Diamond Read online

  ‘No, Beppo. I’m just saying – in my opinion.’

  ‘Well, shut your mouth. No one’s interested in your opinion, you great plank of wood. You’re not in charge of the act. I am. And I shall do as I please. And I didn’t waste all that good money on the girl just to have her do a few baby somersaults and a prance or two. She’s got natural ability. She’ll learn quickly.’

  I didn’t seem to have any natural ability left. I couldn’t learn at all. I was terrified, even wearing the safety harness. The springboard propelled me upwards, but each time I panicked, unable to tuck myself into a neat ball to turn the double somersault required. I failed to land neatly on my feet. I didn’t come to too much harm as the safety harness held me upright, but it dug into me under my armpits and jarred my whole body.

  I was forced to practise for hours and hours every morning, and then appear to be as fresh as a daisy for the afternoon and evening performances. I was sick one morning because I was in such a state of terror. Mister wouldn’t let me have any breakfast at all after that, so I had to train on a totally empty stomach.

  ‘That poor little child is exhausted,’ said Madame Adeline, coming into the big top and taking hold of me by the shoulders. ‘For shame, Beppo. Just look at her!’

  ‘You mind your own business, Addie,’ he growled.

  ‘See the circles under her eyes. She’s nothing but skin and bone. Can’t you see, Beppo, you’re killing the little goose who’ll lay you golden eggs,’ she told him.

  ‘Do I tell you how to train that nag of yours, Addie?’ he asked.

  ‘If you saw me beating my poor Midnight to death I hope you’d step in and stop me,’ said Madame Adeline. ‘Because you’d realize I was losing my mind.’

  ‘That’s enough, woman. I won’t have anyone talk to me like that, let alone some raddled old biddy who should have been pensioned off years ago,’ said Beppo, suddenly cuttingly cruel.

  Madame Adeline flushed. ‘I believe you’re at least five years older than me, Beppo,’ she said, calmly enough. ‘And at least I am still an artiste – not reduced to clowning.’ She walked away, her head held high, but when I saw her later at the afternoon’s performance her eyes were red.

  My eyes were red too – and there were ugly scarlet weals across my back because Beppo had given me the threatened royal beating at last.

  HE DIDN’T BEAT me again. He didn’t need to. The fear of his stick made me quiver every time he looked at me. I strained even harder to learn springboard skills, but still failed miserably.

  Mr Marvel spoke up for me too.

  ‘You’re wasting your time, Beppo. Try when the child is a year or two older. She hasn’t got the strength or the skill just yet. It stands to reason: she’s still only a baby. I know my little Mavis is the star of the act – she knows it too, bless her – but I don’t try to teach her too many tricks just now because it will only confuse and frustrate her. Patience, Beppo. Be thankful. Your Diamond is a little star.’

  ‘Hold your tongue, Monkey Man,’ Mister replied. ‘I know what I’m doing.’

  I heard him discussing me with Chino, the other clown. I was hiding from him, under the wagon.

  ‘You know the boys’ big finale is the human column I devised. When it used to be just Marvo and Julip it didn’t look anything special. But then young Tag came along and I trained him hard, and once he joined, it became a showstopper, the three of them balancing together. And if only that maddening little fairy would take flight it would look magnificent. She’s so light, and Marvo’s steady as a rock. Imagine it, Chino, the four of them in a column. All she has to do is somersault and land on Tag’s shoulders, one simple tiny trick – and it will bring the house down. I could have posters made. She’d be like the fairy doll on top of the Christmas tree.’ Mister groaned and thumped his fist against the wagon, making it shake.

  I curled up into a tight ball. I wondered about running away. It would be difficult, though, to slip off undetected. Tag always knew where I was and what I was up to, and he’d tell on me. Mister would find me and drag me back and give me another whipping.

  I shivered at the thought. I wasn’t even sure where I was now. We’d travelled far away from home. If I did somehow manage to escape, it would take me many days to walk back. I had no stout boots, only the soft slippers I wore in the ring. And how would I know which way to walk? I had never learned geography. I knew there were such things as maps, but I couldn’t read enough to make sense of them.

  And suppose I did manage to stumble all the way home – what would I do then? I very much doubted that Pa would take me back. My brothers had never really cared for me – and even Mary-Martha might have forgotten me. I couldn’t really call Willoughby Buildings home any more.

  I fell asleep on the damp grass beneath the wagon dreaming of a real home. I’d have Madame Adeline for my mother and Mr Marvel for my father and all the monkeys for my brothers and sisters. Mavis would be my special favourite, and would cuddle up with me every night in my safe, warm bed. I would eat pink cake and violet chocolates and sweet dates every day. I might perform on a little stage to earn my keep – an easy carpet act of somersaults and handstands – but my dear parents wouldn’t hear of my attempting any springboard movements. It would be a solo act, no silver boys. Or perhaps it could be a double act with little Mavis.

  It was Mavis herself who helped Mister’s dream to come true. One wet and stormy Saturday night we were all working hard pulling down the drenched big top and securing the animals when a bolt of lightning flashed right above us. Elijah trumpeted in alarm, nearly pulling free of his tether. The lions roared, the sea lions barked, Midnight and the wagon horses reared up on their hind legs, whinnying in fear.

  Mr Marvel was in the process of cajoling his monkeys into their travelling cage. They were all chattering anxiously, baring their teeth.

  ‘Into your cage, my lovelies, and I’ll draw the curtain and then you won’t see the horrid lightning,’ he told them.

  ‘Come along, little Mavis, in you go,’ I said, giving her a gentle flick.

  The four adult monkeys sprang into their familiar cage, cowering together in a corner, but just as baby Mavis was scrabbling in, a great boom of thunder made her squeal. She spun round and darted away, across the muddy grass, before either Mr Marvel or I could catch her.

  ‘Mavis! Come here, baby! Come to your papa!’ Mr Marvel called frantically – but she was already out of sight.

  ‘Help!’ I cried. ‘Mavis is missing! Please, everyone, try to catch her!’

  It was hard because everyone was busy and the other animals were still frantic. It was pitch dark in the pouring rain, but most people came running to help all the same. Mr Marvel was crying unashamedly, hobbling backwards and forwards, calling hoarsely.

  We looked amongst the cages, the wagons, the sodden folds of the great big top, but there was no sign of the little monkey.

  Madame Adeline got Midnight safely into his horsebox, and then joined in the hunt, with only a shawl to protect her pink spangles. She had a chunk of her special cake in her hand. ‘It’s Mavis’s favourite. I give her a few crumbs as a special treat,’ she explained. ‘Mavis? Mavis, where are you, darling? Come and have some of Madame Addie’s lovely cake!’

  My silver boys all helped to search too. Tag dashed everywhere, but even his quick eye could not spot Mavis. Mister mounted the clowns’ penny-farthing and started trundling the whole length of the field.

  ‘We’ll have to start moving soon or we’ll never get to Waynefleet by morning,’ shouted Mr Tanglefield.

  ‘I can’t leave without my baby,’ Mr Marvel wept.

  ‘Then you’ll have to stay here and join us later. I can’t halt the whole circus for a monkey.’

  ‘It’s not any monkey. It’s my Mavis!’

  ‘I’ll stay and help you find her, Mr Marvel,’ I said, clutching his arm.

  ‘You’ll do no such thing. You’re coming with us,’ said Beppo. ‘Now get in the wagon. You’re soaking wet.