Cuddle the Cutest Kitten: Princess Party Sleepover Read online

The princess stopped in her tracks. “Dancing would be fun.” Victoria glanced at the dress that Grace had grabbed from the floor.

  Grace yanked down the zip and held it out, the opening of the dress gaping wide. “Just give it a try,” she said. Cuddle mewed gently as if she was saying the same thing.

  After a few moments, Princess Victoria gave a nod. “All right, then!”

  Olivia and Beth helped the princess climb out of her canvas trousers whilst she hopped from foot to foot, laughing. Grace waited for Victoria to step into the dress, then – zip! – she fastened the back up.

  “That was wonderful,” the princess said. She knelt down and stroked Cuddle’s silky head. “I didn’t know dressing up could be so much fun.”

  “Does this mean you’ll go to the ball?” Grace asked.

  Princess Victoria frowned. But then a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

  “Yes,” she said. “I’ll do it. I’ll go to the ball. But only if you three come with me – and you, Cuddle.” Victoria stroked Cuddle from the tip of her nose to the black tip of her tail.

  “Of course we will!” Olivia cried.

  Princess Victoria grinned. “And after the ball, we can have our own party here.”

  “Hooray!” Grace and Olivia cheered.

  Olivia picked up the pink dress and shrugged it over her head. Grace and Victoria did up the tiny buttons at the back, while Beth arranged the petticoats so they hung properly. Even Cuddle tugged the frilly edges with her teeth, pulling them straight.

  Then Grace stepped into the polka-dot dress, and the other girls did up the hook-and-eye fastenings. Victoria picked up the blue sequinned dress.

  “It’s your turn, Beth,” she said.

  “I’m not sure –” Beth began.

  But Olivia held the dress up against her, covering her maid’s uniform. “You’re going to look so pretty,” she said.

  “All right, then.” Beth took off her uniform, folding it neatly and placing it on the bed. She stood quietly as Grace and Victoria buttoned the dress up.

  The four girls stood together in front of the pearl-edged mirror.

  “Now for the final touch,” said Princess Victoria. Rummaging in her wardrobe, she selected for each of the girls a pair of satin slippers that matched their dresses.

  “We look like real princesses!” Olivia said.

  But a sob broke from Beth.

  “I’m not a princess.” A tear trickled down her cheek. “I can’t go to the ball. If anyone recognizes me, I could get into big trouble.”

  Grace and Olivia shared a doubtful glance.

  Victoria folded her arms. “We can’t go to the ball without Beth.”

  Chapter Six

  Four Princesses

  “Miaow!” went Cuddle, leaping on to the dressing table. She twitched her whiskers and a cloud of gold glitter descended over the girls. As it drifted to the floor they gazed at each other in astonishment. They were all wearing masks, magically given to them by Cuddle! Each was a different colour, to match the girls’ dresses.

  The eye slits were almond-shaped, and whiskers made from feathers were glued beside the ridge of the nose. On the top of each was a pair of pointed ears.

  “Cat masks!” Olivia cried.

  Grace took Beth’s hand. “They’re the perfect disguise,” she said. “No one at the ball will know we’re not all princesses.”

  “Please say you’ll come,” Princess Victoria begged.

  Beth smiled. “I will! I’ll be a princess for one night.”

  The four girls grabbed one anothers’ hands, skipping round in a circle.

  Knock knock knock.

  The girls froze. Cuddle’s ears flicked towards the door.

  “Come in!” Princess Victoria called.

  The door opened and an elderly man in a black suit and white gloves stepped inside.

  “Are you ready, Your Highness?” he asked. His watery eyes widened as he saw the other girls, and he bowed.

  “I beg your pardon. I didn’t realize that other young ladies were present.”

  Princess Victoria winked at Beth.

  “See?” she whispered. “Even Graves the butler doesn’t recognize you.” She spoke louder. “Graves, please may I introduce Princess Olivia, Princess Grace … and Princess Elizabeth.”

  The butler gave a deep bow. “It’s an honour to meet you,” he said, straightening up. The girls could hardly stop smiling.

  Cuddle jumped on to the floor and rubbed against Graves’s polished shoes.

  “Are you ready to go to the ball too, little one?” he asked.

  “We’re all ready, Graves,” Princess Victoria replied. “Including Cuddle.”

  Graves coughed. “Forgive me, Your Highnesses, but aren’t you forgetting something?”

  “Of course,” Victoria cried. “Tiaras!”

  She opened the cabinet and passed a tiara to each of the girls. Each one was covered with clusters of tiny sparkling diamonds.

  Graves helped the girls fit them behind the pointed ears of their cat masks.

  “I feel like a real princess now,” Olivia whispered to Grace.

  The girls followed Graves back along the corridor and down the stairs, carefully holding up the hems of their dresses so they wouldn’t trip. At last they arrived at the ballroom door. Smoothing down their silk skirts, Grace and Olivia peeked at Princess Victoria and saw her face blushing with nervous excitement. Graves opened the door and they all stepped inside, among the whirling dancers.

  “What do we do now?” Princess Victoria asked.

  “Enjoy ourselves!” Olivia cried. She pointed to a group of boys and girls gathered on the other side of the ballroom. “Let’s go and say hello.”

  Grace tucked Cuddle into one of the deep pockets of her dress and the girls weaved through the crowd.

  As they passed the band, a man in a bear mask shot his elbow out, knocking into Beth. The ribbons tying her mask in place fell loose, revealing part of her face.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry, Your Highness!” the man cried.

  “It’s fine,” Beth said. But her fingers trembled as she tried to refasten the ribbons.

  “Here,” Olivia said, swiftly knotting them. She hoped no one had recognized Beth.

  “Oh no,” Beth muttered and ducked behind Olivia and Grace. The girls glanced up to see the king and queen heading their way. Olivia and Grace fanned out their dresses and stood on their tippy-toes trying to hide Beth, but it was too late.

  The king and queen walked right up to them. Following Princess Victoria’s lead, the girls curtsied politely. Beth tried to keep her head down.

  “Victoria,” the king said when he reached his daughter, “aren’t you going to introduce us to your friends?”

  Grace swallowed. Were they going to be in trouble for bringing Beth to the ball?

  Chapter Seven

  Trying Something New

  “This is …” Princess Victoria started, her voice shaking, “Princess Olivia and Princess Grace, who have come to visit from a faraway land.” She looped her arm through Beth’s. “And this is …”

  “Ah, yes of course, it’s your friend Beth,” the queen said.

  “I am so sorry,” Beth said in a shaky whisper. She ducked in a quick curtsy.

  “Sorry?” the queen repeated, glancing at her husband. “Why are you sorry? We’re so glad to see you enjoying the ball.”

  The queen hitched up her velvet skirts so that she could kneel beside the girls. Her blue eyes were sparkling and a golden crown rested on her head, among her blonde curls. She wore an emerald bracelet on her wrist and round her waist was a thick green silk sash.

  “I’m so glad you’ve brought Victoria here,” she whispered. She looked from Grace to Olivia, and back to Beth. “The three of you must be very special girls indeed.”

  The king helped his wife back to her feet, nodding in agreement. He was wearing a crown too – it looked very heavy on his head. His waistcoat was embroidered with gold thread and his ja
cket was made of gold satin.

  “Enjoy yourselves!” he cried, flinging out an arm to take in the ball. “That’s what tonight is all about.”

  Then the two of them disappeared into the crowd, nodding and smiling to people.

  Cuddle wriggled out of Grace’s pocket, darting through the legs of the dancers so that Princess Victoria skipped after her.

  She scooped the little kitten up in her arms.

  “Oh, Cuddle!” she gasped. “You’re leading me on a dance again.”

  A crowd of boys and girls in animal masks gathered around her and Cuddle.

  “I’ve always wanted to meet a real princess,” a little girl in a butterfly mask said.

  Princess Victoria’s eyes flicked between Olivia and Grace, as if she didn’t know how to reply. Grace cupped her hand and whispered in the princess’s ear.

  Victoria nodded at Grace, and then spoke to the girl. “And I’ve always wanted to meet a butterfly. What an amazing mask!” The girl gave a delighted squeal.

  Princess Victoria chatted to all the other children, turning to Grace and Olivia when she wasn’t sure what to say. Olivia bobbed her head in time to the music, making her curls bounce. “Let’s dance!” she cried. The four girls held hands and twirled to the music, their dresses billowing out so they looked like spinning tops.

  Cuddle scampered happily among their feet.

  “This way!” Olivia called, leading the others in a gallop across the ballroom, winding in and out of the swirling crowd.

  The song came to an end and the girls collapsed on to a set of gilt chairs, giggling and gasping for air.

  Somewhere in the room, a trumpeter sounded a fanfare and Graves’s voice boomed out.

  “Their Royal Majesties would like to give a speech!”

  The crowd of guests parted as the king and queen stepped through the room. Two footmen placed thrones beside the band and the king and queen swept towards them, waving to the crowd.

  “Come on,” Princess Victoria said, leaping up from her seat. She pulled the other girls to their feet and began to race through the crowd. The girls ran over to the raised platform, where the king and queen sat. The king cleared his throat and spoke loudly.

  “It is my pleasure to present to you tonight, on the occasion of her first royal masked ball, my daughter, Princess Victoria.” The king reached for his daughter’s hand and she stepped up on to the stage next to her parents.

  Everyone cheered as Princess Victoria waved to the crowd.

  “Victoria, we’re so proud of you for coming to the ball,” the king whispered to his daughter. “We know you don’t usually like this sort of thing.”

  “My friends showed me that it’s nice to try something new,” the princess said, smiling at the girls. Her eyes suddenly widened.

  “But I’ll still be allowed to climb trees, won’t I?”

  “Of course,” the queen said. “We would never stop you from being who you are.”

  The king stroked his beard, looking at the grandfather clock that stood by the wall. “It’s almost midnight,” he said. “Time for bed.” Princess Victoria grinned.

  “Bedtime’s the best time of all.”

  Chapter Eight

  Sweet Dreams

  The four girls sat cross-legged together on Victoria’s bed. Victoria, Grace and Olivia had changed into their bedtime clothes.

  “The ball wasn’t so bad,” Princess Victoria said, “but sleepovers with friends are more fun!”

  Beth was still wearing her blue sequinned dress.

  “I think I’m going to keep it on a bit longer,” she said, stroking the skirts.

  Beside Victoria’s bed was a golden platter of fruit – juicy slices of pineapple, a pile of ruby cherries, oranges and tiny plates of raisins.

  On a small card was a note in beautiful writing. It read:

  To some very special girls,

  Enjoy your feast (and don’t stay up too

  late!). Love, the king and queen.

  Cuddle curled into a ball on a silken pillow as the girls dug into their feast.

  After they’d eaten, Olivia shook out her black curls and Beth wove them into a French plait.

  Grace and Victoria pretended to be sword fighters again but finally fell on the bed laughing.

  “I’ve had so much fu-u-u-un,” Princess Victoria said, her words turning into a yawn. “Thank you for helping me today.” She stretched her arms and lay down against the soft pillows.

  Beth curled up beside her. “I’ll never forget meeting you two and Cuddle,” she murmured, her eyes drifting closed.

  The room was quiet except for the soft sound of their breathing.

  Grace and Olivia carefully climbed off the bed.

  “I’ve had a wonderful time,” Olivia whispered. She rubbed her eyes. “But I’m feeling sleepy too.”

  Cuddle jumped off the bed, landing beside their slippered feet. As she wound through their legs, the girls felt the familiar tickling sensation.

  “It’s time to go home,” Grace said.

  When the girls opened their eyes again, they were back in Olivia’s bedroom. Cuddle was perched on the chest of drawers, watching them.

  Olivia smiled at Grace.

  “Didn’t I say you’d make a lovely princess?”

  Grace laughed. “It was fun to do something different,” she said. “Maybe tomorrow you could try wearing my combat trousers.”

  Olivia nodded. “I’ll even add wellies and a rucksack,” she said. “If Victoria can do it, so can I!”

  Both girls gave loud yawns and snuggled down under the covers of Olivia’s bed.

  Cuddle jumped down on to the bed, touching her nose to Grace’s and then Olivia’s in a goodnight kiss.

  “Goodnight, Cuddle!” both girls cried. “See you soon!”

  The little kitten disappeared in a puff of sparkles, which shimmered over the girls like stars.

  Olivia murmured drowsily, “Goodnight, Grace. Sweet dreams!”

  Can’t wait to find out

  what Cuddle will do next?

  Then read on! Here is the first chapter

  from Cuddle’s fourth adventure,

  SCHOOL OF SPELLS …

  School of Spells

  Olivia squeezed her eyes shut. “Abracadabra, fiddle-de-dee, show me my wand, as fast as can be!”

  She opened them again and looked at the dressing-up box on the lawn of her back garden. A pirate hat, face paints and a pink feather boa were spilling out of it, but Olivia sighed. “I can’t see my wand anywhere,” she said to Grace.

  The two girls were in fancy dress. Olivia’s fairy outfit was a purple leotard and tutu and pink net wings covered in silver sparkle. Her mum had made the outfit for Olivia on her sewing machine. Slung over her shoulder was the little bag she took everywhere.

  Grace was dressed up as an elf, in green shorts and T-shirt, and pointy plastic ears hooked over her real ones.

  “Don’t worry,” Grace said, “my mum says I’m good at finding things. When we lived on a farm, I used to look for where the chickens had laid their eggs. I’ll help you find your wand.”

  It was a grey day in Catterton, with clouds squatting low over the houses and blocks of flats. Olivia and Grace had decided to brighten up the garden, turning it into a fairy grotto. Olivia had strung daisy chains from the branches of the trees, while Grace had lined up her mum’s garden gnome collection on top of the fence.

  The girls knelt beside the pot plants on the patio, searching among the leaves and flowers.

  “If only I was a proper fairy,” Olivia said. “Then I could use magic to find it.”

  Grace jumped up, her eyes shining.

  “We do know someone with real magic.”

  “Cuddle!” Olivia cried. The girls grinned at each other. Cuddle was a cute kitten who took them on amazing magical adventures.

  Just then, a beam of sunlight reached through the clouds. It shimmered in the air like a golden rainbow, shining right on to the dressing-up box.
>
  Jingle jangle jingle jangle jingle.

  “That’s Cuddle’s bell!” Grace cried. “She’s here!”

  The girls ran towards the dressing-up box and looked inside. Its contents wobbled, and a black-and-white tail with a kink in its tip poked through. Then came a pair of black paws, and finally a furry white face.

  “Cuddle!” Olivia exclaimed. “And look what she’s found.”

  The kitten had a purple plastic wand in her mouth. Olivia tucked it inside her bag.

  “Clever Cuddle,” Grace said, and tickled the kitten under the chin, just where her purr was rumbling.

  With a miaow, Cuddle sprang into Grace’s arms, the silver bell on her pink collar jangling. Both girls shut their eyes as the kitten’s purr made their skin tingle all over.

  “I feel like I’m covered in fizzy sherbet,” Olivia murmured. “I wonder where Cuddle will take us this time …”

  To find out what happens next,

  get your copy of

  School of Spells today!

  Magical Friends

  Meet Olivia, Grace and Cuddle in their first adventure!

  New friends Olivia and Grace are amazed when cute kitten Cuddle appears and whisks them away to an ancient Egyptian pyramid. Can they help Beset find the Pharaoh’s kitten inside it?

  Find out in MAGICAL FRIENDS …

  Superstar Dreams

  Is Chloe brave enough to perform on stage?

  Cuddle uses her magic to take Olivia and Grace backstage at a talent show. Can the girls persuade talented Chloe to audition even though she’s lost her lucky charm?