The Magnificent Lizzie Brown and the Mysterious Phantom by Vicki Lockwood

Author:Vicki Lockwood
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: 9781434279408, 97814342623700690, 9781434279422, fiction, Capstone Young Readers, The Magnificent Lizzie Brown, psychic ability, circus, criminals, London (England)-history-19th century, mystery and detective stories, Great Britain-history-19th century, action & adventure/general, family/alternative family, social issues/new experience, social issues/friendship, social issues/emotions & feelings
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Published: 2014-05-12T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 9

Lizzie hadn’t realized taking Madame Aurora’s job would mean taking her caravan too.

Pa Sullivan had pointed that out to her over tea. “Now we don’t mind having you bunk down with us in here,” he added, “but that trailer’s yours by right, and you need to lay your claim to it before some other fella does.”

So Lizzie, Erin, Nora, and Dru had gone racing over to the black, peeling caravan sitting in the far corner of the field. Someone had once painted mystic symbols on the outside — a star, a moon, and a cross-eyed cat — but the paint had almost completely flaked off. It smelled musty, like an old, unopened room.

“It’s enormous!” Lizzie said, climbing inside.

“It’s ancient, is what it is.” Nora looked around. “Ugh. Look at the mess Aurora’s left it in. Even the spider webs are covered with dust!”

“I love it,” Lizzie said firmly. “It’s mine now. I’m going to look after it.”

Nora spat on her palms and rubbed them together. “Well, you’ll not be sleeping in it in this state! Let’s make a home of it.”

They made a bonfire of Aurora’s old pillows and bedding, emptied out the cupboards and drawers, and borrowed a broom to sweep the dust out. Dru made a face when he found a grimy, old petticoat under the mattress. It went straight on the fire.

By the time the sun set, the caravan was an empty shell, smoked out with incense from the fortune-telling tent. A quick ask-around netted them enough fresh blankets and pillows to make it comfortable, just in time for the circus to break down the camp.

For the rest of the evening, there was nonstop work. Tents had to be taken down, canvas folded away, poles dismantled, stalls packed up — and all of it had to be done the right way, with no carelessness or corner-cutting. There was no room for someone who didn’t help in Fitzy’s circus. Lizzie found plenty to do, carrying stacked-up stakes and looping up ropes into neat piles. It was exhausting, but it felt good to be pitching in.

Now the stars were out, and the circus was on the move, heading across the sleeping city toward Tower Hamlets for their next stop. The long convoy of caravans and trailers moved slowly, with most of the circus folk sleeping while the drivers steered them through the night.

Lizzie, Erin, Nora, and Dru sprawled happily in Lizzie’s jolting caravan, bone-weary but still too excited for sleep. The sound of Big Ben tolling rang out across the river and the rooftops.

“One in the morning!” Nora yawned. “Even the owls have gone to bed.”

“Please, Lizzie,” Dru begged, holding his palm out, “I want to know my future!”

Nora laughed. “Are you still pestering her?”

“Please!” Dru said again.

“Not a chance,” Lizzie said, smirking.

“Give it up, Dru,” said Erin.

Dru pouted. “So unfair. All day she reads the palms of les étrangers! But I ask her to read mine, as un ami, and she says no!”

“It’s a lady’s right to refuse,” Lizzie said primly.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.