‘You think Ava should go?’ my father said, shocked by my mothers suggestion.
I was rather used to my father being overprotective. He had been that way my entire life. I was always sheltered as a child, which resulted in my poor social skills.
‘Penny and I could fit in Avalon’s handbag,’ Tom interrupted, nudging his wife. ‘With Penny’s Power to shrink and my ability to mimic her, we can hide in Avalon’s purse and slip inside the manor together.’
‘That’s a great idea,’ I said. ‘Except I don’t own a handbag… or anything formal for that matter.’
Robert Scotland looked me up and down before turning to his wife. ‘Maria, she looks about your size, dear.’
‘Oh yes, around zee waist, I expect so,’ Maria replied. ‘Zee bust may be a leetle too baggy.’
I flushed and folded my arms across my chest.
‘I think I have a suit that might fit Jack,’ said Tom, who was close to Jack’s height and build.
‘Oh goodness,’ Penny rolled her eyes. ‘Not that old one from your twenty-first birthday?’
‘What’s wrong with it?’ demanded Tom. ‘I like that suit.’
‘It’s tweed,’ said Penny.
‘Tweed is very fashionable,’ said Tom, rather disgruntled.
‘It sounds great. Thank you,’ Jack interrupted.
‘Right, now that the outfits are organised,’ my father said irritably. ‘What is your plan?’
My father did not seem pleased that I was going to the garden party, but it was time he learned that I was capable of doing things by myself. Besides, Jack, Penny, Tom, R?ven and Hawthorne would be with me and that was more than enough protection.
As the meeting continued we began to devise a plan of rescue. We came up with numerous, complicated ideas, none of which were plausible. There were a number of factors we had to consider.
Firstly, the manor would be swarming with guests and staff, inside and out. It would be difficult to go through the kitchens during the event.
Secondly, if we did manage to find our families, how would we get them off the property without drawing attention to ourselves? Someone was bound to notice.
The first part of the plan was simple; Penny and Tom would slip into the manor while Jack and I chummed it up with the other partygoers, steering conversation towards Martinez’s line of work – the exportation of Humans.
The next part was a little tricky. Towards the end of the party, once many of the guests were gone, we would linger behind. This would be the moment for R?ven’s song. She would put all the Mages in the vicinity to sleep with her voice, meaning we would be free to slip into the kitchens along with the rest of H.E.L.E.N.A.
If all went well we would be able to get our families off the grounds within the hour. The manor would awaken from their slumber and be none the wiser.
At least, that was the plan.
Chapter Seventeen
A Prestigious Event
The morning of the garden party we visited Tom and Penny Truscott to borrow a suit for Jack. Luckily it fit him perfectly, but I had been rather horrible and laughed when I saw the suit. Jack’s ears turned bright pink as he paraded around Tom’s sitting room, showing off the suit, which was a woven brown material. It came with a matching vest, bright blue shoes and a lurid turquoise shirt. I had never seen Jack wear a suit before, so I found it rather hilarious. The matching tweed cap set the whole ensemble off nicely.
Now Jack, R?ven, Hawthorne, Penny, Tom and I were all at Robert and Marias house. This was where I would be getting ready and from here we would go to the party together.
‘It’s a little tight,’ I complained to Maria as she tightened the corset.
I was standing behind the vanity screen in the master bedroom while Maria helped me dress.
‘Oh, be quiet,’ she scolded, yanking at the ties. ‘Suck in your stomach!’
Jack was currently waiting in the sitting room with Robert, Penny and Tom. R?ven was perched on Hawthorne’s shoulder. They watched as I got ready.
Maria was fitting me into one of her best dresses. I had never worn anything so elegant before. Maria had chosen a periwinkle blue dress covered in ruffles and bows, lined with lace. She said it matched my eyes.
I felt girly. I disliked it.
Maria was currently pulling as hard as she could on the corset, tightening it to the point that I could barely breathe.
‘I hope Jack likes eet. Your man must approve.’
‘Jack isn’t my man,’ I folded my arms across my chest.
‘I see zee way ‘ee looks at you,’ Maria teased. R?ven whistled approvingly as she flew onto the vanity-screen.
‘It’s squishing everything together.’ I looked down at my bust, which showed a great deal of cleavage now that I was bound like a hog.
‘Zat is zee point,’ said Maria as she finished tying everything up. I heaved a sigh, but was promptly scolded. ‘Stop slouching and ’old your chin up.’
I did as I was told and Maria stood back to admire her work.
‘Ah, you look magnifique!’ she said happily.