Dancing the Charleston Read online

  ‘So long as they use Pears’ soap without,’ said Ambrose, and laughed at his joke.

  I stared at Queen Elizabeth. She was a much older lady and she wasn’t actually pretty, but I liked her pale face and blue eyes and bright red hair. She was the smallest of all the beauties, but she held herself very erect. Perhaps she had to, because if she’d bent her head her pleated ruff would have dug into her chin. Her costume was very elaborate. It must have taken some poor dressmaker ages to embroider those wide skirts with gold thread and sew on all the pearls. Queen Elizabeth also wore several strings of pearls around her neck, and big rings on her little white fingers.

  Her hands were clasped in front of her, but when I looked closely I saw that she was twiddling her thumbs. Her heavy skirts were swaying slightly, as if she was shifting from one foot to the other. I thought it must be so tedious standing there hour after hour with all these people gawping at her.

  I stared at her sympathetically, and she stared back – and then suddenly winked. She wasn’t blinking. It was a deliberate wink, her blue eyes sparkling mischievously. I tried to wink back, but I’d never quite mastered the technique, and it was more of a grimace. I saw her mouth twitch.

  ‘I think Queen Elizabeth is by far the best beauty,’ I said, enunciating the words very distinctly and hoping she could lip-read.

  ‘Yes, well, you’re hardly an expert,’ said Esmeralda. ‘Come on, I think they’re giving out shampoo over there.’

  She turned her back – and Queen Elizabeth’s pink tongue suddenly poked out and waggled in Esmeralda’s direction. If the glass window hadn’t divided us, I’d have hugged her. I waved goodbye to her reluctantly, and she wiggled her fingers at me for a second.

  ‘Well, my chicks, time’s getting on. I think we’d better have a quick tea and then go and get the Underground train. We’ve got a long journey home,’ said Mr Benjamin.

  ‘No, no, I want to stay here for ever!’ said Bruno. ‘This is the best place in the whole world.’

  ‘And Uncle Benjamin is the best uncle in the whole world, isn’t he?’ said Marcella. ‘Three cheers for Uncle Benjamin! Hip hip hooray!’

  I joined in, even though he wasn’t my uncle. Ambrose raised his eyebrows and sighed, but he brightened when Mr Benjamin ordered Empire Cocktails in the Grand Restaurant. They were pink, and their silver swizzle sticks had little lions on the end. I’d have loved one myself because they looked so pretty. Mr Benjamin and Ambrose ate Devils on Horseback, which were prunes wrapped in bacon. They didn’t look very nice at all. We had fruit salad and cream, and iced walnut cake, and chocolate biscuits, all washed down with ginger beer.

  The restaurant overlooked a special children’s playground with the name Treasure Island in sparkly lights. The minute he’d finished his tea Bruno begged to go in.

  ‘No, darling boy, it’s too late. It’ll be getting dark soon. We must get you home,’ said Mr Benjamin.

  ‘Why do we have to go home when all those children in the playground are allowed to stay and have fun?’ asked Bruno.

  ‘It looks ever so nice in the playground,’ said Marcella, climbing on Mr Benjamin’s knee. ‘Do you think they have real treasure there? Couldn’t we just have a little look?’

  ‘Stop being so artful, poppet,’ he said. ‘You’re wasting your charms. I’ve developed a heart of stone. In five minutes’ time we will be making our way to the Underground station.’

  In five minutes’ time the seven of us were standing in front of Treasure Island, Marcella dancing and Bruno whooping triumphantly.

  ‘Come and visit Treasure Island, me hearties,’ said the man at the entrance. He was dressed as a pirate, with a splendid tricorne hat and a hook instead of a hand.

  ‘Captain Hook!’ Marcella said, a little fearfully. ‘Are you going to capture us?’

  ‘I’ve repented of my wicked ways, little missy. I’m here to show you my island delights. Do you want to explore Wendy’s little house? Or come and see some dear little puppies and kittens?’

  ‘Oh, both please!’ said Marcella.

  ‘And what about you, young sir? Sir Francis Drake wants you to board his splendid vessel the Golden Hind. And Mr and Mrs Noah would like to show off their animals, two of each kind,’ he continued, capering about.

  ‘But it’s all mixed up,’ I said. ‘Long John Silver’s in Treasure Island and Captain Hook is in Peter Pan. They’re just made up, but Sir Francis Drake was a real man.’

  ‘And Mr and Mrs Noah are in the Bible. We know that, Mona. No need to show off,’ said Esmeralda sharply. ‘It’s just for babies.’

  ‘But Marcella and Bruno will love it,’ said Mr Benjamin. ‘All right, my chicks. We’ll have half an hour in Treasure Island, and then we really must go home.’

  Marcella and Bruno jumped up and down and cheered. Esmeralda sighed sulkily. Roland looked enthusiastic, which was a relief. I badly wanted to see the puppies and kittens and the Wendy house.

  ‘I think it all sounds very jolly indeed,’ said Mr Benjamin, taking Marcella and Bruno by the hand. ‘We’d like to come and see your Treasure Island, Captain Hook.’

  ‘’Tis against the rules, splendid sir. Indeed, it’s Treasure Island’s only rule: no adults allowed. This is a private land reserved for boys and girls. You want to have fun all by yourselves, don’t you, my dearies?’ he said, gesturing to Bruno and Marcella.

  ‘Yes, yes, yes!’ said Bruno, but Marcella looked uncertain, and flinched as he flung out his hook – though it was clearly pretend, and you could see he’d tucked his real hand up his sleeve.

  ‘You’ll come too, won’t you, Mona?’ she asked.

  ‘I’m not sure I should let any of you go,’ said Mr Benjamin, looking worried. ‘I don’t think our Bruno’s safe to be let out on his own!’

  ‘We’ll look after the young gentlemen and ladies, sir. Peter Pan himself patrols the island, and Wendy is very motherly if any little tot gets upset,’ said Captain Hook.

  ‘Excellent!’ said Ambrose. ‘They can all go off and have fun while we have another cocktail, Benjy.’

  ‘I’m too old to traipse around a little kiddies’ island,’ said Esmeralda indignantly.

  ‘Nonsense, you’re still a little girl in spite of your bob,’ said Ambrose, and he ruffled her hair.

  Esmeralda pulled away from him, furious.

  ‘Don’t worry, Uncle Benjamin, I’ll look after them all,’ said Roland.

  ‘You’re a regular trooper, my boy. Bless you,’ he replied. ‘Well, off you go then. Ambrose and I will be back in the restaurant if you need us. Just half an hour now. We’ll come and wait at the entrance.’

  ‘Can’t I come to the restaurant too? My shoes are pinching me so. I can hardly walk another step,’ said Esmeralda.

  ‘No, I’d be much happier if you kept an eye on Mona and Marcella. Roland will have his hands full keeping Bruno under control,’ said Mr Benjamin. ‘Cheer up, sweet girl.’

  ‘You can pretend you’re a real mermaid like the one in the fairy tale, and every step on land is like walking on knives,’ I suggested.

  I was trying to be helpful, but Esmeralda rolled her eyes at the suggestion. She refused to join in any of the Treasure Island activities. She wouldn’t even hunt for treasure in Aladdin’s Cave. Roland was much more fun: he played pirates on the replica ship and climbed up and down the ‘Canadian Rockies’ with Bruno. Esmeralda took off her shoes and sat on the sandy ‘beach’ by herself.

  However, even she was enchanted by the puppies and kittens. They were kept in a special enclosure in a tent presided over by a grown-up lady dressed like a little girl.

  ‘I am Miss Pretty Pet,’ she said in a silly voice. ‘You may play with my dear little doggies and kittens, but please be very gentle.’

  I fell in love with a little cream kitten with big blue eyes, though I felt disloyal to Sixpence. Marcella sat with two cocker spaniel puppies wriggling around on her lap, a huge smile on her face. Bruno tried to teach a little Alsatian how to sit up and beg.