The evening before the competition, T. Bear knocked on Anna’s office door and walked inside.
‘I’ve found us a judge,’ he said a little nervously.
‘Who is it?’ asked Anna.
T. Bear clutched his paws. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘when you first arrived here, there was a cat who came to inspect the hotel –’
‘Mr Grayson?’ said Anna.
‘That’s right,’ replied T. Bear. ‘He was very official, and fair, and I thought he might be a good fit.’
‘That’s a brilliant idea,’ said Anna. ‘And he liked us as well. I’d better tell Madame Le Pig.’
Anna rushed to the kitchen. The restaurant was filled with guests, but the chef was unusually quiet.
‘What is it?’ said Madame Le Pig, finishing off a round of desserts.
‘We have a judge,’ said Anna. ‘Mr Grayson, the hotel inspector!’
‘What does it matter to me?’ said Le Pig with a shrug. ‘I have my new menu. That is all I need.’
‘But we know he likes your food,’ said Anna. ‘The other chefs won’t stand a chance.’
Madame Le Pig placed the puddings at the service hatch and dinged a bell for Eva. She huffed. ‘I hope you are right,’ she said.
Anna was stopped dead by the chef’s words. This did not sound like the Madame Le Pig she knew.
‘You hope?’ said Anna. ‘I know you will win.’
‘HOW CAN YOU?’ snapped the chef, who became instantly flushed with rage. ‘I have spent the past fifteen years fighting to be the best chef in the world. It is not easy being brilliant!’
‘I know it’s not,’ said Anna.
For the first time she realised that Madame Le Pig was worried about losing the competition. And what would happen if she did lose? It didn’t bear thinking about.
Madame Le Pig sniffed. ‘I have to work,’ she said.
‘Sorry, yes,’ said Anna, and she left the kitchen, feeling terrible.
Luckily Ms Fragranti was waiting for Anna in the lobby as she returned to her office.
‘A word, darling?’ said the flamingo.
‘Yes?’ said Anna with a sigh. ‘More problems?’
They walked into the office and Anna sat down.
‘I don’t think I can help him,’ said Ms Fragranti. ‘Alfonso needs more than a coach; he needs …’ Ms Fragranti was unusually lost for words. ‘He needs to find himself. Only once he believes in himself will he soar again across the sky.’
‘I see,’ said Anna.
‘And you, darling, you’re not your usual self?’ asked Ms Fragranti.
‘I think I’ve forced Madame Le Pig into a situation she didn’t want to be in,’ said Anna.
‘This competition?’
Anna nodded.
Ms Fragranti spread a wing round Anna’s shoulder to comfort her. ‘It is a hard lesson to learn, but prizes are not everything, darling,’ said the flamingo. ‘Madame Le Pig’s brilliance is found in her food, not the trophies on her shelf.’
‘I thought she’d just get angry and shout a lot, like always,’ said Anna. ‘I didn’t think she’d start to worry about losing.’
‘Winning is lovely,’ said Ms Fragranti, ‘but losing? Now that can affect us all.’
‘I see that now,’ said Anna, growing more and more desperate. ‘All the chefs are amazing. Oh, how do I make sure she wins?’
‘You don’t,’ said Ms Fragranti, horrified. ‘Cooking is like art – it is not a game. It cannot be won, and you cannot cheat.’
‘But what if she loses?’ asked Anna. ‘It will ruin her.’
‘You must believe in her no matter what,’ said Ms Fragranti.
Anna’s head fell to the desk. ‘Will you stay for tomorrow?’ she asked. ‘I like having you here.’
‘Of course, darling,’ said Ms Fragranti. ‘I would never leave in your hour of need! I can keep an eye on your chef. She doesn’t scare me.’
‘Thank you,’ said Anna. ‘Now I’d better go and check how the ballroom is coming along.’