Clementine Rose and the Surprise Visitor 1 Read Online Free Page B

Everyone knows that pigs are huge and disgusting and they live outside in sties. Off you go. Your mother and I need to talk. About you, among other things.’
    ‘Aunt Violet, please don’t speak to my daughter like that.’ Clarissa spoke in a voice barely more than a whisper.
    ‘But I can’t go,’ said Clementine with a scowl. ‘I told you already. Lavender’s asleep.’ She was becoming more certain that her great-aunt was hard of hearing.
    ‘Where is this so-called teacup pig?’ asked Violet. ‘I suppose you keep it in the kitchen, do you?’
    ‘She’s under my chair,’ Clementine replied.
    Aunt Violet gasped. She looked towards Clarissa, who nodded, then back at Clementine. The child pointed under her chair. Violet knelt down to look. Clementine Rose knelt down at the other end of the table. Their eyes locked underneath.

    ‘There she is,’ Clementine whispered, and pointed. ‘Please don’t wake her up because she’s very tired.’ She put her finger to her lips.
    Violet settled back into her chair.
    ‘What sort of circus are you running here, Clarissa?’ the old woman demanded. ‘First a child, then a pig in the house and those friends of yours in the sitting room had the hide to ask me if I could get them some more soap for their bathroom – what do I look like? The hired help?’ Violet placed her teacup on the table with a thud.
    ‘I can explain,’ Clarissa began.
    Digby Pertwhistle entered the room, carrying the tea tray full of dirty cups and saucers. ‘Good afternoon, Miss Appleby,’ Digby said with a nod towards her. ‘Welcome back to Penberthy House.’
    ‘I can’t believe that you’re still here. I thought you’d have shuffled off years ago,’ the woman snarled.
    ‘And it’s lovely to see you too.’ Digby winked at Clementine as he went to the sink and began to unpack the tray.
    ‘The place is falling down around your ears, Clarissa, and you still insist on having Pertwhistle here,’ Violet hissed. ‘I can’t imagine how you pay the man.’
    ‘Mummy wins things,’ Clementine said.
    Clarissa had hoped Clementine wouldn’t bring that subject up.
    ‘What do you mean?’ Violet demanded.
    ‘Mummy wins lots of competitions. She won that coffee machine and this whole kitchen and new beds for upstairs and even a holiday to Tahiti that Uncle Digby took last year,’ Clementine explained. ‘She won Lavender at the fair too, which was very lucky because teacup pigs cost a lot of money.’
    ‘Well, aren’t you just the fortunate one, Clarissa,’ Violet said through pursed lips.
    ‘How long are you staying, Aunt Violet?’ Clementine asked.
    ‘I haven’t decided,’ the woman replied.
    Lady Clarissa and Digby Pertwhistle looked at each other, horrified at the thought of having to put up with the woman for any longer than a night.
    ‘Mummy’s very good at looking after people,’ Clementine announced.
    Clarissa and Digby gulped in unison. It was another of those times they both wished Clementine wasn’t quite so honest.
    ‘Clementine, why don’t you take Lavender upstairs and put her in her basket?’ her mother suggested. ‘I’m sure you can do that without waking her up.’
    Clementine peeked at the sleepy pig. Digby lifted the chair and Clementine picked her up, cradling her like a baby.
    ‘That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen in my life,’ Violet huffed, then shooed Clementine as if waving away a pesky fly. ‘Well, hurry up then, off you go.’
    When Aunt Violet wasn’t looking, Clementine wrinkled her nose at the beastly woman.

C lementine Rose carried the dozing pig upstairs to her bedroom and laid her in her basket. Lavender stirred and grunted a couple of times but Clemmie tickled her tummy and soon she was fast asleep.
    Clementine spent some time colouring in and practising the new poem Uncle Digby had taught her but after a while she felt fidgety.
    She noticed that the house had fallen quiet. Usually that meant the guests were off on a