The next morning, Hannah got up to help Lauren with the ponies. They had arranged to go for a ride in the woods with Mel and Jessica that afternoon. ‘You know, we could always go and change the book that I bought you for your birthday present,’ Lauren said as they mucked out Magpie’s stable. ‘We could go this morning.’
‘You wouldn’t mind?’ Hannah said. ‘I mean, yesterday showed me how much I like being with ponies but I don’t think I want to get into the whole showing scene again so I’m not really going to use that book.’
‘Well, I don’t mind you swapping it at all,’ Lauren said, glad her cousin was being honest. ‘I’d rather you had a book you wanted.’
When they went inside she asked her mum if they could go to the bookshop and her mum agreed. However, when they got there, just before lunchtime, the bookshop had a ‘closed’ sign up.
‘Oh dear,’ Mrs Foster said. ‘I hope the shop’s not shut because Mrs Fontana is ill.’
Lauren peered through the glass in the door. Surely Mrs Fontana couldn’t be ill again. Not when she’d looked so well the night before. Suddenly her eyes caught a movement in the shop. It was Catherine, Mrs Fontana’s niece. Seeing Lauren, Catherine came to the door.
‘I’m sorry, we’re not open today,’ she said, opening the door. Her eyes were red as if she had been crying.
‘Is everything OK?’ Mrs Foster asked, looking at her in concern.
‘Not really.’ Catherine’s voice caught on the words. ‘My aunt passed away last night.’
Lauren stared. ‘Mrs Fontana’s dead?’ she whispered.
Catherine nodded.
No, Lauren thought, her mind seeming to refuse to take it in. It can’t be true. Mrs Fontana can’t be dead.
‘She died in her sleep last night. No one knows quite what time,’ Catherine went on.
Lauren felt like a bucket of ice had just been dumped all over her. ‘Last night!’
Catherine nodded.
But we saw her! Lauren only just bit the words back. Her mind whirled. Her mouth felt dry.
‘I’m so sorry,’ Mrs Foster said sympathetically to Catherine. ‘We’ll all miss her terribly. Our thoughts are with you and your family.’
‘Thank you,’ Catherine said, swallowing hard. She looked at Lauren and seemed to pull herself together. ‘Lauren, this might not be the right time, but there was a letter on my aunt’s desk this morning and it was addressed to you. If you can wait a moment I’ll go inside and fetch it.’
‘Of course we can,’ Mrs Foster said.
Catherine hurried into the shop. A few moments later she returned with a thick cream envelope. On the front it said ‘Lauren Foster’.
Lauren took it.
‘I wonder what’s inside it?’ Hannah said uncertainly.
Lauren opened it up. There was a letter. She unfolded it:
Lauren,
My time is over – your time has come. Please don’t feel sad. This is the way things have to be. Now is the time to open the box. Guard the secret well, my dear.
Much love, Mrs Fontana x
Lauren folded the letter quickly so that no one else would see it. ‘It’s just a short letter,’ she whispered, forcing the words past a painful lump that was filling her throat. So it was true. Mrs Fontana was dead.
Beside her, her mum wiped her eyes. ‘We’d better go home,’ Mrs Foster said. ‘I’ll get you another book another time, Hannah.’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ Hannah said quietly. ‘It’s not important.’
They got back into the car. Lauren felt as if she was moving automatically.
‘Oh, poor Mrs Fontana,’ Mrs Foster said. ‘Poor Catherine.’
Hannah looked at Lauren. ‘Are you OK?’
Lauren nodded but she’d never felt less OK in her life.
Mrs Foster looked at her pale face. ‘Come on. Let’s get home.’
All the way home, the thought echoed around Lauren’s brain: Mrs Fontana’s dead.
When they got back, she got out of the car in a daze.
Hannah glanced at her and seemed to decide that it was better to leave her on her own for a while. ‘Shall I help you get lunch ready, Auntie Alice?’
‘Yes please,’ Mrs Foster replied. She hugged Lauren. ‘Are you OK, honey?’
Lauren nodded. ‘I think I’ll just go and see Twilight,’ she said numbly.
Mrs Foster nodded understandingly.
‘I’ll call you when it’s lunchtime.’
Lauren walked down the path towards the field. Twilight was waiting by the gate. He whinnied and then snorted in concern when he saw her shocked face.
Lauren climbed over the fence. ‘Oh, Twilight,’ she whispered. ‘Mrs Fontana’s dead.’
Twilight stared at her.
‘She died last night.’ Lauren’s brain swam in confusion. ‘But I don’t understand how she can have died then. We saw her!’ Twilight stepped forward and began to nuzzle her face and hair.
Lauren wished desperately she could turn him into a unicorn so that he could talk to her. She suddenly remembered the letter she had shoved into her pocket. ‘She left me this, Twilight.’ She opened it and read it out to him in a halting voice. As she finished, she looked up. ‘Now is the time to open the box,’ she whispered. ‘Should I go and get it?’
Twilight nodded and stamped a front hoof.
Lauren ran to the house and up the stairs. Luckily she didn’t see her mum or Hannah. She picked up the chest and returned to the field.
‘Here it is,’ she said.
Twilight watched as Lauren turned the key in the lock. For a moment it seemed to catch but then it turned smoothly and the clasp opened. Lauren lifted the lid. Inside there was a thick purple book tied with a silver ribbon, a dusty flat rock, a scroll, a silver pendant shaped like a star and five bottles of various sizes and colours.
There was some writing on the inside of the lid that was old-fashioned and swirly. She read it out:
‘This chest shall only be opened by a Keeper of the Unicorns’ Secrets. You, like the other Keepers of Secrets around the world, have been chosen to help the secret unicorns and their friends. The book will help you in this work. Share its wisdom but do not try to do everything. Remember that each unicorn and their friend must find their own way. Guard the book well and let no harm ever come to a unicorn from the words you say.’
Lauren stared at the writing. ‘What? I’m what?’
She read it again and looked at Twilight. ‘I’m a Keeper of the Unicorns’ Secrets,’ she said, hardly able to take it in. ‘I’ve got to help other Unicorn Friends. Oh, Twilight, was Mrs Fontana a Keeper of the Unicorns’ Secrets too?’ Twilight nodded. His eyes were wide.
Lauren looked at the words. ‘But how can I ever do what Mrs Fontana did?’ she exclaimed. As she spoke, a picture of Mrs Fontana sprang into her mind – Mrs Fontana with her blue eyes sparkling and a wise smile on her old face.
A sob tore through Lauren.
‘Mrs Fontana. Oh, Mrs Fontana!’ she said. Throwing her arms around Twilight’s neck, she started to cry. Twilight nuzzled her hair over and over again.
Eventually the sobs subsided and Lauren’s tears slowly dried up. Wiping her sleeve across her face, she sniffed. Her head was aching and her eyes felt sore.
Twilight breathed softly on her face, drying her remaining tears.
‘I wish I could turn you into a unicorn,’ she whispered, her heart aching. ‘I’ll turn you into a unicorn as soon as I can tonight.’
Twilight nodded.
‘Lauren!’ Mrs Foster called from the house.
Lauren took a deep breath. ‘Coming,’ she called. Giving Twilight a last hug, she walked slowly up the path.
