Read Online Clementine Rose and the Movie Magic 9 by Jacqueline Harvey - Free Book Online Page A

dolly,’ Clementine said.
    Lady Clarissa looked at her daughter. ‘Clementine, did you do this?’
    â€˜No, Mummy. I promise I didn’t,’ Clementine said.
    â€˜That’s not doll’s hair,’ Finley Spencer snapped. ‘It’s human hair, from all the guests that have ever had the misfortune to stay here. It’s clear your mother is a terrible housekeeper.’
    â€˜No, she’s not,’ Clementine said crossly. ‘And why did you take Uncle Digby’s towel?’ Clementine pointed at the monogrammed initials, DP, on the towel wrapped around Ms Spencer’s head.
    Finley Spencer’s jaw dropped. ‘Yuck! I thought this felt damp. What kind of dreadful place is this? Hair balls in the drains and staff towels given to guests – used ones at that.’
    Uncle Digby gasped. ‘Heavens, that is my towel.’
    To ensure that the family’s towels never got mixed up with those reserved for the guests, Lady Clarissa had had them all monogrammed with the owner’s initials. For a second time that day, Uncle Digby wondered if he was losing his marbles. Surely he hadn’t put his own towels into Ms Spencer’s room.
    â€˜I suppose I won’t be leaving in the morning after all.’ Alfie Doncaster’s brow furrowed. ‘I’ll need to do a full inspection of the drainage system and check on your laundry procedures tomorrow. Now, if you wouldn’t mind handingover that towel, Ms Spencer, I’d like to run some tests on it.’
    Finley Spencer’s tear-stained face seemed to cheer up almost immediately as she whipped the towel from her head and handed it over.
    â€˜I’ll get rid of that right away.’ Uncle Digby was about to pick up the hair ball when Mr Doncaster blocked his way.
    â€˜No, you don’t.’ Mr Doncaster wagged a finger at the man. ‘This is evidence .’ He pulled a Ziploc bag from his pocket.
    â€˜Ms Spencer, you’re welcome to use the bathroom in the hall,’ Lady Clarissa offered. ‘I’m –’
    Finley Spencer shook her head. ‘No, I’ll wait for this one to be cleaned,’ she insisted. ‘Mr Pertwhistle won’t be long, will he?’
    â€˜But you might catch a cold,’ Clementine said to the woman.
    â€˜I’m fine,’ she said sharply. ‘Now, if you all wouldn’t mind leaving …?’

‘That’s so strange,’ Clementine said as she and Will walked back into the hallway.
    â€˜Maybe your Aunt Violet did it,’ Will suggested. ‘She didn’t come out to see what was going on, and Ms Spencer was really loud.’
    Clementine frowned. ‘Aunt Violet did say Mummy should sell the house …’
    She hated to think that her great-aunt would do anything so horrible, but at the moment all the clues pointed right at her.
    â€˜Maybe we should see if her lipstick matches the glasses,’ Clementine said.
    Will nodded, and the two children dashed upstairs to the top floor. Clementine knocked gently on Aunt Violet’s bedroom door but there was no reply.
    â€˜What if she’s asleep?’ Will whispered.
    â€˜We can just take a quick look,’ Clementine said, determined to find out the truth. ‘She always keeps her lipstick in the same place on her dressing table.’
    Will gulped. His face was as pale as a snowflake.
    â€˜Don’t be scared,’ Clementine said. She turned the handle and poked her head inside.
    Will followed her and, together, the pair tiptoed across the carpet to the dressing table, which sat under the window opposite the large bed. They could see the outline of Aunt Violet under the covers. She was fast asleep, her breaths punctuated by fluttery snores.
    Clementine scanned the dressing table. ‘It’s not here,’ she said. ‘Someone must have taken it.’
    The children turned to leave when, all of a sudden, Aunt Violet sat bolt upright in