Lily and the Fancy-dress Party Read online

  She’d be allowed to choose seven items from Queen Titania’s Magical Costume Trunk and from those she would put together her costume. The costume was to be based on a theme chosen by the queen.

  Please let Queen Titania choose a good theme for the costumes! Lily thought. I don’t want to dress as a piece of fruit! That idea alone kept her up for an hour. Then she spent a long time picturing herself on a mainland street, lightly flying next to two or three mainland fairies who had become her close friends. She imagined the cheers as she entered the fancy-dress party in her gorgeous attire.

  Lily regarded her sweet little suit in her full-length mirror. She tied a navy-blue ribbon in her hair. Nice! she thought. Unfortunately, the ferry ride would be cold and wet, so she’d also have to wear a hefty oilskin coat to keep warm and dry.

  “My yellow coat?” Lily asked her reflection in the mirror. “Or the green one?”

  Clara called from downstairs. “Lily! The tide is turning! You’ll miss the ferry!”

  “Coming, Clara!” said Lily. “Green, I think. To show off my hair. I just wish it wouldn’t frizz so in this weather!” She leaned down to pick up her luggage – three large bags full to bursting. (One was only for shoes.) She could barely carry them all.

  “Silver! Rosie! Can you help me with my bags?”

  Rosie flew up the stairs. “Oh my goodness, Lily!” she said. “Do you really need to take that much? It’s just for the weekend.”

  “I’m sure most fairies could get along without very many clothing choices,” said Lily. “But I cannot. Not to mention shoes. Oh, where are those little dancing shoes I like so much? Can I fit them in?”

  “There won’t be dancing at the party, I don’t think,” said Rosie. “So you could leave your dancing shoes at home. And isn’t that my green coat?”

  “I thought you’d want me to have it for the weekend, Rosie. It looks so good on me on a rainy day like this.”

  Lily hoped Rosie would say yes, and she did, with a smile.

  “Come on, Lily,” said Silver. “The ferry won’t wait.”

  And in a moment the bags were gathered and all five Fairy Bell sisters were out of the door. They flew down the path to the dock, Lily collecting cobwebs and shells from the path and stuffing them in her pockets. “I may need these for my costume,” she said. Clara carried Squeak in her arms as she hurried Lily along. Just before they got to the dock, Squeak looked at Lily with her big brown eyes. “Doh-ca!” she said.

  “There, there, little Squeak,” said Lily. “I can’t possibly take you to the mainland. You’ll go when you’re a grown-up fairy, like I am.”

  “Don’t you wish, just a little bit, that we were all going together?” asked Silver. “I don’t much care about the mainland, but we’re always—”

  “I know. We are always together,” said Lily. “But I can’t just be on this tiny little island all my life. I need to get out and spread my wings.”

  “Of course you do, Lily,” said Clara. “We all want to grow up.” Lily thought she noticed a catch in Clara’s voice. “This is your turn to shine.”

  They heard a splashing in the water.

  “There’s Merryweather!” cried Silver.

  Merryweather was an unusual ferry. She wasn’t a boat at all; she was a grey seal who stopped by Sheepskerry once a month to take fairies on the long trip to the mainland. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen seals swimming, but they look rather like dogs when they’re paddling. They can swim for a long time with their sleek heads above the water and their noses pointed exactly where they want to go.

  Merryweather gave three hoarse barks.

  “That’s the signal,” said Clara. “Time for you to get on, Lily.”

  Lily turned to say her goodbyes. “Bye-bye, little Squeakie,” she said. She held Squeak close. “I wonder how much you’ll change while I’m gone.”

  “Goodbye, Lily!” cried Rosie. “I know you’ll do beautifully. Take good care of yourself! And say hello to Lulu if you see her on the mainland!”

  “I will!” said Lily. Lulu was Rosie’s friend – a human child. Human people made Lily a little nervous, but how lovely it would be to see Lulu again!

  “We’ll be here on the dock waiting when you come back,” said Clara.

  Lily flew over to Merryweather’s grey head and settled comfortably in the seal’s sleek fur. Her luggage just fitted, even if it might get a little wet.

  Merryweather gave one more bark and paddled away.

  And as if they had planned it, Clara, Rosie and Silver took a silent breath together and sang in harmony.

  The water is wide;

  You’ll soon pass o’er.

  And then you’ll find

  A land a-new.

  Sheepskerry’s strength

  Will give you hope,

  Till you return,

  Our sister true.

  Lily looked out to the distant horizon. Then she turned and waved once more to her sisters on the dock. “At last,” Lily said to herself. “I’m Lily Crystal Bell. And I’m on my own.”

  “There she is! There she is!” Lily heard the calls even before Merryweather was at the mainland ferry station.

  Three very beautiful and very elegantly dressed fairies were waving a greeting. Lily started to wave back – but then she realised they weren’t waving at her. She lowered her hand.

  “I don’t mind,” said Lily to Merryweather. “I’m going to be fine here.”

  But as Lily looked around at the unfamiliar setting, her courage failed her for a moment.

  The mainland was very different from Sheepskerry.

  There were no human people in sight, which was a relief, but Lily had never seen so many fairies. Not at the Fairy Ball; not at Queen Mab’s island meetings; not even in her dreams. How could there be so many fairies in one place? She gave Merryweather a quick kiss (that was her payment!) and unsteadily flew down the gangplank to the fairy town.

  Lily saw fairies of every age and shape and size. They were all in a terrible hurry. And if they noticed Lily Bell at all, it was only to tell her to get out of the way.

  But oh, what an extraordinary place this was!

  Buildings crowded the streets – not just fairy houses for one family, but gigantic fairy houses that must have fitted a dozen or a score or a hundred fairies all together. The fairy houses were so high they seemed to reach almost to the sky. Instead of trees and flowers, there were long roads and pigeon buses. And looming up above the town were two enormous buildings. Lily could read their big signs – one was the Museum of Fairy History; the other, the Gallery of Fairy Art.

  Lily was dazzled.

  “Don’t stand there gawking,” said an elderly fairy to Lily. “Or if you do, at least move out of the way so an old fairy like me can get by.”

  “Oh, of course,” said Lily. “May I ask, do you know the way to—”

  But before Lily could finish her question, the elderly fairy had flown away.

  How does anyone find her way here? Lily thought. But then she remembered the instructions Queen Mab had given her. A fairy named Avery would greet her at the ferry dock and then take her to stay with two mainland fairies, Claudine and Amanda Townley. One thing at a time, Lily thought.

  “Avery, Avery. Where is she?” said Lily. She half wished she could squeeze Rosie’s hand right now or that Clara would take charge. She was even feeling that sometimes she was a little too harsh with Silver—

  “Lily? Lily Bell of Sheepskerry?”

  “Yes, that’s me.”

  “I’m Avery Pastel, Claudine and Amanda’s serving fairy.” Avery was neat and pretty, and she smiled at Lily shyly. “Welcome to the mainland.”

  “I’m very pleased to meet you, Avery,” said Lily.

  “Let me take those,” said Avery. She picked up two of Lily’s bags.

  “Oh, thank you so much,” said Lily. “They’re very heavy.”

  Avery looked startled. “You don’t have to thank me,” she said. “I’m a serving fair
y.” She led Lily to an elegant carriage. “You sit here,” she said, settling Lily into a comfortable seat. Then Avery took a seat on a bench at the back of the carriage. “To the town house!” she said to the carriage driver, a bright-eyed sparrow. And off they flew.

  As the two fairies made their way over the tall buildings in the afternoon sun, Lily and Avery chatted about the mainland and what life was like here. “We don’t have serving fairies on Sheepskerry,” Lily said.

  Avery was so startled she almost bounced right off her bench. “No serving fairies?” she said. “How do you manage?”

  “We do a lot of things for ourselves,” said Lily. “The cooking and cleaning, the laundry, the baby-fairy minding. Even the wood chopping, although I’m not very good at that.”

  “The serving fairies take care of that kind of thing here. Fairies like you – they don’t have to lift a wing.”

  “Oh, how marvellous!” sang Lily. If she had been paying attention, she might have seen that Avery’s face fell a little. “I could get used to this!”

  When Avery and Lily arrived at the Townley sisters’ house, Lily was exhausted from her journey, but not exhausted enough to miss out on any detail. “A crystal chandelier!” she cried. “And look at this staircase! It curves!” Lily imagined herself floating slowly down the staircase with her fancy-dress costume on. She imagined the other fairies looking at her with wonder and disbelief. Could a Sheepskerry fairy really be so stylish? “You bet!” said Lily.

  “I’m sorry?” A cool voice interrupted Lily’s dream.

  Lily spun around to find two very pretty and very fashionable fairies staring at her. “Oh, no, I’m sorry!” Lily said. “I was thinking out loud!” Her face turned pink. “I’m Lily Bell, from—”

  “Oh yes, we know where you’re from,” said one of the fairies. “You’re from—” and she paused; Lily thought she heard a little sniff, “Sheepskerry Island. I suppose you’re a shepherdess?”

  The other pretty fairy giggled.

  “No, there aren’t sheep there any more,” said Lily. She thought the fairies were teasing her, but she couldn’t tell.

  “Um … are you Amanda and Claudine?” Lily asked.

  The two fairies looked down their pert little noses. “Who else would we be?” said the taller one. “I’m Claudine. Amanda and I own this house. Queen Titania has made us host all twelve fairies for the fancy-dress party. From the mainland and the islands.”

  “Avery, take her coat, please,” said Claudine. “How quaint it is too,” she added quietly, but not so quietly that Lily did not hear. Lily was glad she had worn her little blue suit as her arrival outfit. They can’t make fun of this, she thought.

  “It’s very kind of you to have invited us all to stay with you,” said Lily, using her best manners, even though the Townley sisters were being not so polite themselves. “I adore your house,” she said. “It is so elegant! And so huge! You must love living here.”

  “Humph!” said Amanda. “I suppose you haven’t seen many real fairy houses before.”

  “I’ve seen almost all the houses on Sheepskerry, plus the summer cottages,” said Lily. “So I think I do know pretty well what a fairy house looks like.”

  Amanda and Claudine smiled. “Not a mainland fairy house,” said Amanda.

  Then they turned to go. “We will see you at dinner,” said Claudine. “That will give you time to change—” she paused, and arched an eyebrow, “into something suitable.”

  Lily felt her cheeks turn pink.

  “Move these bags, will you?”

  Lily reached for her bags. “I’m sorry. Are they in your—”

  “Please, Lily. Avery carries bags here,” said Amanda.

  “I’ll just take these upstairs,” said Avery to Lily. Then she whispered, “Never mind them. Not all mainland fairies are so snobby. Come on up with me. I’ll get you settled in.”

  The sting of Claudine and Amanda’s unfriendly greeting felt less keen as Lily looked in wonder at the bedroom where she was to stay. Instead of curtains made of oak leaves, there were delicate water-silk panels of shell pink. A sweet gold-and-white dressing table – with a three-way mirror! – was nestled in a corner. A plush rose carpet was on the floor. And the bed! Lily flew over and fell on to the pillowy feather duvet. “There’s nothing like this on Sheepskerry!” she said.

  “It’s nice, isn’t it,” said Avery without even looking around. “I’ll leave you now so you can have a moment’s peace before dinner.”

  “That sounds good,” said Lily. “Will you sit next to me at the dinner table, Avery? I have to admit I’m a little nervous around those Townley sisters.”

  Avery shook her head. “Oh, no!” she said. “I never sit at the table, especially not on a grand occasion like this! Why, there must be a dozen fairies staying here at least! I’ll eat with Caraway Cooke in the kitchen after you’ve had your meal.”

  Lily’s face fell. The mainland kept surprising her.

  “Will there be anything else, miss?” asked Avery.

  “Please, call me Lily!”

  Avery smiled a cautious smile. “Will there be anything else, Lily?” she asked.

  “There is one thing.” Lily wanted to ask why the Townley sisters seemed so … unfriendly. But she didn’t want Avery to think she couldn’t handle herself on the mainland.

  “If you’re wondering why Amanda and Claudine are so unfriendly,” said Avery, “the reason is that the Townley sisters win the fancy-dress prize every single year. All the mainland fairies seem to think that’s the way it has to be.” Avery busied herself by unpacking Lily’s bags. “But now the island fairies have been invited and Amanda and Claudine have heard that island fairies are very good at creating things out of bits and pieces. Especially you.”

  “Oh my!” said Lily.

  “And that’s why they are not on their best behaviour.” The little porcelain clock on the mantelpiece struck five. “Now I must fly,” said Avery. She slipped out of the door and Lily was on her own.

  “I’d better change into a different dress,” said Lily to herself. “Which means I’ll have to re-do my nails too. I hope I’ll be fancy enough for dinner!”

  As she got ready, Lily thought a lot about what Avery had told her. How nice that people are saying I’m good at creating things! she thought. But how sorry I am that Claudine and Amanda are cross about it.

  When she was dressed and her nails were drying, Lily flew over to the window to get a breath of fresh autumn air. She looked out on the city below her. “What a lot of lights!” she said. Lily gazed up at the stars, but she couldn’t make them out for the bright city glow.

  Then she strained her eyes towards the harbour to see if she could glimpse the ocean or the islands beyond. She could not. “Oh well,” said Lily, with a small sigh. “I know they’re home and safe on Sheepskerry.”

  I’m sure you can guess who was on Lily’s mind!

  Dinner that night was not so bad. The food was delicious and the conversation was lively. All the other fairies – even the ones from the mainland – were perfectly nice. Fawn Deere, from Doe Island, seemed almost like a friend. Avery was so busy serving that Lily hardly caught a glimpse of her, but when she did they exchanged smiles. If Claudine and Amanda hadn’t made their guests feel so nervous, Lily and the visiting fairies might have had a lovely time.

  After dinner, when she went up to her bedroom, Lily was so exhausted from her long day that she fell asleep the moment she sank down into her pillows. She didn’t hear the noise of carriages and the murmur of voices and the whir of fairy wings passing her windows all night long. She slept soundly and dreamed of seals, fir trees and a large bag with wings.

  In the morning she woke early. On Sheepskerry she always rose with the sun and she could not change her habits in one day. Not to mention that the fancy-dress party was this very evening! How could anyone sleep!

  Lily dressed quickly – for her – in a floaty little high-waisted dress with a lovely print of crimson po
ppies. And red boots. She swept her hair into a high ponytail, hastily made up her bed and decided to go downstairs to explore. “I’ll make myself some breakfast before they wake up,” she said to herself.

  The big, long hallway was silent and still. Lily crept past the closed doors of Claudine’s bedroom and Amanda’s and found her way down the stairs. The Townley dining room was empty. Nor was there anyone in the parlour, though a fire was burning brightly. “Aha!” said Lily to herself. “Someone’s been up and about.”

  She hadn’t noticed it last night at supper, but there was a little doorway off to the side of the dining room. She opened it carefully. It led to a wide stairway and Lily heard the clatter of the kitchen at the base of it. So that’s where the food comes from, she thought. I thought it was magic!

  The kitchen was a hive of activity. There was a fairy cook with an open, cheerful face. She must be Caraway, thought Lily. Next to her flitted another fairy, but she was working so quickly Lily could hardly tell who it was. Then she realised—

  “Avery!” she said.

  “Oh my goodness, miss! What are you doing here? All the fairies are asleep.”

  “No, they’re not,” said Lily. “You’re a fairy and you’re up and working away. What can I do to help?”

  “I’m Caraway Cooke,” said the older fairy. “And since you’re here, keep yourself out of the way. You modern fairies don’t know how to do much of anything, anyway. Not like my dear sister, Saffron, though of course there’s no room for her in this house.” Avery waggled her eyebrows at Lily at that remark. “Avery, tend that fire. It’s not hot enough for me to put the scones in.”

  “But I’m squeezing the oranges—”

  “Then hurry up about it, please.” Caraway Cooke was not unkind, but she was very, very firm. She pointed to a small sheet of paper pinned up on the wall. “Try again to read the note I left you.”

  Lily looked over to where Caraway Cooke was pointing. There was a long list pinned to a corkboard. The writing was tiny, but there were funny little doodles drawn all over it.