The Magic Princess Dress Page 9

  ‘That’s the strange thing. It was . . .’ Ava paused, suddenly unsure how to explain why she had been looking inside Dinah’s wooden trunk. ‘I’ll tell you later, but shouldn’t you hurry up and change, if you’re going to wear it to the ball?’

  Tilly was beaming with excitement as Ava started to help her out of Marietta’s dress. ‘I can’t believe it!’ she kept saying over and over. ‘You’ve got to tell me where it was!’

  ‘I will tell you,’ Ava promised. ‘But let’s wait until Dad and Dinah get here. Where are they anyway?’

  ‘Your father is escorting Dinah back to the sewing room. He’s a very kind and well-mannered gentleman, isn’t he?’

  Ava flushed a little as she answered, ‘Yes, I suppose he is.’ Dad seemed very different here from how he was at home, she thought. In the real world he never seemed to mix much with other people or be very interested in making friends. Here he seemed a lot more involved with those around him. In fact, it was almost as if this was where he felt most comfortable.

  ‘What do you think?’ Tilly asked, after she had carefully pulled on her dress and smoothed down the creases with her hands.

  The rainbow-coloured dress appeared to be made of several overlapping layers of fine material. It had a simple, perfectly fitting bodice, long elegant sleeves and a stunning multicoloured sash tied at the waist, beneath which the long flowing skirt billowed out in a mass of rippling colour.

  ‘I’ve never seen anything like it before!’ Ava gasped. For the dress seemed to come alive in an almost magical way as Tilly twirled round, the colours merging with each other like those of a real rainbow.

  ‘Good,’ Tilly said grinning. ‘Come on. Let’s go down to the sewing room and show Dinah.’

  Briefly Ava worried about leaving Cindy – who was still asleep on the bed. But she couldn’t bear to wake her up and have her cause lots of trouble again. Besides, she reassured herself, in her cat-form Cindy could sleep for hours at a time if she was left undisturbed.

  The two girls hurried along the corridor and down the servants’ staircase to the sewing room, where Tilly burst into the room excitedly. Ava’s father was there with Dinah and when he saw Ava he frowned.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ he demanded sternly. ‘I told you to wait with Cindy.’

  ‘Cindy’s fast asleep, and I’m sure she won’t wake up again for ages,’ Ava said. ‘Dad, I just found Tilly’s dress. The one she really did make herself! Doesn’t she look beautiful in it?’

  They were interrupted by an exclamation of concern from Tilly. ‘Dinah, what’s the matter?’

  Both Ava and her father turned to look, and saw that Dinah had gone very pale. Judging by her face, anyone would think she had just seen a ghost – a real ghost – thought Ava.

  ‘Your dress . . .’ Dinah murmured, staring at Tilly. ‘I’m so sorry . . .’

  ‘It’s all right – there’s still time to wear it to the ball,’ Tilly said, cheerfully. She turned back to Ava and asked breathlessly, ‘Where did you find it, Princess Ava? Did the ugly sisters have it?’

  Ava slowly shook her head. ‘I found it . . . I found it . . .’ she began, but something about the look on Dinah’s face made her stop.

  ‘It’s all right, my dear. Let me tell her,’ Dinah said shakily. Slowly she turned to Tilly and continued, ‘Princess Ava found your dress in our room, Tilly – hidden inside my trunk. The truth is, I’m the one who took it.’

  ‘You?’ Tilly looked disbelieving.

  ‘I was worried about what would happen if you won the competition,’ said Dinah. ‘To have a wish granted by the fairy godmother seems like such a risky prize. You know how unpredictable her spells can be. But it wasn’t just that. It was the thought of you going away and leaving me that really made me do it.’ Dinah started to cry.

  ‘I don’t understand. Why would you think I would leave you?’ Tilly asked, still looking incredulous.

  ‘If the fairy godmother grants your wish to have your own dress shop, then of course you’ll go,’ Dinah replied.

  ‘Don’t be silly!’ Tilly protested. ‘If that happened you could come and work in my dress shop with me. I’m not old enough to run a dress shop all by myself in any case.’

  Dinah shook her head sadly. ‘You’ll soon be old enough, Tilly, and by then I probably won’t even be able to sew properly any more. I already need your help to thread my needles. The fact is, I’ll be worse than useless as a seamstress soon.’

  ‘But, Dinah, I’d want you to come and live with me even if you couldn’t sew any more!’ Tilly exclaimed. ‘You’re my family, and I would never just go away and leave you! Why would you even think that?’

  Dinah sniffed. ‘Because . . . because . . .’ She trailed off, seeming unable to answer.

  In the painful silence that followed, Ava’s dad said softly, ‘Is it because you always expect the worst thing to happen, Dinah?’

  Before Dinah could reply, Tilly exclaimed, ‘But how could you expect the worst of me like that? I’d never just abandon you, after everything you’ve done for me. I don’t know how you could possibly think I would!’ She sounded angrier as she added, ‘And I don’t know how you could be so mean as to steal my dress!’

  Dinah hung her head. ‘I’m sorry, Tilly,’ she said. ‘It was mean – and I feel terrible about it.’

  ‘No you don’t! You wouldn’t have said anything if Ava hadn’t found the dress. I’ll never forgive you for this, Dinah. Never!’ And with tears streaming down her face Tilly burst out of the room.

  Ava would have gone after her if her dad hadn’t put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. ‘Leave her for a few minutes, Ava. She needs time to calm down. And I think Dinah has more to tell us.’

  He looked questioningly at Dinah who was still looking very pale and teary-eyed.

  ‘What else is there to tell?’ Dinah said hoarsely. ‘I was afraid, that’s all. I’ve always been afraid of losing the people I care about . . . ever since . . . ever since . . .’ She broke off.

  ‘Ever since what?’ Ava asked anxiously.

  Dinah sniffed, looking at Ava with a faraway expression in her eyes. ‘When I was a small child my parents were so poor they hardly had enough food to feed themselves, let alone me,’ she began slowly. ‘Nevertheless I loved them and trusted them – just like most children do their parents. One morning they left me on my own to sit and beg by the side of the road. My mother was very tearful that morning but she wouldn’t say why. They said if I waited there, they’d come back for me later that day. I started to cry and my father promised that if I was very good they would bring me back a fresh loaf of bread to eat. So I did as they said and I waited. But darkness came and they still hadn’t returned. I waited all night for them but they still didn’t come. Eventually I realized that they’d abandoned me.’ She sniffed again. ‘I became a beggar-girl after that and somehow I survived to grow up – but . . . well . . . I suppose I’ve always been on my guard for bad things happening ever since.’

  Ava stared at Dinah speechlessly, hardly able to imagine such a terrible thing happening to a small child. ‘Is that why you took Tilly in?’ she eventually whispered. ‘Because she was left on her own just like you were?’

  ‘Yes, and because I was lonely and I wanted someone to keep me company. Now of course I love her like I would my own daughter. So when she started telling me about her dream to go off and run her own dress shop, I suppose I just panicked.’ Dinah’s voice was very choked as she added, ‘The thing is, Tilly’s had just as difficult a start in life as I did. Her parents loved her very much and she missed them terribly after they died. I don’t expect her to feel sorry for me – or to forgive me.’

  There was a long silence in the room, broken only by the sound of Dinah’s weeping.

  Ava’s dad was looking thoughtful. ‘It sounds to me that at least Tilly has always felt loved – first by her parents and then by you, Dinah. Perhaps that might help her to forgive you.’

  As Dinah looked acros
s at him, still crying but with something like a flicker of hope in her eyes, Ava found herself wondering again why she had never seen this side of her dad before.

  ‘Come on, Ava,’ Dad added, putting one hand on her arm. ‘We have to go and check on Cindy. We’ll come back and say goodbye to Dinah before we leave.’

  After they had left the room Ava said in a small voice, ‘I don’t understand, Dad. This is fairytale land, isn’t it? I thought that only good things would happen here.’

  ‘Fairytales always end happily for the main characters, like Cinderella and the Prince,’ her dad said. ‘But some of the other characters don’t get quite such a good deal, I’m afraid.’

  As he spoke, Tilly stepped out into the corridor from one of the rooms behind them. Her face was still smudged with tears, although she was obviously trying hard to put on a brave face. ‘Princess Ava – wait! I want to come to the ball with you!’

  Ava and her father both turned, but before Ava could reply her dad said, ‘Ava isn’t going to the ball, Tilly. But you mustn’t let that stop you.’

  As Tilly’s face immediately fell, Ava begged, ‘Can’t I go with her, Dad? Please?’

  ‘We can’t leave Cindy on her own for any longer,’ Dad said firmly. ‘And don’t ask if I’ll stay with Cindy while you go to the ball without me, because the answer is no.’

  ‘I’ll go and sit with Cindy, if it would help, sir,’ said a nervous voice – and they looked round to see Dinah standing in the doorway of the sewing room. She still looked pale but she had stopped crying. ‘That way you can escort both the girls to the ball. And –’ she turned to look timidly at Tilly – ‘and afterwards I’d like to try and explain things a bit better to you, Tilly – if you’ll hear me out. I know I don’t deserve it but . . .’ She swallowed.

  Tilly frowned uncertainly as she met Dinah’s gaze, but after a few moments she slowly nodded.

  Ava turned eagerly to her father, who looked like he was weighing up his options.

  Eventually he asked Dinah, ‘Do you think you can handle Cindy if she turns back into a cat before we return?’

  ‘Oh, I’m sure she’ll be easier to manage as a cat than as a maid,’ Dinah replied. ‘Don’t worry, sir. I’m perfectly capable of handling her either way.’

  Dad turned back to Ava, who was giving him her most pleading look. ‘I suppose there isn’t any real danger in letting you go to the ball, so long as I’m with you,’ he admitted slowly. ‘Since Tilly is no longer wearing the dress you lent her, she shouldn’t get into any trouble with the fairy godmother.’

  ‘No – and if she wins the competition, then I really want to be there to see it!’ Ava said, beaming.

  ‘What time do they announce the winner?’ Dad asked Tilly.

  ‘At midnight,’ Tilly said. ‘Cinderella is to select the winner herself.’

  ‘Cinderella?!’ Ava gasped. After everything that had happened she had totally forgotten that Cinderella would be at the ball too. And she started to feel light-headed with excitement as she realized that at long last she was going to meet her favourite fairytale princess!

  13

  The ballroom was packed when they got there. The footman who had been announcing all the guests was still at the door, stifling a yawn and looking grumpy and exhausted. He recognized Tilly and waved her inside impatiently without bothering to announce her, but he clearly expected to formally introduce Ava and her father.

  Ava’s dad grinned – looking unusually playful all of a sudden as he murmured something to the footman.

  ‘His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Otto and his daughter, Princess Ava!’ the servant boomed out as they entered the ballroom.

  Ava gaped in disbelief at her father.

  ‘That’s what I called myself when I came here fifteen years ago, so I decided I’d better stick with it,’ he told her. Once they were inside the room he seemed to know exactly how to deal with all the other guests, she noticed, as she watched him bow his head politely to an elderly duke and kiss the outstretched hand of his rather haughty-looking, much bejewelled wife.

  The ball was now in full swing even though the royal family had yet to arrive. The musicians were playing a fast waltz very energetically, and the couples on the dance floor were whirling round the room – a mass of shimmering colours.

  Tilly had already gone over to the table where the fairy godmother was sitting. There was only one other young girl left in the queue, waiting to have her dress tested.

  Ava waved to her friend, mouthing, ‘Good luck!’ and Tilly gave her a nervous smile of thanks back.

  Ava looked across to where the other contestants were all gathered together waiting for the competition to begin. ‘I don’t think any of the other dresses are as beautiful as Tilly’s, do you?’ she said to her father.

  ‘Maybe not, but don’t get your hopes up too much, Ava,’ he replied warningly. ‘We don’t know for sure that she’ll win.’

  ‘Now you sound exactly like Dinah,’ Ava complained, pulling a face.

  Dad laughed. ‘Oh dear.’

  Over at the table, the fairy godmother was already pointing her wand at Tilly and for a few seconds Ava held her breath – but there was no need to worry. Tilly’s dress passed the test and she was soon being waved across to stand with the other contestants.

  The fairy godmother then raised her hand to signal to the musicians. The music stopped at once and all the guests who had been dancing were asked to leave the floor.

  The fairy godmother waited for the dance floor to empty completely before going to stand in the middle of it. ‘If I could have your attention, please, lords and ladies, dukes and duchesses, princes and princesses, counts and countesses, earls and . . . hmmm . . . yes . . . well . . . For the next dance I would like only the girls in our dress competition to take to the floor. I need to see their dresses more closely before I can decide which six are good enough to make it through to the final – which Cinderella is to judge herself.’

  ‘Where is Cinderella?’ one of the male guests called out.

  ‘She and the royal family will be here in their own good time, Duke Drink-a-lot,’ the fairy godmother replied sharply.

  ‘Yes, well, it’s taking them a very long time, if you ask me,’ muttered the duke grumpily, as he tipped his champagne glass up and downed it in one, before snapping his fingers for a servant to bring him some more.

  ‘He’s got a very silly name, hasn’t he?’ Ava whispered.

  Her dad grinned and pointed to a fat man in a gold-trimmed blue velvet suit, who was eating his way through a whole tray full of pork pies. ‘That’s his friend Earl Eat-a-lot over there. They both looked a lot younger – and a lot slimmer – fifteen years ago.’

  Ava giggled as the earl let out a loud burp.

  The head footman suddenly stepped into the middle of the floor beside the fairy godmother and cleared his throat loudly. He was holding a scroll of paper in one hand. ‘The King has asked me to make some announcements before the royal family make their entrance.’ He cleared his throat again before unrolling the paper.

  ‘By royal decree, there is to be no burping or wind-breaking of any description in the presence of the royal family,’ he declared, looking pointedly at Earl Eat-a-lot.

  This brought an amused titter from the audience and an indignant ‘Well, really!’ from the earl.

  ‘By royal decree, no one must tread on the toes of any member of the royal household while dancing,’ the footman continued.

  ‘I say, do we get thrown into the dungeons if we do?’ exclaimed Duke Drink-a-lot jokily – but nobody else laughed.

  ‘By royal decree, no one with bad breath is permitted to dance with their royal highnesses,’ the footman added, fixing his gaze firmly on the duke so that nobody could be in any doubt as to who that announcement referred to.

  The footman went on making announcements, which Ava barely took in because she was so excited. ‘I can’t wait to meet Cinderella,’ she whispered to her dad, who was looking at h
is watch. ‘Do you think I’ll be allowed to actually speak to her?’

  But before her dad could reply there was a loud crash as a tray of champagne glasses clattered to the floor just behind them.

  ‘Mouse!’ a terrified princess shrieked, stamping her feet up and down to try and crush the creature that had disappeared under the long skirt of her gown.

  ‘I say – that servant over there just vanished!’ called out another guest in a high-pitched voice. ‘Look – those are his clothes!’ He was pointing to a pile of servant’s clothes on the floor, close to where the tray had fallen.

  Other guests started screaming too as panic quickly spread about the room.

  ‘Dad – look!’ Ava said, pointing to the servant who Cindy had attacked earlier. She had just noticed him standing very still amid all the activity and his appearance was changing as they watched. Grey hair was growing on his face, and long white whiskers were growing out from either side of his mouth. Two pointy grey ears were sprouting from the top of his head, his nose was turning black and wet, and his eyes seemed to be shrinking. And poking out from underneath his jacket was a very fast-growing tail.

  A few seconds later the servant was gone and in his place was a second heap of clothes and another small squeaky mouse.

  ‘Catch him!’ yelled the fairy godmother.

  The dress competition was totally forgotten as chaos descended on the ballroom, with the fairy godmother tearing round the room in a frenzy, lifting up the skirts of all the ladies to see if there was a mouse hiding underneath any of them. As all the lady guests shrieked with indignation, their husbands and fathers shouted angrily for the fairy godmother to stop.

  In all the commotion, nobody noticed that the footman at the door was trying to make an important announcement. ‘Pray be upstanding for His Majesty –’ he began, but nobody heard him. ‘His Majesty the –’ he tried a second time – but still no one was listening.

  ‘WHAT is going on here?’ a loud voice suddenly bellowed above the din.