not know – she was getting sicker and didn’t realise it.
Uncle Claude said that she would get better but for now, Fabien must stay at home with her at all times, or there might be an episode. His uncle told him not to ask her about it either – the mere mention of her health might be enough to tip Sybilla over the edge. Fabien loved his mother more than anyone in the world. His father had abandoned her when she was pregnant with him, so along with Uncle Claude they were the only family he had. He would do anything to keep her safe; even if it meant being imprisoned at home until she was well again. But he was finding it harder each day.
His uncle had made his fortune selling exquisite handmade rugs from the Middle East. The townhouse floors were covered with them. Fabien’s mother always said that her brother was a clever businessman. He looked after them financially and made sure that they had everything they needed. But now he was obsessed with making Fabien a star, whether Fabien wanted it or not.
The young man exhaled deeply. Life could have been worse, he told himself. At least his mother was here with him and Uncle Claude, though sometimes demanding, only wanted what was best for them all. Fabien closed his eyes. An image of a beautiful gown with a voluminous skirt began to form. His pencil flew across the page. For now he must focus on his work and on helping his mother to get well.
Alice-Miranda and Millie had both slept soundly. They were up, showered and dressed long before the appointed breakfast time of half past seven.
Millie finished flicking through the mini guide to Paris that her grandfather had given her just before she left. She put it into her backpack and decided to go and see how Sloane and Jacinta were getting on.
Alice-Miranda was fiddling with her camera, making sure that the battery had charged properly.
‘I’ve got my key,’ Millie said.
Alice-Miranda laughed. ‘I’d let you in, you know.’
Millie grinned. ‘It’s fun being tourists, isn’t it? I feel so grown up having my own hotel key, even if it is just a white plastic card.’
Alice-Miranda nodded. ‘When we’re older, I think we should go on a huge adventure. We could hike in the Andes or study giant tortoises on the Galapagos Islands or walk the Great Wall of China.’
‘We could have a gap year like my cousin Amelia did,’ Millie agreed. ‘But you know, we’ll probably have to take Sloane and Jacinta too, or we’ll never hear the end of it.’
‘I’d love them to come,’ said Alice-Miranda.
‘I don’t think backpacking would be Sloane’s thing, though. We’d need to hire a whole village of Sherpas just to carry her suitcases,’ Millie commented. ‘And Jacinta isn’t exactly into camping either.’
Millie disappeared into the hallway and reappeared a minute later. ‘We might want to rethink our gap-year plans,’ she said.
‘What do you mean?’ Alice-Miranda frowned.
‘I woke them up and now they’re having a huge row about whose fault it was that the alarm didn’t go off. And overnight that gigantic suite of theirs has been invaded by the Paris clothes monster, which I think vomited all over their floor.’
‘Oh no.’ Alice-Miranda’s eyes were wide. ‘It sounds like they could do with some help.’
Millie screwed up her nose. ‘I’m not going back in there. It’s dangerous. And I don’t mean the monster.’
Miss Grimm was now marching up and down the hallway and knocking on doors to warn the girls that she would be inspecting their rooms in ten minutes.
‘Come on, Millie, I don’t want Miss Grimm starting the day in a bad mood, do you?’ Alice-Miranda gave her friend a gentle shove and they scurried across the hallway. Alice-Miranda knocked loudly on the door to room 202 and waited.
‘I’m coming,’ Jacinta called from inside. She wrenched open the door.
‘Good morning,’ Alice-Miranda greeted her. ‘Millie and I have come to see if you need any help.’
‘I
Uncle Claude said that she would get better but for now, Fabien must stay at home with her at all times, or there might be an episode. His uncle told him not to ask her about it either – the mere mention of her health might be enough to tip Sybilla over the edge. Fabien loved his mother more than anyone in the world. His father had abandoned her when she was pregnant with him, so along with Uncle Claude they were the only family he had. He would do anything to keep her safe; even if it meant being imprisoned at home until she was well again. But he was finding it harder each day.
His uncle had made his fortune selling exquisite handmade rugs from the Middle East. The townhouse floors were covered with them. Fabien’s mother always said that her brother was a clever businessman. He looked after them financially and made sure that they had everything they needed. But now he was obsessed with making Fabien a star, whether Fabien wanted it or not.
The young man exhaled deeply. Life could have been worse, he told himself. At least his mother was here with him and Uncle Claude, though sometimes demanding, only wanted what was best for them all. Fabien closed his eyes. An image of a beautiful gown with a voluminous skirt began to form. His pencil flew across the page. For now he must focus on his work and on helping his mother to get well.
Alice-Miranda and Millie had both slept soundly. They were up, showered and dressed long before the appointed breakfast time of half past seven.
Millie finished flicking through the mini guide to Paris that her grandfather had given her just before she left. She put it into her backpack and decided to go and see how Sloane and Jacinta were getting on.
Alice-Miranda was fiddling with her camera, making sure that the battery had charged properly.
‘I’ve got my key,’ Millie said.
Alice-Miranda laughed. ‘I’d let you in, you know.’
Millie grinned. ‘It’s fun being tourists, isn’t it? I feel so grown up having my own hotel key, even if it is just a white plastic card.’
Alice-Miranda nodded. ‘When we’re older, I think we should go on a huge adventure. We could hike in the Andes or study giant tortoises on the Galapagos Islands or walk the Great Wall of China.’
‘We could have a gap year like my cousin Amelia did,’ Millie agreed. ‘But you know, we’ll probably have to take Sloane and Jacinta too, or we’ll never hear the end of it.’
‘I’d love them to come,’ said Alice-Miranda.
‘I don’t think backpacking would be Sloane’s thing, though. We’d need to hire a whole village of Sherpas just to carry her suitcases,’ Millie commented. ‘And Jacinta isn’t exactly into camping either.’
Millie disappeared into the hallway and reappeared a minute later. ‘We might want to rethink our gap-year plans,’ she said.
‘What do you mean?’ Alice-Miranda frowned.
‘I woke them up and now they’re having a huge row about whose fault it was that the alarm didn’t go off. And overnight that gigantic suite of theirs has been invaded by the Paris clothes monster, which I think vomited all over their floor.’
‘Oh no.’ Alice-Miranda’s eyes were wide. ‘It sounds like they could do with some help.’
Millie screwed up her nose. ‘I’m not going back in there. It’s dangerous. And I don’t mean the monster.’
Miss Grimm was now marching up and down the hallway and knocking on doors to warn the girls that she would be inspecting their rooms in ten minutes.
‘Come on, Millie, I don’t want Miss Grimm starting the day in a bad mood, do you?’ Alice-Miranda gave her friend a gentle shove and they scurried across the hallway. Alice-Miranda knocked loudly on the door to room 202 and waited.
‘I’m coming,’ Jacinta called from inside. She wrenched open the door.
‘Good morning,’ Alice-Miranda greeted her. ‘Millie and I have come to see if you need any help.’
‘I
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