby household.
    â€˜I loved it!’ Clementine replied, her blue eyes as round as saucers. ‘But I didn’t know it would