that contained small black cards promising the chance of a lifetime – the opportunity to attend an enchanted ball.
And they found clothes. Ball gowns of deepest black velvet and burning orange silk; crystal tiaras decorated with flourishes of gold; diamond rings and golden necklaces; tuxedos and top hats and tails. Each item fitting perfectly, as if made to measure.
When they were dressed, the guests made their way through the streets, drawn towards the Emporium like sleepwalkers through enchanted dreams.
They approached the shop, and came together, standing silently in neat rows, neither asleep nor awake.
None of them noticed when Vindictus Sharpe slipped from the shadows and joined the gathering crowd. He was not attired in Halloween shades like everyone else. He wore a finely tailored suit the colour of charcoal, and carried a silver-topped cane. His silver hair and moustache were neat, and his eyes were an unnatural, electric blue.
Strolling through the queue, Sharpe selected one of the guests, reaching over an elderly man’s shoulder, plucking the invite from his hands. Then he whispered something in the old man’s ear, and at once the old man turned and began to walk dreamily away from the Emporium, heading for home.
When every guest was present, the frozen clocks kicked back to life, filling the night with their ticking. The Emporium’s delicate golden gate turned to dust and scattered in the crisp New York breeze. The queue began to filter in.
Sharpe moved up the line in silence.
Guests were disappearing behind a heavy red velvet curtain, awakening as they crossed the threshold. There were two doormen on the other side, collecting tickets and directing wonderstruck guests towards the ballroom.
Sharpe handed over his stolen ticket and walked past them.
He was in.
CHAPTER 17
GHOSTS
“Ellie! This is your fault.”
Daniel stormed down a passageway of shimmering black brick, trailing Ellie behind.
“Sorry,” she said, trying not to laugh. “You look great. Really.”
“This,” said Daniel, grabbing a handful of the black lace ruffles spilling from his orange suit, “does not look great! How could it possibly look great?” He turned and strode off with as much dignity as he could.
“How many times do you want me to apologise?” asked Ellie, catching him up. “Papa asked me what I thought you might like to wear. I couldn’t resist. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the same to me, because I know you would!”
“I’ll get you back for this.”
They reached a grand set of arched black doors. A single word had been painted on its nameplate in flowery letters:
Ballroom
Daniel pulled on the golden door handles, and the doors swung open.
A huge, circular Wonder opened up before him, with a marblefloor and a high domed ceiling of deepest black, finished with scattered golden stars. The wall of the ballroom was made entirely of glass, circular and continuous, looking out towards the illusion of a clear night sky and an impossibly large full moon.
The floor was crowded with guests in orange, black and gold. Many had been cornered by members of the Emporium staff, who were excited by the rare opportunity to speak freely with those from beyond the shop’s walls. Ghostly waiters walked among the guests. They carried golden trays neatly stacked with goblets of orange liquid, piles of chocolate bats and liquorice spiders, apples coated in rich caramel and chocolate, all filling the room with delicious sweet scents.
A hush began to fall over the crowd. Heads turned towards a raised circular platform in the centre of the floor, where a ghostly brass band had assembled.
And then the band began to play.
Waves of music swept the ballroom, enveloping guests and staff alike, carrying them off into waltzes and spins and toe-tapping, high-kicking barn dances.
Daniel could not resist the urge to dance. He felt a hand on his arm, found himself on the floor with Anja, the snake-charmer. They danced
And they found clothes. Ball gowns of deepest black velvet and burning orange silk; crystal tiaras decorated with flourishes of gold; diamond rings and golden necklaces; tuxedos and top hats and tails. Each item fitting perfectly, as if made to measure.
When they were dressed, the guests made their way through the streets, drawn towards the Emporium like sleepwalkers through enchanted dreams.
They approached the shop, and came together, standing silently in neat rows, neither asleep nor awake.
None of them noticed when Vindictus Sharpe slipped from the shadows and joined the gathering crowd. He was not attired in Halloween shades like everyone else. He wore a finely tailored suit the colour of charcoal, and carried a silver-topped cane. His silver hair and moustache were neat, and his eyes were an unnatural, electric blue.
Strolling through the queue, Sharpe selected one of the guests, reaching over an elderly man’s shoulder, plucking the invite from his hands. Then he whispered something in the old man’s ear, and at once the old man turned and began to walk dreamily away from the Emporium, heading for home.
When every guest was present, the frozen clocks kicked back to life, filling the night with their ticking. The Emporium’s delicate golden gate turned to dust and scattered in the crisp New York breeze. The queue began to filter in.
Sharpe moved up the line in silence.
Guests were disappearing behind a heavy red velvet curtain, awakening as they crossed the threshold. There were two doormen on the other side, collecting tickets and directing wonderstruck guests towards the ballroom.
Sharpe handed over his stolen ticket and walked past them.
He was in.
CHAPTER 17
GHOSTS
“Ellie! This is your fault.”
Daniel stormed down a passageway of shimmering black brick, trailing Ellie behind.
“Sorry,” she said, trying not to laugh. “You look great. Really.”
“This,” said Daniel, grabbing a handful of the black lace ruffles spilling from his orange suit, “does not look great! How could it possibly look great?” He turned and strode off with as much dignity as he could.
“How many times do you want me to apologise?” asked Ellie, catching him up. “Papa asked me what I thought you might like to wear. I couldn’t resist. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the same to me, because I know you would!”
“I’ll get you back for this.”
They reached a grand set of arched black doors. A single word had been painted on its nameplate in flowery letters:
Ballroom
Daniel pulled on the golden door handles, and the doors swung open.
A huge, circular Wonder opened up before him, with a marblefloor and a high domed ceiling of deepest black, finished with scattered golden stars. The wall of the ballroom was made entirely of glass, circular and continuous, looking out towards the illusion of a clear night sky and an impossibly large full moon.
The floor was crowded with guests in orange, black and gold. Many had been cornered by members of the Emporium staff, who were excited by the rare opportunity to speak freely with those from beyond the shop’s walls. Ghostly waiters walked among the guests. They carried golden trays neatly stacked with goblets of orange liquid, piles of chocolate bats and liquorice spiders, apples coated in rich caramel and chocolate, all filling the room with delicious sweet scents.
A hush began to fall over the crowd. Heads turned towards a raised circular platform in the centre of the floor, where a ghostly brass band had assembled.
And then the band began to play.
Waves of music swept the ballroom, enveloping guests and staff alike, carrying them off into waltzes and spins and toe-tapping, high-kicking barn dances.
Daniel could not resist the urge to dance. He felt a hand on his arm, found himself on the floor with Anja, the snake-charmer. They danced
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