Read Online Lily and the Shining Dragons by Holly Webb - Free Book Online
Authors: Holly Webb
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flapping a little, to squish the big puffy bits at her shoulders.
‘Don’t do that!’ It was Georgie and Henrietta together, and they exchanged a disgusted glance. It was probably the most in sympathy they’d ever been, Lily realised, smiling a little in spite of the ridiculous dress. She knew it was fashionable, beautiful even, but it just didn’t feel like her. The colour particularly – she didn’t feel right in the pale ice blue.
Clumsily, she buttoned Georgie into her pink version of the dress, and they glanced at the door. ‘The drawing room, then?’ Lily said, and Georgie followed her, padding out into the passageway in their pretty soft leather boots.
The drawing room was gold and white, and full of mirrors. It made the room beautifully light, but somehow cold. Lily shivered as they sat on a white brocade sofa, waiting for the other girls to arrive. The strange atmosphere of the house was no easier to live with now that they were allowed out of their room. She felt as though the many mirrors were reflecting her back and forth between them, thinning her out every time, so that she was a washed and shrunken child, who could be made to do whatever she was told.
The door rattled, and she jumped in panic, startling Georgie into a nervous laugh. Henrietta growled, and twitched.
Aunt Clara swept in silkily, smiling in approval at their pretty dresses, and the ribbons Georgie had tied in their hair. ‘Good. Very good. I shall tell Fraser to serve tea at four.’
Lily nodded. The delicate golden sunburst clock on the mantelpiece said it was only half past three now. What were they supposed to do with these girls until tea arrived? It was all very well for Aunt Clara to say entertain them, but how? Neither Lily nor Georgie had ever paid or received a formal call, and the only girls they knew were each other – and Lydia, the jealous child star who had tried to sabotage Daniel’s illusionist act, and denounce them to the Queen’s Men.
‘Aunt Clara…’ Lily began, but the door swung open again, and Fraser announced, ‘Miss Penelope Dysart, Miss Cora Dysart.’ Aunt Clara hurried across the room in a flurry of silken flounces to kiss the visitors, and lead them fussily to Lily and Georgie.
‘Do we curtsey?’ Lily hissed, half to Georgie and half to Henrietta, who was just as likely to know.
‘I’m not sure…’
‘Shake hands!’ Henrietta snarled back, rolling her eyes.
The four girls greeted each other uncomfortably, and Lily noted with horror that although Fraser had introduced the Dysart girls, she had no idea which was which – Cora and Penelope appeared to be identical twins. They were even dressed identically, in ruffled pale green dresses that matched their pale green eyes. They had the darkest hair Lily had even seen, and they wore it loose, cascading in curls down their backs.
‘Good afternoon,’ they said sweetly, together, and Lily shivered a little. Was it only the odd echoing effect of the girls speaking at once, or was there something strange in those voices?
Henrietta glanced up at her meaningfully, and Lily swallowed. The Dysarts were meant to be Aunt Clara’s way of wiping out the nasty streak of magic that was spoiling her family’s prospects. But they were as magical as she was trying not to be.
Lily tried to smile politely, but Penelope and Cora were watching her, their green eyes hard and mirror-like. They knew quite well that they had been recognised.
Aunt Clara was talking, a gentle stream of conversation on how lovely it was to have her dear nieces to stay, how much she had enjoyed girlish company, and ordering their dresses. But Lily knew that all of the girls wanted nothing more than for her to leave – so they could talk properly.
Georgie didn’t play a part in it, but Lily felt her magic coiling excitedly inside her, spreading out to meet the spell that was hazing the air of the drawing room, sparkling in all the mirrors. The house couldn’t fight off the
‘Don’t do that!’ It was Georgie and Henrietta together, and they exchanged a disgusted glance. It was probably the most in sympathy they’d ever been, Lily realised, smiling a little in spite of the ridiculous dress. She knew it was fashionable, beautiful even, but it just didn’t feel like her. The colour particularly – she didn’t feel right in the pale ice blue.
Clumsily, she buttoned Georgie into her pink version of the dress, and they glanced at the door. ‘The drawing room, then?’ Lily said, and Georgie followed her, padding out into the passageway in their pretty soft leather boots.
The drawing room was gold and white, and full of mirrors. It made the room beautifully light, but somehow cold. Lily shivered as they sat on a white brocade sofa, waiting for the other girls to arrive. The strange atmosphere of the house was no easier to live with now that they were allowed out of their room. She felt as though the many mirrors were reflecting her back and forth between them, thinning her out every time, so that she was a washed and shrunken child, who could be made to do whatever she was told.
The door rattled, and she jumped in panic, startling Georgie into a nervous laugh. Henrietta growled, and twitched.
Aunt Clara swept in silkily, smiling in approval at their pretty dresses, and the ribbons Georgie had tied in their hair. ‘Good. Very good. I shall tell Fraser to serve tea at four.’
Lily nodded. The delicate golden sunburst clock on the mantelpiece said it was only half past three now. What were they supposed to do with these girls until tea arrived? It was all very well for Aunt Clara to say entertain them, but how? Neither Lily nor Georgie had ever paid or received a formal call, and the only girls they knew were each other – and Lydia, the jealous child star who had tried to sabotage Daniel’s illusionist act, and denounce them to the Queen’s Men.
‘Aunt Clara…’ Lily began, but the door swung open again, and Fraser announced, ‘Miss Penelope Dysart, Miss Cora Dysart.’ Aunt Clara hurried across the room in a flurry of silken flounces to kiss the visitors, and lead them fussily to Lily and Georgie.
‘Do we curtsey?’ Lily hissed, half to Georgie and half to Henrietta, who was just as likely to know.
‘I’m not sure…’
‘Shake hands!’ Henrietta snarled back, rolling her eyes.
The four girls greeted each other uncomfortably, and Lily noted with horror that although Fraser had introduced the Dysart girls, she had no idea which was which – Cora and Penelope appeared to be identical twins. They were even dressed identically, in ruffled pale green dresses that matched their pale green eyes. They had the darkest hair Lily had even seen, and they wore it loose, cascading in curls down their backs.
‘Good afternoon,’ they said sweetly, together, and Lily shivered a little. Was it only the odd echoing effect of the girls speaking at once, or was there something strange in those voices?
Henrietta glanced up at her meaningfully, and Lily swallowed. The Dysarts were meant to be Aunt Clara’s way of wiping out the nasty streak of magic that was spoiling her family’s prospects. But they were as magical as she was trying not to be.
Lily tried to smile politely, but Penelope and Cora were watching her, their green eyes hard and mirror-like. They knew quite well that they had been recognised.
Aunt Clara was talking, a gentle stream of conversation on how lovely it was to have her dear nieces to stay, how much she had enjoyed girlish company, and ordering their dresses. But Lily knew that all of the girls wanted nothing more than for her to leave – so they could talk properly.
Georgie didn’t play a part in it, but Lily felt her magic coiling excitedly inside her, spreading out to meet the spell that was hazing the air of the drawing room, sparkling in all the mirrors. The house couldn’t fight off the
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