Free Clementine Rose and the Perfect Present 3 by Jacqueline Harvey Page A

quickly. As the sun started to fade, Angus blew out the candles on his castle cake and the children gathered around to watch him open his presents. Some of the parents had started to arrive too.
    Joshua had bought him a train set, Poppy had given him a superhero dress-up costume and Sophie gave him a football.
    Clementine’s present was last of all. She and her mother had found him a tiny remote-controlled bug that could actually fly. Clementine would like to have kept it for herself but her mother said that it would make a lovely gift for a six-year-old boy.
    The children stood around watching and waiting as Angus tore open the paper. Clementine looked at the little brown box. Her heart sank.
    Angus pulled off the lid and stared. For a moment he didn’t say a thing. Clementine was about to speak but Angus got in first.
    ‘Wow!’ he gasped. ‘That’s the best present ever.’
    Clementine gulped. ‘But it’s the wrong one.’
    ‘What do you mean?’ Angus looked at her with a frown.
    ‘That’s not yours.’ Clementine’s lip trembled and tears prickled the backs of her eyes.
    ‘But it’s cool,’ Angus said, ‘and it’s mine now.’ He gently lifted the shell from the box. ‘Whoa, what is it?’
    Mrs Bottomley leaned in and inspected the gift. ‘That is a very rare and precious cicada shell,’ she informed the wide-eyed onlookers.
    ‘It’s the best present ever.’ Angus was so excited he turned and kissed Clementine’s cheek.
    Everyone giggled and Clemmie’s cheeks flushed pink.
    Angus’s ears turned bright red.
    ‘Gross! Girl germs,’ Joshua called out.
    A hand reached through the crowd and Mrs Tribble yanked her son by her side. She scooped him up and kissed him noisily on the cheek too. ‘I’ll give you girl germs, Joshua Tribble.’

    Joshua’s howls of protest had everyone in stitches.
    ‘Don’t worry, Clementine,’ came a voice beside her. It was Aunt Violet. ‘Pertwhistle will understand.’
    Clemmie glanced up, surprised. She hadn’t noticed her great-aunt arrive. ‘Do you really think so?’
    Aunt Violet winked. ‘I know so.’
    It was time to go. The children said goodbye and Angus handed out the lolly bags. When he gave Clementine hers he even said another special thankyou and gave her a hug. Clementine kept her hands by her side as he squeezed her extra tight.
    ‘I love it,’ Angus whispered.
    ‘Come along, Clemmie,’ her great-aunt instructed. ‘Your mother and Uncle Digby should be home by now.’

    ‘Uncle Digby,’ Clementine yelled as she ran ahead of her great-aunt into the house. Uncle Digby was sitting at the kitchen table sipping a cup of tea and looking his usual self again.
    He grinned at her. ‘Hello there, miss.’
    Clementine raced around and gave the old man a tight squeeze. ‘We missed you so much. And Mummy and Aunt Violet and Mrs Mogg had to run the whole wedding and it was almost a disaster when the hot water broke but then Aunt Violet fixed it,’ she babbled. ‘Is your heart better?’
    ‘My old ticker is just fine. Nothing to worry about,’ he replied.
    She was glad to hear it. It seemed that Arya was right about her father being able to fix broken hearts.
    Clementine released Uncle Digby and rushed over to the sideboard. Uncle Digby’s card was there with Angus’s present. She picked up the card and took it over to the table.
    Aunt Violet motioned at the little box. ‘Go on, Clementine, give Uncle Digby his present too,’ she said.
    ‘But . . .’ Clementine began.
    ‘But nothing, Clementine. It’s the thought that counts,’ her great-aunt encouraged her.
    Clemmie raced back and picked up the parcel. She looked with sad eyes at the old man. ‘I wanted this to be perfect.’
    Uncle Digby studied the card. On the front was a picture of Clementine and Lavender standing beside Aunt Violet and Pharaoh and Lady Clarissa. It said: ‘What’s missing?’
    He opened it up and inside there was a picture of himself.
    ‘You’, it said. A tear