Undercover (10 page)

Chapter twelve

Y
ou don't need to hear about the rest of the party — except, perhaps, to hear that it was a great success. But you might like to know that a number of unexpected and extraordinary things occurred in the short time that was left. The first extraordinary thing was that Caitlin and Jess managed to get the teapot to glide in a straight line for ten metres, before crashing into the fence.

The next extraordinary thing was that after Clarabelle saw the teapot flying, she actually smiled. Then she, Caitlin and Jess spent the rest of the party deep in conversation about pistons and cogs. The final extraordinary thing was that when Elly and Jess left the party, they both had pink Fairy Club badges pinned to their outfits. And they both looked very happy about it, which was perhaps the most extraordinary — and unexpected — thing of all.

Elly and Jess had the badges pinned to their jumpers on Monday morning as they got ready for school. Elly caught Jess staring at it proudly.

‘I never thought I'd see you so happy to be a member of the Fairy Club,' teased Elly.

Jess looked embarrassed. ‘It's more of an invention club, really,' she said, as they climbed on their bikes. ‘What Caitlin doesn't know about cogs isn't worth knowing.'

But when they arrived at school there were a number of shocks waiting for them. The first happened when they walked into their classroom, where instead of seeing Ms Buttercup's smiling face, they saw Mrs Snidely's scowling one.

‘Where's Ms Buttercup?' asked Elly in surprise.

‘She's been called away on an urgent matter,' said Mrs Snidely. ‘Something to do with one of her goddaughters, apparently. I will be teaching you for the next few weeks.'

Then a moment later an announcement came over the loudspeaker. It was Mrs Hayman, the headmistress. ‘Elly Knottleweed-Eversprightly, please come to my office.'

Elly looked at Jess in alarm. She recognised a certain tone in Mrs Hayman's voice. It was the Tone of Trouble.
But what could it possibly
be about?
For once she hadn't caused any trouble at a school and, with the help of Ms Buttercup, had actually done very well.

Elly went straight to the headmistress's office. Mrs Hayman had a very strange look on her face. It was like she'd just been given the biggest chocolate cake in the world. ‘Take a seat, Elly,' said Mrs Hayman, smiling. ‘You have a visitor. And such a delightful one!

What a lucky girl you are.'

Elly looked at the headmistress suspiciously.
What was going on?

‘Hello, Elinora,' said a familiar voice.

Elly spun around. Standing behind her was Grandmother Knottleweed-Eversprightly. She was wearing a shimmering silver and mauve coat, and a very disapproving expression. Elly recognised the coat straight away. It was a Charming-Coat, which made humans think that the wearer was the most delightful person they'd ever met, no matter how rude the wearer was actually being. It also wiped humans' memories after the conversation. Grandmother Knottleweed-Eversprightly wore hers whenever she met a human because she tended to be very, very rude — and she couldn't be bothered being secretive.

Grandmother Knottleweed-Eversprightly moved across the room like clouds move across the sky before it starts raining. Somehow she managed to look both light and heavy at the same time.

‘What a magnificent person your grandmother is!' gushed Mrs Hayman. ‘Such style, such grace.'

‘Oh, do be quiet,' snapped Grandmother Knottleweed-Eversprightly.

But instead of being offended, Mrs Hayman laughed. ‘And so amusing, too!' she said.

‘I just returned from my book tour last night,' said Grandmother Knottleweed- Eversprightly, ignoring Mrs Hayman, who was staring at her admiringly. ‘Only to discover the dreadful mistake your parents had made! Why they decided to let you go on an undercover operation in this terrible school, I have no idea.'

Mrs Hayman blushed. ‘You're too kind,' she said. ‘It is a dreadful school, isn't it?'

Elly was cross. ‘It's not dreadful at all. It's a great school and I want to stay here. I'm doing really well and I'm learning all about humans. I'm even on the basketball team.'

But her grandmother already had her by the arm. ‘That's impossible,' she replied. ‘You need to go to a proper fairy school where you'll learn much more important things than basketball.'

‘So true, so true!' chortled Mrs Hayman. ‘Your grandmother is a very wise woman, Elly.'

Grandmother Knottleweed-Eversprightly would've whisked Elly away right then and there, but Elly managed to persuade her to give her time to collect her things.

It was recess, and Elly found Jess deep in conversation with Caitlin and Clarabelle about flying machines. Elly pulled Jess over to a quiet corner of the playground and explained the situation.

‘You can't go,' said Jess sadly. ‘School has just started getting good now you are here.'

Elly sighed. ‘There's no saying “no” to Grandmother Knottleweed-Eversprightly,' she said gloomily.

The Hover-Lamp was sitting in its usual place on Jess's shoulder. It had hardly left Jess's side since they met. Jess passed it to Elly. ‘You'd better take this, I guess,' she said.

Elly held the lamp for a moment. The lamp began making a noise that was so much like howling that she quickly handed it back to Jess. ‘I think you'd better keep it,' she said. ‘It seems very attached to you.'

The Hover-Lamp seemed relieved to be back with Jess. It made a happy, purring sort of sound.

Elly looked down at her wrist and sighed. ‘I just wish this Worry-Watch was a little less attached to me.'

As she spoke, the Worry-Watch suddenly unbuckled itself and dropped to the ground. The girls stared at it in surprise.

‘It must have decided that Grandmother Knottleweed-Eversprightly will do enough worrying for all of us,' Elly grimaced.

Jess bent down and carefully picked the watch up. She turned it over. ‘Look!' she said. ‘There's another setting on the back.'

Sure enough, there was a little red arrow pointing to the word WORRY. But below it was another word: RELAX. Jess flicked the switch over with her thumb. The watch immediately began swinging its arms around in a very careless fashion, as if it really didn't care what the time was.

‘Don't hurry, don't worry,' it said, in a soothing, sleepy voice. ‘Everything is going to be fine.'

Elly grinned. ‘For once I think this watch might just be right,' she said, giving Jess a big hug.

Did you know not all fairies like being
fairies? Read all about Elly in the first
Fairy School Drop-out
book, and stay
tuned for the next book in