The Sequin Star by Belinda Murrell

girls, introducing the beautiful . . . Princess Rosina of Romani . Born into a royal gypsy family, Princess Rosina’s family fled Europe after the Great War. She is now the world -famous bareback rider and equestrienne extraordinaire . Give a big round of applause for our very own Princess Rosina . . . ’
    The crowd broke into loud applause. A large black Friesian horse galloped into the ring. The scarlet plumes on his bridle danced as he tossed his head. Rosina rode him bareback, waving her hand to the crowd as she circled the ring. A moment later she had swung herself up so she was kneeling on his back. Then she suddenly sprang to her feet and was standing on the horse’s broad rump, her right foot forward and her arms spread wide.
    Claire drew in a sharp breath, her heart in her mouth. The horse whooshed past, Rosina poised above. The band played a rousing tune, increasing the tempo and the tension.
    Rosina danced on the horse’s rump, changing feet and landing perfectly each time. She jumped up and landed facing backward. She jumped and landed face forward again, but balancing on one leg, the other pointed high behind her in arabesque.
    Claire clapped until her palms ached. On the final circuit of the ring, Rosina performed a somersault high in the air, her knees tucked to her chest and her dark hair flying. She landed perfectly on the horse’s rump, her arms stretched out triumphantly and a broad smile on her face. The horse circled the ring once more at a canter while Rosina waved and blew kisses.
    Rosina did another somersault and landed lightly on the sawdust in the centre of the ring. The horse followed and stopped beside her. He tucked one leg under his chest and bobbed his head, bowing to the clamouring audience. Rosina rubbed his face and ears, feeding him a chunk of apple from her pocket. Then she, too, curtsied deeply to left, right and centre, her satin ballet shoes pointed daintily.
    Alf cracked his whip. Rosina leapt back up onto the horse and together they cantered out of the ring.
    â€˜Let’s give another huge hand to the lovely, the one and only, Princess Rosina and her Friesian stallion Pluto.’ The audience obliged with enthusiasm.
    More acts followed: performing dogs, the tightrope walker, the clowning bears and a fire juggler. Rosina entered the Big Top again, this time walking beside Elsie with Lula on her shoulder. Rosina had changed from her horse-riding tutu into a sparkling, Eastern-inspired outfit with harem pants and a veil. Jem, wearing a turban, rolled out several big pedestals and placed them in the centre.
    Alf called out instructions to the massive creatures. Elsie curled her trunk around Rosina’s waist and hoisted her up onto her back. The elephants paraded around the ring, Empress holding Elsie’s tail.
    The two elephants sat on the pedestals, balancing on their haunches. They climbed on top of the pedestals with all four legs. Then, upon another command from Alf, they reared up on their hind legs. The crowd roared. All the while Rosina and Lula were perched on Elsie’s back, smiling and waving as the huge animals moved through their paces.
    Jem ran out into the ring with another helper. They set up a tightrope suspended half a metre above the ground. On either side were brightly coloured pedestals. There was another drum roll from the band.
    Elsie clambered onto a small pedestal, her massive weight balanced precariously on her four feet. Slowly, carefully she stepped out onto the tightrope. There was a loud oooh from the crowd. Claire held her breath. Rosina held both her arms out wide. Elsie inched out, placing one foot after the other, and slowly walked along the tightrope. She flapped her ears and swayed her trunk, as if that helped her huge body to balance.
    At last, Elsie stepped down from the pedestal at the other end, the crossing safely completed. She wound her trunk around Rosina’s waist and gently lowered her to the