Evangeline and the Mysterious Lights: The Antics of Evangeline, #4

By Madeleine D'Este

Lights in the sky. Magnets and letters. Old friends and new.

Coming back from a Sunday at the seaside, Evangeline and her family witness three strange lights darting across the sky, manoeuvring in a most peculiar way.
Melbourne is abuzz with rumours but who is behind the mysterious lights? Could it be an invasion? A runaway airship? Or visitors from further afield?

Luckily, Evangeline Caldicott is on the case, determined to uncover the mystery and unravel a few family secrets along the way. With help from her latest inventions and raspberry tarts, of course.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Madeleine D'Este
• Release date: Jan 20, 2018
• ISBN: 9780994604231

Book preview

Chapter 1

Evangeline closed her eyes and rocked with the rhythm of the open-top carriage, happily filled with strawberry ice-cream.

What a splendid afternoon, said her father, the Professor, rubbing his rounded belly.

Evangeline murmured in agreement, eyes half closed, dreaming of another pink scoop.

A delightfully grey day, said Evangeline's Uncle Augie, perfecting the angle on his straw boater. All this Antipodean sun can be such a bore. Today reminded me of good old Brighton. Civilised. With no unseemly perspiration.

As the sun sank, ribbons of plum and apricot unfurled across the May sky. The horses clopped across the Swanston Street bridge, returning from the St. Kilda seaside and headed for the home they all shared at 56 Collins Street. St Paul's Cathedral bells pealing, Evangeline stared up into the sky, watching the stars emerge one by one.

I'm still not used to this night sky, Uncle Edmund said, screwing up his face. I can't find any of the stars I know. It's all topsy-turvy.

We had stars in London? Augie raised an eyebrow. How could you see through the smoke?

It's perfectly logical, little brother, said the Professor, pointing into the air with his clockwork hand. That one is Scorpius, a scorpion. And over there, Centaurus. And that magnificent grouping is known as the Southern Cross.

A cross? Miss Plockton, the Professor's efficacious personal secretary, said throwing a tartan blanket over Evangeline. Isnae that lovely?

This new sky will take some getting used to, Edmund said. For example, what on earth is that?

Edmund pointed to the east where the sky was darkest. Three brilliant white lights blazed far away in the distance, bigger and brighter than any other stars in the sky.

Evangeline leaned forward, squinting, while her father clicked and flicked, selecting the ideal lens on his pince-nez.

Curious. The Professor stroked his moustache with his brass fingers. I am not familiar with that particular constellation. But we're all learning about our new surroundings.

But Father, the lights are moving, Evangeline said. Coming towards us.

No, scoffed her father. That's impossible. An optical illusion, m'dear.

She's right, Edmund said. They're getting bigger.

Probably just dirigibles, said Augie with a yawn, barely glancing up from his fingernails.

They're awfully bright...

Augie shrugged. Another disaster perhaps? Tragic but the price of progress.

But isn't the dirigible field over there? West. In Flemington? They don't usually fly over town.

Perhaps they're taking a new route? Augie lay back with his eyes closed. Are we home yet?

What's out there to see? Only trees and bush, Edmund said. There is something very strange about those lights. Not like a dirigible at all. Do you have your opera glasses on you, Augie?

The Professor, Evangeline and Edmund stared up into the inky sky. The lights pulsing as they hurtled closer to the town centre, swapping positions like a street magician's cup and ball trick.

How very peculiar, the Professor said. No airship I know can manoeuvre in that way. Absolutely fascinating.

What could it be? asked Evangeline, perking up in her seat.

I don't know, the Professor said, his voice trailing away into thought.

Evangeline licked her lips. Strange lights in the sky and something her father did not know? Was a new mystery unfolding before her eyes?

Perhaps there is another explanation. Miss Plockton tugged at the gold cross at her neck and muttered the Lord's Prayer.

Now my curiosity is well and truly piqued. Hurry along, man! The Professor shouted to the carriage driver. We must get home quick sticks.

The carriage driver slapped the reins, the horses picked up their pace, and the leisurely afternoon carriage ride was over.

I have just the instrument. If we hurry, we can solve this mystery here and now.

Chapter 2

Hurry, man, the Professor exclaimed.

The three lights hurtled closer, flying in from the east. The size of oranges in the dark sky. The four wheeled carriage sped along Flinders Street, the murky Yarra River on one side, The Herald newspaper building, the Allied Steamworks Factory, and the sandstone wool stores along the other. The carriage turned up Exhibition Street, then Collins Street and stopped in front of the red-brick Caldicott residence at number 56.

The portly Professor leaped from the carriage, racing through the iron gate and in the front door. Evangeline scrambled along after him, not wanting to miss a moment.

Come on, Uncle Edmund.

Wait for me, panted Edmund, closely behind her skirts.

They ran downstairs into the Professor's laboratory-workshop, an underground cellar filled with neatly categorised supplies and equipment. Rows of trunks lined the bluestone walls and, in the farthest corner, the Professor's secret project, hidden under a locked beige tarpaulin. The secret project, which, on occasion, moved all by itself.

The Professor rushed over to a microscope in the corner of the room.

Evangeline frowned. But... She pointed into the air.

Mumbling to himself, her father twiddled a sequence of dials and knobs. Blast. Can't see a thing.

Only then did Evangeline spy three brass pipes leading out of the instrument, up the stone wall and through the ceiling.

Cursed birds nesting over my peephole. Remind me to get Miss Plockton to clean out the gutters tomorrow. Turning away, he hurried across the room, diving head first into the nearest trunk and started rummaging. I only saw the infernal thing the other day. I knew it would come in handy.

Is this it? Evangeline held up a long brass tube.

Ah ha. The Professor grabbed the telescope with his clockwork hand, charging it in the air triumphantly. As fine as the Great Melbourne Telescope. Hurry along.

Evangeline, the Professor and Uncle Edmund scrambled back upstairs and onto Collins Street.

Where are you, ruddy lights? the Professor muttered, squinting into the telescope.

Evangeline scoured the sky with her naked eye. Looking east and then west, she spotted Scorpius, Centaurus and the Southern Cross, but her father was right. The strange blinking lights were gone.

"Give it here. You were always rubbish