Clementine Rose and the Seaside Escape 5 Read Online Free Page A

school.’
    ‘School’s okay.’ Freddy shrugged. ‘But I like holidays better.’
    Clementine stroked Lavender’s tummy and the little pig grunted.
    ‘Where are your mum and dad?’ she asked, looking up at the sandy-haired boy.
    ‘Dad had a conference and Mum went too, so that’s why we’re staying with Granny. Where’s your dad?’ Freddy asked.
    Clementine paused. She remembered when she told Angus Archibald that her father was a mystery and he’d told her that was stupid.
    ‘I don’t know,’ she replied. ‘I’ve never met him.’
    ‘You have a nice mum,’ Freddy said, smiling. ‘And your Uncle Digby is funny . . . but I’m not sure about that old lady.’
    Clementine giggled. ‘You mean Aunt Violet? She looks scarier than she is.’
    ‘Do you want me to show you the rock pools?’ Freddy asked.
    Clementine nodded. Lavender was lying down with her eyes almost closed. Lady Clarissa wandered down onto the beach.
    ‘Mummy, can we go to the rock pools, please?’ Clementine asked.
    ‘Yes, of course. I’ll come too. Make sure you put your sandals on first. Those rocks can be sharp,’ Lady Clarissa replied.
    The children put their shoes back on, and raced towards the far end of the beach. A sheer cliff rose up from the rocks. With the harbour wall at one end and the cliff at the other, the beach was a perfect crescent. Lady Clarissa and Lavender followed behind. Lavender was busy investigating the sand, snout down.
    ‘Look at this,’ Freddy called as he jumped across a puddle onto the start of the rocky outcrop. He crouched down and stared into the clear pool.
    ‘What is it?’ Clementine squatted down beside him.
    ‘Hang on.’ Freddy scampered away then returned with a thin piece of driftwood. He poked it into the water.
    A tentacle reached out and wrapped around the stick.
    ‘It’s an octopus!’ Clementine gasped. She’d never seen one in real life.
    ‘Isn’t it cool?’ Freddy said as the creature played tug of war with him. After a few seconds, the octopus released the stick and hid beneath a rock in the pool.
    ‘What else is there?’ Clementine asked eagerly.
    Freddy leapt over another puddle towards a much bigger pool.
    ‘Look at this!’ he shouted as Clementine picked her way carefully over to join him.

    A tiny crab scurried sideways, then was joined by several more. Clementine stared into the water, watching a large crab that was moving slowly along the bottom of the pool.
    After a minute, she glanced up and noticed the way the rock shelf jutted out towards the sea. ‘What’s on the other side?’ Clementine asked.
    ‘There’s another beach and something really amazing,’ said Freddy.
    ‘Mummy, can we go around further?’ Clementine called to Lady Clarissa, who was now sitting on a large rock with Lavender beside her.
    Lady Clarissa’s voice carried back to them on the wind. ‘Yes, darling, just be careful.’
    Freddy led the way.
    ‘This is a proper adventure,’ said Clementine with a smile.
    The children jumped and hopped their way across the uneven surface, careful not to slip into the pools. Around the point, the rock shelf curved back towards the cliffs. A few steps below them was a narrow inlet, and on the other side another tiny beach, with a patch of green grass behind it.
    ‘Can you see anything?’ Freddy asked, as he pointed at the cliff face on the other side of the inlet.
    Clementine looked at the vines that tumbled over the top of the ledge and hung down like a veil.
    ‘What is it?’ she said, squinting.
    Freddy pointed again. ‘Just there.’
    Clementine gasped. Hidden behind the vines was the outline of an opening. ‘It’s a cave!’
    Freddy grinned.
    ‘Have you been in there?’ Clementine asked.
    ‘Yes,’ the boy nodded.
    ‘But it’s dark and we haven’t got a torch,’ Clementine said.
    ‘I’ve got a special torch,’ Freddy said, ‘but it’s at home.’
    The boy made his way down the rocks, then jumped across the shallow inlet to the