five

“Faster, Poppy!” said Sylva.

Lacey Cobweb flew up as they approached. “Are you going to the jumble pile? You’ve missed almost everything!” she said. “The Bakewell sisters took some cookie trays—the ones that weren’t bashed up. And the Seaside sisters took a collection of sea glass that Avery had brought up from the schoolhouse attic. It’s a lucky thing there were no blues, or Goldie would have grabbed them out of their hands!”

“Did someone mention my name?” asked Goldie. “And, by the way, notice anything different about me?” Goldie swept down from the other side of the jumble pile, wearing a hat the size of a small tabletop.

“Your shoelace is untied?” asked Sylva.

“No, my hat is fabulous!” said Goldie. “You two should hurry. Lady Courtney is getting rid of some stuff from the basement of the palace. But I think most of the best things are gone.”

Sylva couldn’t bear the thought that she might have missed out on treasures again. All because of Poppy.

“Come on, Poppy, we have to get over there before it’s all taken.”

Sylva and Poppy flew to the back of the palace. As short a trip as it was, it still gave them enough time to see lots of other fairies with their hands full of great finds.

“Can you believe Queen Mab doesn’t want these beads?” asked Fern Stitch. “I’ll sew them onto a bag I’m making for Stemmy’s birthday. Don’t tell her.”

Sylva sped up her flight.

“Look at what I found!” cried Shellie Seaside. “Driftwood in the shape of a baby whale.”

There’ll be nothing left for me! Sylva thought.

By the time Sylva and Poppy arrived at the lawn of Queen Mab’s palace, the jumble pile was not much of a pile at all. It was just a bunch of odds and ends spread out like rubbish on the lawn. Tears pricked Sylva’s eyes. She had missed out again.

Of course there were a few things that looked nice—a pretty blue button that would have been prettier if it hadn’t been broken in two; a teacup with a crack right down the middle; a baby’s chair with three legs . . . and no seat.

Sylva almost said something about how they could have gotten there earlier if Poppy hadn’t insisted on dampening the dust, but she thought Poppy might already be feeling bad, and she didn’t want to make her feel worse.

Sylva was just about to head sadly back to the Bell fairy house with her one broken button and the cracked teacup when they caught sight of Queen Mab’s attendant. Lady Courtney was flying slowly out of the palace, with something very large in her arms.

“Heigh-ho, here’s Lady Courtney,” said Sylva.

“She’ll probably tell us we’re not allowed to touch anything,” said Poppy.

“Or that we need to curtsy before we approach the jumble pile.” They both giggled. “I think she needs help,” said Sylva. “That’s a huge crate she’s carrying.”

The two fairies flew over to Lady Courtney, who was indeed struggling under the weight of a large crate, which looked very old.

“Sylva, Poppy, good afternoon to you,” said Lady Courtney.

“May we help you, Lady Courtney?” asked Sylva, using her best manners. “That looks awfully heavy.”

“It is heavy,” said Lady Courtney. She set the box down with a rattling thump. “Whew! These wings aren’t getting any younger.”

“Probably a whole box of broken plates and cups,” whispered Sylva.

“Plus some dirty old pieces of string,” Poppy whispered back. She and Sylva giggled again.

“Are you two the only fairies here?” asked Lady Courtney. “I think you’re in luck.”

Sylva and Poppy flew over to the crate. It had a latch on the front and opened quite easily. Inside was not a jumble of old rubbish that no one would want. Inside was something so marvelous that Sylva and Poppy could hardly believe it.