The Sequin Star Read Online Free PDF Page A

circus people are thieves and riffraff. Whenever anything goes missing we always get the blame.’
    â€˜I didn’t mean that,’ Claire said hurriedly, ‘but I need to ring my parents.’
    â€˜Jem could go into town and telephone your parents from the post office if you like,’ suggested Rosina. She gestured down the road. ‘We could lend you some money for the call.’
    â€˜Don’t you have a phone here? Don’t you have a mobile?’
    Rosina and Jem exchanged incredulous glances again. ‘This is a circus,’ explained Rosina patiently. ‘The nearest telephone is the post office in town. Perhaps if you write the number down Jem can telephone them while Malia is checking your head.’
    Claire swayed wearily. It was all too much to take in. Rosina caught her arm to stop her from falling.
    â€˜Can you walk, or would you like to ride on Elsie?’ Rosina asked.
    Claire looked up at the big elephant and shook her head. ‘I think I’ll stay on my own two feet.’

    As they walked slowly towards the camp Claire stared around her, drinking in the sights.
    Men were bustling about the camp, setting up the smaller tents and unpacking long bench seats from the trucks. Claire was struck again at how quaint everyone looked, as though she was on the set of a 1930s period film. Most of the men were unshaven and wore either trousers and braces or waistcoats and jackets.
    The circus men stared at Claire, as she limped along. She felt very much out of place, wearing her modern clothes, with dirt and blood on her hands and face. Claire combed her fingers through her hair in an attempt to tidy herself.
    A temporary fence was set up, forming a yard where horses grazed. A couple of trucks held large cages, their canvas sides rolled up to let in the breeze. One held three tawny lionesses, lying with their cubs in the straw. The other held a mother and baby bear, their tan faces stark against their glossy black fur. Several dogs ran around the camp.
    â€˜Oi, Jem!’ a man yelled. ‘Give us a hand, and look lively.’
    â€˜I’d better go before Frank loses his hair,’ said Jem. He turned and called out to the workmen, ‘I’m just helping Rosina put Elsie away.’
    He patted Elsie on the shoulder. ‘Come on, girl. I have a nice bucket of potatoes for you.’
    The elephant flapped her ears and trumpeted, as though she knew exactly what Jem had said. She plodded along behind him, swinging her trunk and swishing her tail.
    Rosina led Claire to where the caravans were parked in two neat, double rows, forming a semicircle behind the circus tents. The caravans were painted in bright colours: red, green and yellow. At the very end, a little apart from the others, was a larger blue caravan. It was decorated with gold swirls and scrolls, with Sterling Brothers Circus written in large letters down the side.
    A thin woman in a faded shift frock was sitting outside on a wooden chair peeling potatoes. A table held a mound of potato peelings on top of a newspaper and a large saucepan full of water. There were three young children – a boy and two girls, aged between four and seven – playing with a kitten on the ground nearby. A large pink galah was perched on a branch above their heads, screeching and squawking.
    Galvanised iron washing tubs and buckets and crates filled with paraphernalia were stacked under the caravan. A rope hung between the van and a nearby tree, strung with washing. Claire noticed the washing included tiny tutus, miniature clown suits and harlequin hats.
    â€˜Malia,’ called Rosina. ‘Could you take a look at this girl? She was knocked over by Elsie. Claire, this is Malia Sterling, the owner’s wife, and these are her children, Peggy, Stella and Leo.’
    The children looked up at Claire with serious black eyes, then disappeared under the caravan.
    Malia glanced at Claire then Rosina. ‘How did that happen?