Читать книгу Rosa and the Golden Bird - Darcey Bussell - Страница 9

“But why can’t we?” Rosa demanded later that evening. Olivia had gone home and Rosa and her mum were talking about the ballet again. “Mikhail said we could have free tickets. You wouldn’t have to pay.”

“It’s not about the money, Rosa,” Mrs Maitland said briefly, busying herself in the kitchen with the washing up.

“So what is it about?” Rosa frowned, as her mum picked up a tea towel and started to dry the dishes.

She sighed. “It’s complicated, sweetheart. I haven’t kept in touch with any of my dancing friends because I don’t want them pitying me for not being able to dance when I don’t pity myself. You see, I think of all the good things that have happened since the accident – like having you. But they wouldn’t see it like that and I don’t want free tickets because they feel sorry for me.”

Rosa thought about the man they had met at the theatre. “But Mikhail didn’t seem to be offering you tickets because he felt sorry for you. He just said he wanted a chance to meet up.”

“That may be what he said,” Rosa’s mother said, “but I think he felt differently.” She sighed. “Look, it’s late. Go and get ready for bed. I’m not going to talk about it any more.”

Rosa couldn’t believe her mum was going to turn the offer of tickets down because of this. “But Mum, what if Mikhail was just being nice and did just want to see you!” she said in frustration.

“Bed, Rosa!” her mum said.

Rosa knew that when her mum spoke that firmly there was no point arguing and so she turned and left the room. As she reached the door she glanced back. Her mum was staring at Mikhail’s card, turning it over in her hand.

That night in bed, Rosa opened her Stories from the Ballet book and turned to the chapter on The Firebird. The ballet was about a princess who had been imprisoned by a magician. Whenever anyone tried to rescue her, the magician turned them to stone. But then one day a prince came along with a magical feather from a firebird which he used to rescue the princess and turn the stone statues back into people. Rosa shut her eyes, imagining what it would be like to watch someone dance the part of the Firebird…

She drifted off to sleep, dreaming of fantastic birds and stone statues. When she woke up a little while later, it was dark and there was a faint tinkling sound as if someone was playing a piano very softly. Where was it coming from?

She sat up in bed and gasped. The red ballet shoes at the bottom of her bed were sparkling! Rosa leaped up. This must mean she was going to Enchantia again! She pulled on the shoes excitedly. Who would she meet this time? What would she do?