across the hall to the bathroom, still half-asleep. As she washed her hands, she glanced through the sheer curtains and wondered about the red glow across the field. Clementine rubbed her eyes and pulled the curtain back.
âMummy!â she yelled. âMummy! Come quickly.â
Lady Clarissa had been sound asleep. So had Uncle Digby and Aunt Violet. But within a minute the three of them bumped into each other on the landing.
âGoodness, Clementine, youâll wake the dead with that bellowing,â Aunt Violet grumbled.
Lady Clarissa pushed open the bathroom door. âWhatâs the matter, Clemmie?â
âLook!â She pointed out the window.
Lady Clarissa focused. Uncle Digby pulled his glasses out of his dressing-gown pocket.
âGood heavens,â he said. âIâll call the brigade.â He raced out to the telephone on the small table near the top of the stairs.
Aunt Violet peered through the window, her eyes adjusting to the light. âOh, oh dear. I wonder what it is. Donât just stand there, Clarissa. We should see if thereâs anything we can do.â
âAunt Violet, I donât think weâll be much help,â said Lady Clarissa.
âGodfathers, Clarissa, donât be so dull. Itâs the most exciting thing to happen aroundhere for a jolly long time and Iâm not about to miss it,â the old woman sniffed.
Clementine was dancing about. She wanted to see what was happening too.
âWell donât just stand there, Clementine. Get your dressing-gown,â Aunt Violet insisted.
The child rushed back across the hall to her bedroom. She pulled her dressing-gown from the end of her bed and dragged it over her arms, then stuffed her feet into her slippers.
Clementine hurried downstairs with her mother close behind her. Uncle Digby was in the entrance hall but Aunt Violet had disappeared.
âHas she gone to get a bucket?â Digby asked. âIâll get the car keys.â
The wailing of sirens in the distance signalled that the fire truck was on its way from Highton Mill.
Aunt Violet thumped downstairs and elbowed Digby out of the way. âIâll drive! Weâre not taking that clapped-out bomb of yours.â
Aunt Violetâs shiny red car was parked out the front of the house. A minute later, everyone was strapped into their seats. The back wheels spun as Aunt Violet planted her foot on the accelerator. The car hurtled down the driveway, out onto the street and around the corner to the village.
âLook out!â Clementine called as the fire truck raced past. Aunt Violet swerved out of the way.
âManiacs! We could have been killed,â Aunt Violet huffed.
âAunt Violet. Thatâs the fire brigade.â Clementine shook her head. âYou have to get out of their way.â
Aunt Violet followed the truck past Mrs Moggâs store and the church.
âWhatâs on fire?â she asked, squinting to see.
âOh no!â Lady Clarissa gasped.
âWell, what is it?â Aunt Violet demanded.
âItâs the village hall,â Clarissa replied.
Aunt Violet pulled a face. âIs that all?â
âDonât sound so disappointed, Miss Appleby,âDigby said from the back seat. Heâd just managed to right himself and remove the seatbelt from around his neck. âWhat were you hoping for? Mrs Moggâs shop? The village inn, or some poor soulâs home?â
âDonât be ridiculous, Pertwhistle!â Aunt Violet retorted. âI just meant that Iâm glad itâs nothing important.â
âThe village hall is important, Aunt Violet,â Clementine said from the back seat. âThatâs where we have the flower show and the village concert and where Ana was going to start her ballet school.â
âWhoâs Ana?â Aunt Violet asked.
Clementine began to explain but was interrupted.
âDoes the woman have any experience?â