The Determined Sofa

By Caroline Leland

Caroline Leland’s book, The Determined Sofa, is the third in a series of novellas for the young reader, about Ellie and her adventures with her Aunt Sophy. The first novella is The Cantankerous Bed and the second, The Expectant Chair, both of which won a Purple Dragonfly Book Award sponsored by Story Monsters LLC. In The Determined Sofa, Ellie and her Aunt Sophy have been invited to perform in the variety show put on by an annual British Music Hall festival in London. During their week-long trip Ellie encounters several unusual residents at the Bed and Breakfast where they’re staying and plunges into solving a mystery with her aunt, while rehearsing for her first performance on stage.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Caroline Leland
• Release date: Nov 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463550335

Caroline Leland

Caroline is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She has written three children's books about the adventures of young Ellie and her Aunt Sophy. Each book has a mystery. All three books, The Cantankerous Bed, The Expectant Chair, and the Determined Sofa have won a Purple Dragonfly Award sponsored by the children's magazine, Story Monsters Inc.. The third book, The Determined Sofa, has just been published and takes place in London, England. All three books can be purchased on www.Amazon.com. Caroline is currently writing romance/mysteries taking place in coastal Maine.

Book preview

The Determined Sofa

A Novella

by Caroline Leland

© 2018 by Caroline Leland

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, reprinted, recorded, performed, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without explicit permission of Caroline Leland. All such actions are strictly prohibited under law.

Book cover watercolor by Nicoll Cadwalader Brinley

This book is dedicated to my

dear sisters and brother.

Other Books by Caroline Leland

The Cantankerous Bed and The Blue Heron: A Novella and A Story

The Expectant Chair: A Novella

Contents

1 Arrival

2 The Tower

3 Changing of the Guard

4 The Dress Rehearsal

5 The Opening Show

6 The Last Day

1

Arrival

Ellie clung to her Aunt Sophy’s raincoat belt as they were swept along in a London subway train, squeezed in among a packed crowd on their way to work in the early morning of a fall day. Ellie’s nose was pressed to her aunt’s waist and she couldn’t see much as they were all squeezed in so tightly. After a few stops, Aunt Sophy leaned down and said, Here we are Ellie, and she wiggled them both out and off the subway car and onto an up escalator. As they glided up a very high stairwell with cheerful advertisements running along the wall at their side, Aunt Sophy said, We don’t have too far to walk to our Bed and Breakfast once we reach the street level. Thank goodness! Each was towing a suitcase on wheels and Ellie was excited to be on another trip with her aunt.

Aunt Sophy’s hair was straight light brown, pulled up in a bun under a dark blue beret. She was a short and slightly plump, cheery person with twinkling brown eyes and boundless energy. Ellie, just turned eight years old, looked very much like her, with brown eyes and the same straight light brown hair, although having a slim build. Eventually they exited the subway station and Aunt Sophy consulted her map and took a right turn.

Isn’t this the best, being in London, England, for the first time and performing in a show here? said Aunt Sophy.

Oh yes, Ellie replied enthusiastically.

And here’s the place, Number Three. I’m looking for a sign that says Come By Chance, she said to Ellie. That’s the name of this Bed and Breakfast. I believe the whole place is reserved for performers in this British Music Hall show we’re in? Aunt Sophy looked over the front of the building but couldn’t find a sign with the Bed and Breakfast’s name on it. I’m quite sure this is the right address.

They had arrived at a brick Victorian town house rising three stories and attached to identical neighboring houses on either side. There were three high, wide, marble steps with guard rails on each side, leading up to the front door and Ellie could see small basement windows on either side of the steps. The woodwork was a scruffy white and a variety of different patterns and colors of curtains could be seen at the windows. It seemed a very large house to Ellie, and the only sign that could be seen was in the middle of the door, and said Ring the Bell, in very small print below a tarnished brass plaque showing a child leading a huge hippo. Well, that’s a fun art work, Aunt Sophy said, looking at it more closely. And where is the doorbell do you think? I don’t see one. She tried the door but it was locked. She and Ellie looked all over the door frame and on the door and Ellie liked the fat Hippo so much she decided to prod the Hippos’ belly. They heard a sonorous deep bell coming from the house.

Well done, Ellie, said Aunt Sophy. That’s an unusual door bell. I’d love to find out where they got it. It would go nicely with the bears on my door at home in Philadelphia. After a long pause, Aunt Sophy said, Oh good, here comes someone, as the door knob started to turn very slowly.

Ellie watched as a very old lady opened the door to let them in. She had to use two hands to pull the solid wood door towards her as Ellie and Aunt Sophy sidled in pulling their suitcases. Do come in, come in, whoever you are and make it lively, the old lady said. We do not wish to let all the riff raff in with you, she continued in a voice that quavered. Aunt Sophy helped the old lady to close the door as it seemed to be a great effort for her.

She had short fluffy white hair framing her wrinkly face and beady dark eyes. Ellie liked her bright red sack-like dress covered with multicolored polka dots that went down to her black, laced shoes. She looked very old to Ellie and was not much taller than Ellie herself. My daughter doesn’t seem to be here now but she will know if you are staying with us. I wonder if you could be the people we are expecting? she said while staring at them fiercely with her beady eyes. Probably not, she answered herself and her face broke into a happy smile that lit up the room. Ellie didn’t know what to think and then a small brown dog came barking into the hallway from a door on the left and jumped up on Ellie. Ellie was thrilled and gave it a vigorous pat.

A short, dainty, black woman suddenly appeared in the hall as well and Aunt Sophy said with delight as they hugged, Danielle Booth, what a treat! I’m so glad you and Itsy will be staying here too. I believe we are the expected guests. Ellie! This is Mrs. Booth. Ellie felt something grab on to her knees while the dog bounced around them all and yapped. She looked down to see a tiny black girl hanging on to her for dear life. Ellie laughed and letting go of her suitcase took the little girl’s hands. Hello, I’m Ellie. The little girl giggled and swung Ellie’s hands back and forth but didn’t say anything. She was wearing a frilly pink dress and pink