Teacup woke when the sun rose. She wasn’t the only one up early. In the great hall, Cogsworth scrubbed a pesky dirt spot on the marble floor. In the parlor, Lumiere practiced charming smiles in front of a mirror. In the kitchen, Mrs. Potts was baking. She’d made enough treats to feed an army of inventors!

Teacup checked the library. Belle was pacing back and forth. An open book was on the table next to her.

Teacup jumped in front of Belle to get her attention.

“Oh!” Belle said, coming to a stop. “Good morning, Teacup! Are you excited about today, too?”

Teacup wagged her tail.

Belle kneeled next to her puppy. “I’m kind of nervous,” she admitted. “I know it’s silly. I just want everything to be perfect for Simone.”

Teacup barked. She and Belle were a lot alike.

“Simone will be arriving in the village soon,” Belle said. “Then she’s coming here.” She ruffled the fur behind Teacup’s ears. “I can’t wait to see your show. I know it will be wonderful!”

Teacup watched Belle leave the library. She was as excited as Belle. She wished Simone would arrive now.

Or…

Belle had said that Simone would be in the village soon. Teacup could go to town. She wouldn’t have to wait. She could see the inventor when she got there!

Teacup dashed down the hall, out the door, and into the woods. She was little, but she ran fast. She didn’t want to miss Simone.

Panting hard, she skidded into the village square. She looked around. She saw the baker, the cheese maker, and the butcher. But where was Simone? Had she already come and gone?

Then Teacup heard the clatter of cart wheels on cobblestones. A wagon, driven by a girl, rolled into the village. In the back was a lump covered by a blanket.

“Bonjour!” the girl called. “Does anyone know the way to the castle?”

“Of course,” said Marie, the baker’s wife. “We know who you are, too.”

Simone looked surprised. “You do?” she asked.

Marie shrugged. “Small towns have no secrets,” she said. “Belle’s father told us about you. And about your invention.”

“I’d give anything to see it,” the cheese maker added.

“Anything?” Simone laughed. “For some tasty cheese, I’ll show you.” She patted the blanket in the back of the wagon.

The cheese maker tossed her a wedge. “It’s a deal!” he said.

Simone opened the back of the wagon. She rolled the invention down a ramp to the ground. She placed it under a pear tree at the edge of the square. Then she whipped off the blanket.

Teacup sat on her hind legs to see better. The invention was an odd-looking machine. Pipes, cranks, and levers stuck out in every direction.

Simone kneeled in the dirt. She pulled a wrench from her skirt pocket. “I just need to—” She tightened a bolt. “And a little bit here—” She pounded a nail with the end of the wrench. “Now…to start it up.”

She turned to the villagers. They were watching eagerly as she prepared.

“Are you ready?” Simone asked.

Everyone nodded.

Simone smiled. “Are you sure?”

More nodding. Someone yelled, “Yes!”

Teacup woofed. She knew what Simone was doing. Simone was putting on a show!

With a flourish, Simone hit a button. The invention rattled to life. A wooden arm unfolded. It closed around a tree branch and shook it. A pear fell off the tree and into a chute. When it slid to the end of the chute, it flipped into a pillowed basket at the base of the invention.

“Oh!” the baker cried. “I could use one of those. My back aches from picking apples for tarts.”

The machine picked more pears and flipped them into the basket.

Teacup had never seen anything so marvelous. And it gave her a great idea. She could make the invention part of her show!

She ran back to the castle, full speed all the way.