Diamond Read online

  So I turned my back on her too and started playing a rowdy push-and-shove game with Tag, wanting to show her I was having fun without her. I decided I didn’t care in the slightest if Hetty and I weren’t speaking – though I found I was still trembling.

  ‘Are you cold, little one?’ said Marvo, putting his big arm around me.

  ‘I’m fine,’ I said, trying to compose myself.

  ‘She’s just a little nervous,’ said Julip. ‘I know I always am.’

  ‘Oh, you two!’ jeered Tag. ‘I don’t know what’s up with you. You’re pathetic.’

  ‘I’m not the slightest bit pathetic,’ I said, and I pushed him hard.

  I was trembling more than ever – and it didn’t stop when we went running into the ring.

  ‘Clap your hands together for the magnificent tumbling Silver Tumblers, together with little Diamond, the Acrobatic Child Wonder!’ Hetty announced, sounding so enthusiastic I wondered if we were friends again after all, but she didn’t smile at me or whisper good luck as I passed by.

  I did my somersaults, forward and back, I did my flic-flacs, my cartwheels, my little prancing dance. I did not falter, I did not stumble. And then it was my turn on the springboard. Marvo and Julip and Tag had formed their human column.

  I stepped onto the board, trembling more than ever. I suddenly felt terribly sick and wondered if I was going to vomit right there in the middle of the ring. I glanced at Mister. He was watching me intently, eyes steely grey. His hands were clenched, the knuckles white. I thought of the beating I would get if I refused.

  So I sprang up in the air and hurtled forward – but the trembling seemed to take over, shaking me off course. I couldn’t get quite high enough. I desperately tried to land on Tag’s shoulders, but I was too low. My feet thumped into his chest, and he wobbled and lost his balance. He fell to the ground, bringing Julip with him – and I fell too, screaming.

  Marvo ran forward frantically and caught hold of me just before I reached the ground. I still landed with a terrible thump, but he broke my fall. I lay there, utterly stunned. I stared upwards, my eyes dazzled by a very bright light. I remembered Ma’s stories of Heaven, the shining land above the clouds. Had I died and arrived there already? I thought of all those avenging angels. I seemed to hear them rustling, beating their wings to get to me.

  ‘Go away, angels!’ I shouted in terror.

  ‘Oh my Lord, she’s talking of angels! Diamond! Oh, Diamond, you absolutely are not allowed to die!’

  It was Hetty, kneeling beside me, clutching me desperately as if she were physically preventing me from ascending heavenwards. I blinked and realized that the brightness above me was simply the glare of the gaslight in the ring, the rustling the movement of the crowd as they stood up, gasping, wondering if I was dead.

  Very gingerly, I tried to move. I was lying half on poor Marvo, half on the sawdust. My head hurt, and I felt blood trickling from my temple and a sharp pain in my wrist, but I still seemed to be breathing in and out, and I could certainly feel my heart beating in my chest.

  ‘I – I don’t think I’m going to die,’ I mumbled. ‘So don’t be cross with me, Hetty.’

  ‘Oh, Diamond, I’ll never, ever be cross with you again! I feel so terrible. I’m sure you slipped because I’d upset you so much. I’m so, so sorry. I’ll never forgive myself.’

  ‘And I’ll never forgive the pair of you, ruining the act,’ Mister hissed. He pulled at me. ‘Come on, get on your feet – don’t just lie there like a broken doll. Show the audience you’re fine!’

  ‘She’s not fine! She could have broken her neck! See how she’s bleeding! Lie still, Diamond, until they’ve fetched a doctor,’ Hetty commanded.

  ‘Stand up, or I’ll give you a royal beating,’ Mister insisted, and so I struggled to my feet.

  I swayed dizzily but managed to stay upright, clutching Hetty. Marvo stood up too, shaking his great head and flexing his huge arms.

  ‘You caught me! Oh, Marvo, you were brilliant!’ I said. ‘Have I hurt you?’

  ‘It would take more than a tiny pipsqueak like you to hurt me,’ he said.

  ‘And are you hurt, Julip? And Tag?’ I asked anxiously.

  They smiled and shook their heads at me, though they looked very shocked.

  ‘Acknowledge the crowd! Stand up properly and take a bow!’ said Mister.

  ‘For pity’s sake!’ said Hetty, but Mister didn’t have a penny’s worth of pity for any of us.

  We bowed, and the audience applauded furiously. I tried to wave at them, but I used my sore hand and my wrist jarred terribly. Hetty saw me wince and picked me up in her arms.

  ‘Come, Diamond, I’m taking you to lie down in our wagon,’ she said.

  ‘Leave her be! You’re staying here and getting on with your job!’ said Mr Tanglefield. ‘Come on, before the crowd gets restless. Announce the next act!’

  ‘What’s the matter with you men? How can you be so utterly heartless?’ Hetty protested.

  ‘You’ll do as I say! You’ve signed a contract – you announce every act, whether you feel like it or not. We’re professionals, circus artistes. All this fuss over one little tumble, and the child’s not even badly hurt. You were the one who badgered me to employ you – so don’t you dare look all reproachful and woebegone. I’ve had enough of your nonsense. You’re employed by me, under my terms, and you do as I say, Miss High-and-Mighty Hetty Feather!’

  ‘Please, Hetty, do as he says. I’m fine now – it was just a little bump,’ I said quickly, not wanting to get her into further trouble.

  ‘You’ll get more than a little bump from me, my fairy,’ Mister hissed in my ear – and when Marvo picked me up and carried me away, he followed.

  They took me to our wagon. I hated letting Mister into our lovely little blue haven, but I couldn’t stop him. Marvo laid me carefully on my bed and gently felt my limbs. I gave a cry when he got to my wrist, especially when he manipulated it.

  ‘I’m so sorry, Diamond. I’m just trying to see if it’s broken. I think it’s just a bad sprain. I’ll send Tag for a doctor,’ said Marvo.

  ‘Nonsense! The child is fine, she says so herself. She don’t need no doctor! What a pack of softies you are. I broke my wretched back and they didn’t send for no doctor for me,’ snapped Mister.

  ‘Yes, and you’ve been in serious pain and crippled ever since,’ Marvo pointed out. ‘We don’t want that to happen to Diamond, do we?’

  ‘There’s no “we” about it! We don’t own her and we don’t have a say in how she’s looked after. I own her, and I decide what to do with her. Now clear out of the wagon. I need to have a private word with the little madam,’ said Mister. ‘I’m going to teach her a lesson or two.’

  ‘Don’t hurt her, Beppo. Look at the poor mite – she’s terrified already and desperately sore. She’s learned her lesson,’ said Marvo.

  ‘She needs to learn it again – and again and again, if necessary. It’s the only way to teach her. I was even harder on you, and look at you now, rock solid.’

  ‘I can take it. So can Tag. Even Julip. But look at Diamond properly, Beppo – look at her. You can’t beat a little baby like her.’

  ‘If I’d beaten her a bit harder, she’d concentrate better and not ruin the act,’ said Mister.

  ‘That’s another thing – the crowd will be looking out for her in the grand parade at the end. If you hurt her, they’ll see – and they could turn ugly,’ Marvo told him.

  ‘Hmm . . .’ Mister nodded curtly. ‘I suppose that makes sense. Do you hear that, Diamond? Your big brother’s saved your bacon. For today! Just you wait till tomorrow. Now wash that blood off your dirty face and comb your hair and stop that snivelling. We’ll tie up your wrist and you’ll be as good as new. I want you in that ring, smiling all over your face, at the end of the show, do you hear me?’

  ‘I hear you, Mister,’ I whispered.

  He stomped off, and I threw my arms round Marvo’s neck.

  ‘Thank you for savi