Let the Dance Begin (10 page)

‘We need to go back to the study and search for those missing pages. Come on. Let’s climb down and creep round the outside.’

‘What about Thassalinus?’

‘I brought him some barnacle beer and sea pasties so he’d let me in. That should keep him occupied for most of the evening.’ Rubus sighed as he looked wistfully towards the
beach. ‘This is a great night for racing. Still it won’t take me long to get us into the study’ he bragged.

They crept slowly down to the lower floor. Cassie felt nervous as they moved quickly and silently along the corridor that led to the study.

Rubus rattled the mother-of-pearl handle as quietly as he could. Then he stood back, stroked his chin and sighed. He ran his hands down the wood, muttering something about looking for the weak
point. Then he flexed his legs and cracked his fingers.

‘What are you doing?’ Cassie hissed.

‘One kick in the right place and I’ll have us inside in next to no time,’ he said.

‘And wake everybody up!’

‘I can do a silent kick. I just need to prepare myself.’ He closed his eyes, bent and stretched his legs and padded around slowly in a circle while Cassie patted her hair and took
out a wire hairpin.

She put it into the lock and managed to open it in three waggles.

‘Ahh! I was going to suggest that if my kick hadn’t worked – though it would have done.’ Rubus grinned as they tiptoed into the dark study.

‘I’ll look on Madame Rosa’s desk,’ Rubus said. ‘You might have missed something before.’

Cassie went to the small window, pulling the heavy curtain back to give them some light, but there was no moon visible. She checked the window ledge, but its abalone surface was clear and
smooth.

They searched as best they could, but there was no sign of the missing pages.

Cassie even climbed on Rubus’s shoulders to take a peep at what was on the long shelf that curved around the top of the room.

‘Can you see anything?’ Rubus asked.

‘Just move a few steps closer so I can reach my hand across.’

‘If you’ll stop digging your heels in my back,’ Rubus pleaded as he stumbled. Cassie stretched forward. Rubus wobbled.

‘I think I can see something.’ Cassie extended herself further. ‘It looks like a folder.’ She pulled herself forward whilst Rubus tried to steady himself.

‘I’ve nearly got it. Almost there!’ Her fingertip made contact with the folder. In her excitement her foot squashed into Rubus’s face, which made him lean and wobble some
more, and in the dark his foot stumbled on the uneven floor surface.

‘Got it!’ Cassie picked up the folder, sending clouds of dust over Rubus, who sneezed loudly.

‘Shh!’ Cassie dug her knees into Rubus causing him to spin out of control. She let go of the folder, and it landed with a loud thud on the floor.

They froze, but only silence followed. Then Cassie began to lean forward. Rubus grabbed her around the waist as she slid down. Cassie’s hand reached out, caught on the curtain and she
landed with a bump on the window seat. She winced as she grazed herself on a small metal nail.

Rubus wiped his itchy nose and quickly bent down to retrieve the folder. Cassie slid off the shiny window seat catching her leg on one of the decorative studs, which made a snapping noise.

‘These are just some pages from some old exercises book!’ she said, holding the open folder up to the window.

‘We’d better get going,’ Rubus said in a twitchy voice. ‘Uh-oh, I am going to sn— ATISHOOO!’

‘Shh,’ said Cassie crossly. She was so disappointed that they had not found the book or any clues about Marina. She picked up the tatty folder. ‘We’d better put this back
and try and tidy up.’

She climbed on Rubus’s shoulders and edged it back on to the ledge.

‘Maybe the pages did get destroyed,’ Rubus said as Cassie turned to close the curtains.

‘Or maybe we’re not looking in the right place.’ Cassie stared at the ledge by the peephole. The top of the window seat had clicked open, revealing a hidden hiding place.
‘Look!’ she exclaimed.

‘You must have unlocked it when you landed on it,’ Rubus said as they both stared in amazement.

‘There
must
be something about my mother inside here!’ Cassie put her hand in. ‘It’s too dark to see, but I can feel something. I think it’s pages.
I’ve got them!’

Just then they heard the sound of footsteps and Thassalinus’s low, mumbling voice.

We’d better go. We’ll get into real trouble if he finds us. He’s probably checking the doors and when he finds this one’s open, he’ll search the room,’ Rubus
warned.

‘Can’t we just take them?’ Cassie looked longingly at the pages.

‘Someone might notice they’ve gone before we have a chance to put them back,’ Rubus said.

‘But we’ll have to sneak back in again anyway,’ Cassie said, desperate not to put the pages back.

‘That’s just as risky – we could get caught with stolen property,’ Rubus replied.

Cassie sighed. She looked down at one of the pages and read,
Sandrine is in charge of the situation and, despite our reservations, must be obeyed.

As quickly and carefully as she could, Cassie put back the papers while Rubus opened the door carefully.

The sound of the footsteps came closer. It was too late! They were going to get caught.

‘Who’s there?’ called Thassalinus.

Rubus quickly shut the study door behind him before replying, ‘Aah! Here you are.’

‘What are
you
doing here?’ Thassalinus’s whisper had a gruff edge.

‘Looking for you! I forgot to ask if you wanted me to bring mollusc mead or barnacle beer next time.’

‘A drop of mollusc mead always goes down a treat,’ Thassalinus replied.

‘I thought I saw a peephole flapping open down that corridor too. Do you want me to come with you? It might be dangerous,’ Rubus said.

‘Get away with you, laddie! I’ve wrestled with sea monsters! I’ll soon sort out any danger around here!’ Thassalinus set off down the corridor, grumbling.

Thank goodness for Rubus’s quick thinking,
thought Cassie, and quickly slipped out of the study. She took longer to lock the door as her fingers were trembling and her hairpin took
longer to bend into the tight shape. Luckily, they managed to make their escape before Thassalinus returned and they sped as quickly as they could down to the beach.

‘I’ll be back this way in a few days’ time. We’ll finish the job then,’ Rubus said.

‘I don’t know if I can wait that long.’ Cassie tugged at a braid. ‘I’m going to try and find a way to get back in the study and read those pages. When I held those
missing pages I just knew that they contained something important.’

We don’t know for sure,’ Rubus cautioned. ‘They may not say anything.’

Cassie’s eyes flashed. ‘I just know they’ll tell me something. I can feel it. The sand between my toes is tingling – that is always a sign.’

‘I know I can’t help with the reading, but you do need help with Thassalinus.’ Rubus looked serious. ‘I can distract him with some mollusc mead, which is twice as strong
as barnacle beer. I can also get him to tell me some sand faring stories. That should buy you some more time.’

‘I’ll try to be patient,’ Cassie said to herself, as she watched Rubus disappear on his sand surfer across the beach.

Chapter Thirteen

‘The truth can hurt – that is why it hides
behind smiles and half-truths.’
The Sands of Time

Cassie felt she was so
close and yet still so far from finding some answers as to why Marina came to Sandringham Dance School on the Night of the
Great Sandstorm. She was sure that she would find some evidence to show that Sandrine had been jealous of her mother and had sent her out into the storm. She thought about creeping down to the
study by herself, but it was too dangerous without Rubus. She couldn’t risk being caught and sent home. Twice she decided to speak to Madame Rosa, but each time she stopped herself.

She wanted to confide in Lexie and Shell, but it never seemed to be the right moment. Besides, all they could think and talk about were the upcoming tests, or the routines they were going to
make up for the Harvest Moon Festival auditions.

Cassie really wanted to improve her dancing technique, but it seemed that the harder she tried, the more her body refused to twist or bend itself into the right shape. She was desperate to pass
the tests, but on top of everything else she was finding the Sand Glide really hard to get right.

‘Your mind and body have to flow as one!’ Mrs Sandskrit kept telling her. ‘My advice to you all is to focus solely on your dancing. Nothing else must matter to you!’

Cassie tried to focus, but instead of studying she spent every evening staring out from the balcony waiting for a flash of Rubus’s sand surfer. The days passed slowly.

‘Come on, Cassie. You’re going to be late for class,’ Lexie whispered to her one morning at breakfast when Cassie’s mind was far away.

‘You look awful. I can lend you some of my elderflower gel to brighten the shadows under your eyes. Sandrine swears by it,’ Shell added.

‘Why should I want to try something that a spiteful, jealous person like Sandrine recommends?’ Cassie snapped back.

A pink blush appeared on Shell’s cheeks. After a long time she replied, ‘She’s not as bad as that.’

‘That’s not what I heard,’ Cassie murmured.

You really need something to help you remember the order of the Sand Glide, Cassie,’ Lexie said. ‘It might help if you put some elderflower gel on your feet!’

They all giggled at the thought.

‘NO laughing and messing around during meal times, Alexsandra!’ Calluna snapped. ‘As a punishment you can polish all the tables after supper.’

‘I was laughing as well.’ Shell’s eyes flashed at Calluna.

‘Me too,’ chimed Cassie.

‘It’s all right,’ whispered Lexie. ‘There’s no need for us all to get into trouble. I can manage.’

Calluna stood up. ‘Then you can all clean the tables.’

‘Why is she so mean?’ Cassie said as she watched Calluna walk out of the dining hall.

‘She did catch me imitating her that time in the dance studio,’ Lexie sighed.

Shell snorted. ‘That’s not the reason why she is especially mean to you.’

‘What else have I done?’ Lexie wailed.

‘Something unforgivable,’ Shell said. ‘You are one of the best – if not
the
best – dancer here, Lexie. That is what she doesn’t like.’

Lexie blushed. ‘Am I? Do you really think so? I
have
been working hard lately’

Cassie suddenly realised with a sinking feeling that Shell was right. Lexie was an amazing dancer, but she’d been so wrapped up in other things she’d never really noticed. She tried
to push away the sting of regret that it wasn’t her. Cassie realised again just how important dancing had become to her. She would never have believed she’d feel sad that someone was
better at it than her!

‘I am going to try harder for my mother’s sake. Starting with my classes today’ Cassie told herself as they left the dining hall and walked towards the practice rooms.

‘Oh no!’ said Cassie. ‘I’ve got to practise my Sand Glide. I’m hopeless at it! But there’s hardly any time – we’ve got to polish the tables.

Just then, Calluna came over and handed them dusters. ‘When I return I want these tables to shine.’

‘Am I the only one who can’t do a Sand Glide?’ Cassie said as she waved the duster. ‘I can’t stop myself lifting my feet up between moves. My movements are not
polished. I don’t flow’

‘Not polished, eh? I’ve just had the most brilliant idea for extra practice!’ Shell announced. ‘Put these on your feet and take a table each!’ Shell, Lexie and
Cassie wrapped the dusters around their feet and slid backwards and forwards along the long tables.

They were so busy gliding and trying not to giggle too loudly that they didn’t notice Mrs Sandskrit pass by on her way from the kitchen having stocked up on sea pasties. She had to place a
pasty in her mouth to stop her from laughing at the sight but reasoned that, as they were practising, there was no need to tell them off.

The next morning they joined the others making their way to the practice room where Madame Rosa and Mrs Sandskrit were waiting for them.

Mrs Sandskrit clapped her hands and everyone immediately fell silent.

‘This morning, each of you will be asked to perform the seven basic steps of the dune dances. At this point in your training I am not expecting perfection, but I am looking to see who has
applied themselves. You will be sent home if you have not mastered the steps to my satisfaction. So let the dancing begin!’

Half an hour later, when the sand dancers had performed each step as a class, Mrs Sandskrit clapped her hands and everyone sank down to the floor exhausted.

It had been so much harder than anyone expected. Mrs Sandskrit had made them perform the moves over and over again. They waited outside the practice room for their results.

‘I was about as light as a loaf of laver bread instead of liquid and floaty,’ Ella wailed. ‘My feet and arms were all jumbled up during the Dune Arabesque and I could feel Mrs
Sandskrit’s eyes burning into me the whole time.’

‘You tried your best, Ella.’ Lexie put an arm around her.

‘She seemed to look at me at the exact same moment I landed awkwardly’ Cassie groaned.

‘The moves are so easy to do when there is no pressure, but the minute I knew that someone was looking at me, my legs went all wobbly,’ Shell grumbled.

‘If you can’t perform under pressure then you will never make it as a sand dancer,’ Calluna said, coming up beside them.

‘It’s easier for those who don’t have any feelings in the first place,’ Shell hissed back at her.

Calluna blushed, and kept walking.

‘That was uncalled for, Shell,’ Lexie said, when Calluna had gone.

‘But she picks on you all the time. She deserves all she gets,’ Shell replied.