‘Clemmie.’ Lady Clarissa gently stroked her daughter’s hair. ‘Wake up, sleepyhead.’

Clementine’s face crumpled and she struggled to open her eyes until she remembered what day it was and sat bolt upright.

‘Did I miss it?’ she asked.

‘Miss what?’ her mother replied.

‘School, of course.’ Clementine sniffed. She could smell toast cooking.

‘No, Clemmie, it’s just after seven.’ Her mother shook her head. ‘How long have you been up?’

‘I don’t know. The clock chimed four times but it must be broken because that’s in the afternoon,’ Clementine explained.

‘Oh dear, you’ve been up for hours, silly sausage. I hope you’re not too tired for your first day.’ Lady Clarissa put a plate of hot buttery toast with strawberry jam in front of her daughter. ‘Four o’clock can be in the morning too, Clemmie, and it’s very early – at least three hours before you usually get up.’

‘Oh.’ Clementine frowned. ‘Well, today I’ll learn how to tell the time and then I won’t get up too early tomorrow.’

Digby Pertwhistle arrived in the kitchen. He had been the butler at Penberthy House for longer than anyone could remember and was more like a beloved uncle to Clarissa and Clementine than an employee. He and Clarissa ran the house as a country hotel, but unfortunately guests were few and far between.

‘Good morning, Clementine. Are you all ready for the big day?’ he asked, his grey eyes twinkling.

‘Oh yes, Uncle Digby,’ said Clementine, nodding. ‘I’ve been ready forever.’

Digby and Clarissa smiled at one another. That was certainly true.

‘Well, eat up your toast and drink your juice. You’ll need lots of energy. I’ve packed your morning tea and I think –’ her mother opened the lid of the red lunchbox which had Clementine’s name written neatly on the lid – ‘Uncle Digby has added a treat.’ She snapped the lid closed again.

The old man winked at Clementine. She tried to wink back but she just double blinked instead.

‘I’ve got the camera ready,’ said Digby. He walked over to the sideboard and picked up a small black bag.

‘Goody!’ said Clementine. She finished the last bite of her toast and jumped down from the chair. ‘I’ll just get Lavender ready. She had a sleep-in.’

‘Clemmie, I don’t know if we can take her with us today,’ said her mother. ‘I’m not sure how the school feels about pets.’

‘But I told her she could come. Please,’ Clementine begged her mother.

Pharaoh let out a loud meow as he stood up in his basket and arched his back.

‘No, Pharaoh, you are definitely not coming. Can you imagine what would happen if we took you to town and you got away?’ Digby shook his head.

‘We don’t want to make Aunt Violet cross again, that’s for sure,’ Clementine replied. ‘But Lavender will be so sad if she has to stay home. She’s been looking forward to school for as long as I have.’

‘Well, what about if I take care of Lavender when you and your mother go into school,’ Digby suggested. ‘We can go for a walk around the village and I can pop into the patisserie and see Pierre.’

‘And you can get a great big cream bun for your morning tea!’ Clementine announced.

‘Oh, I haven’t had one of Pierre’s cream buns for ages.’ Digby’s stomach gurgled at the thought of it.

‘All right, now run along, Clemmie, and brush your teeth. We’ll have to leave soon,’ her mother instructed.

Clementine skipped up the back stairs to her room on the third floor, singing to herself on the way, ‘I get to go to school today, I can’t wait, hip hip hooray . . .’