She quickly threw on the jeans and sweater Hazel had brought for her and found a brush in the cupboard, which she ran through her long hair. She was tempted to look for a hair dryer, but Hazel was waiting.

  Ellie grabbed her backpack (which was also soaked through) and opened the door. Her shoes and socks were still wet – she’d leave them on the floor and see if they were dry by the time she was ready to leave. She would have preferred to leave her backpack too, but it had something inside that she needed.

  She headed out into the hall past the spare room towards the back stairs. Hazel’s house was a total rabbit warren with a front and back staircase. Apparently, it used to be an old vicarage and Mrs Hendrix had once told Ellie she’d spent two years and close to a million pounds renovating the place. While it was lovely, Ellie thought the decor a bit garish. It was all patterned wallpapers and shiny light fittings, animal print cushions and shag pile rugs. Not really in keeping with the historical features of the house – at least, according to all the house renovation shows Ellie quite enjoyed watching.

  She headed up and looked around, wondering where Hazel’s bedroom was, then realised that she was in a part of the house she’d not seen before. Maybe there were three staircases? Now that she thought about it, the last time she and Hazel had used the one other than in the front hall, they’d ended up in the kitchen and this staircase was off the front hall at the end of the corridor near the guest room.

  Ellie stood on a landing and was about to turn back when she heard a noise. A voice – almost like a yelp. And it was coming from behind a dark timber door. Ellie knocked, but there was no reply. She turned the handle and peeked her head around. The room wasn’t very big and looked like an office. There was no one inside but there was a radio on the desk – that must have been what she heard.

  Ellie was about to head back out when a crackle of static sent her skywards. She walked towards the desk and realised it wasn’t a regular radio – this was a CB – like the ones they have in lorries and the like. It stood to reason, given Hazel’s dad ran a transport company, that he might have one at home. Hazel said that he worked all the time.

  There was more static, then a voice. ‘They’re onto me,’ it said. ‘Griff’s just a pawn . . . he’s dispens–’ and then the line went dead.

  Ellie’s heart was racing. The person sounded scared. And Griff – did they mean Hazel’s dad, Griffin? It wasn’t a very common name. What did it mean that he was a pawn? A player in a game? Maybe it was someone having a laugh. Surely that was it.

  Her eyes scanned the desk, falling upon a pile of what looked look bills. Ellie knew they were none of her business, but she couldn’t help herself. She quickly thumbed through them and realised that they weren’t regular monthly accounts. They were final notices and letters of demand. All addressed to Griffin Hendrix. There were lottery tickets too – not just a couple but a huge stack. And then there were invoices – they were all for a company called Freightliners. That must have been who Mr Hendrix worked for.

  If the family was in financial trouble, Ellie had a horrible feeling that Hazel and her mother were completely in the dark. All they talked about was going shopping and taking holidays – which required money – and the way Hazel spoke made it seem she thought they had an endless supply.

  Ellie put everything back and slipped out through the door then bolted down the stairs where Hazel met her at the bottom. ‘What were you doing up there?’ Hazel asked.

  ‘I got lost,’ Ellie said, avoiding eye contact with her friend. ‘Your house is so big I didn’t realise there was a third set of stairs.’

  ‘Seriously – it’s not that big compared to some of the places around here. And it’s just Dad’s study up there – nothing to see,’ Hazel said. ‘He hates it if we go near the place – says it’s got lots of important work things. He even cleans it himself. And it’s usually locked anyway.’

  Ellie didn’t wonder, given what she’d seen. ‘Sorry – I didn’t go in,’ Ellie lied. Now she couldn’t say anything even if she wanted to.

  Hazel walked through the hallway with Ellie following.

  ‘How come you were soaked when you got here?’ the girl asked.

  ‘It’s wet out there if you haven’t noticed,’ Ellie said, clutching her backpack as she followed Hazel upstairs. ‘Is Jake home?’

  Hazel shook her head. ‘He and Liam are out doing some jobs for Dad.’

  Ellie wondered what sort of jobs those were. Her head was spinning.

  Hazel plonked down on her bed and invited Ellie to sit down opposite.

  ‘Would you girls like some hot chocolate?’ Keeley called to them.

  ‘No, thanks, Mum,’ Hazel said. ‘Do you want something, Ellie?’

  Ellie was going to say no, but then she thought better of it. ‘I’d love a hot chocolate if it’s not too much trouble.’

  ‘Ellie wants one,’ Hazel shouted.

  ‘Won’t be long,’ the woman called back.

  ‘Your mum’s lovely,’ Ellie said.

  Hazel nodded. ‘Yeah, I know – I want to be just like her when I grow up.’

  Ellie frowned. ‘What did she do before she had Kane and you and Jake?’

  Hazel shrugged. ‘A bit of modelling for product launches and that sort of thing, but as soon as she got pregnant with Kane she stopped, and she’s stayed home ever since. She and Dad have been together since they were in high school. I’m going to get married as young as I can.’

  ‘Really?’ Ellie said.

  ‘Why not? Then I wouldn’t have to do some boring job,’ Hazel said. ‘As long as the guy’s rich. Which he will be because I’m not marrying a loser.’

  Ellie hadn’t ever talked to her friend about their life ambitions before. It was a bit of a surprise that Hazel didn’t really have any. Ellie wanted to be a barrister – she was determined to make it and there was no way she was going to rely on a man to provide for her. Her mother had let herself fall for that trap and it hadn’t exactly turned out well.

  ‘Don’t you want to go to university and make something of yourself?’ Ellie asked.

  Hazel wrinkled her nose. ‘Why? I hate studying. Mum’s the happiest person I know and Dad said that he’s going to retire in the next few years, and they’ll probably buy a place in Spain and live there for half the year. I could go with them.’

  Keeley Hendrix tapped on the door and poked her head around. She had a tray with two mugs of hot chocolate, even though Hazel had rejected the offer, and a plate of choc-chip cookies.

  The sweet smell of their drinks was almost overwhelming. Ellie felt her stomach twist.

  ‘Thanks Mrs . . . I mean, Keeley,’ Ellie said.

  ‘Have you warmed up now, love?’ she asked as she set the tray down on Hazel’s desk.

  Ellie nodded.

  ‘I might have a coat you can take home too,’ the woman said. ‘It’s one of Hazel’s from last season. I’ve been meaning to take it to the charity shop but haven’t got around to it. It’s in the back of the car.’

  ‘Oh, no,’ Ellie said. ‘My coat’s fine.’

  ‘It’s not and we both know it,’ the woman said. ‘Anyway, I’m sure that Hazel would rather you have it.’

  Hazel frowned. ‘Are you sure, Mum? You know I always like my clothes going to people who really need them.’

  Ellie could feel her cheeks getting warmer. Hazel had no idea that she was one of those ‘properly poor’ people and she didn’t want her to either.

  ‘Oh well, you can discuss it,’ Keeley said, but Ellie felt as if the woman was definitely more clued in than her daughter. ‘Give me a shout if you’d like another drink or anything. I’ll be downstairs reading. My new copy of Gloss and Goss just arrived and there’s a huge story on Lawrence Ridley and his gorgeous wife, Charlotte Highton-Smith. You know her sister lives on the edge of the village with her husband and their daughter. She’s quite the cute little thing.’

  ‘Mum – why do you care about those people? They’re so rich, it’s disgusting, and I bet the kid is super stuck-up,’ Hazel said.

  ‘I think they sound like a lovely family and you know they do a lot for people around here,’ Keeley said. ‘You listen to your father too much. Always banging on about rich people and how life’s not fair. He does all right. I don’t think he’s got much to complain about. We’re not exactly on the bones of our backsides.’

  Hazel rolled her eyes. ‘Whatever.’

  And with that, Keeley Hendrix left the girls alone.

  Ellie bit her lip. Clearly, Mrs Hendrix knew nothing of the family’s money worries. Maybe if she did, she’d get a job.

  ‘I thought she was never going to leave,’ Hazel said. ‘I mean she’s a great mum and everything, and she is my best friend other than you . . .’

  Ellie smiled to herself. ‘I’m your best friend?’

  ‘Well, duh,’ Hazel said. ‘I used to be besties with Ally and before that it was Lara, but never mind. They’re both so fake and they don’t care about the stuff I care about.’

  Ellie had wondered why Hazel had taken to her so quickly. She was curious about what had gone on with the other girls but decided not to ask. Ellie had never had a best friend before. And she liked it.

  ‘So did you get it?’ Hazel asked, taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

  Ellie nodded. ‘It was a bit tricky, but it’s in my bag.’

  She patted the top and started to undo the zip.

  Ellie reached inside. She could feel the book she’d borrowed from the library and her science folder. She stared at the bag and frowned. ‘I don’t understand.’

  ‘What’s the problem?’ Hazel asked.

  Ellie tipped the entire contents on the floor. There were her books and the folder, a pencil case and a couple of scrunched-up muesli bar wrappers but no charity box.

  ‘So what happened to it?’ Hazel said, her eyebrows high. ‘Did it fall out when you were coming here?’

  Ellie shook her head. ‘I zipped up the bag as soon as I dropped it inside . . . unless . . .’

  She was thinking about the way she’d done it. Those boys were playing around, and she had her coat over her bag, and then there was that kid – Alice-Miranda. She had a shopping bag and she was standing right next to her. They all were.

  ‘Surely not,’ Ellie said, thinking out loud.

  ‘What?’ Hazel said.

  ‘I think it must have fallen into someone else’s bag,’ she said, then explained about the girl she’d met and her friends.

  ‘Now she’s going to know that I was trying to take it,’ Ellie said.

  ‘Seriously, Ellie – the boys are never going to believe that. I don’t believe that,’ Hazel said. ‘You didn’t do it, did you?’

  ‘I did. I promise,’ Ellie said. Her heart was pounding and she could feel the beads of perspiration forming on her brow.

  The sound of running feet on the stairs distracted the girls. Suddenly the door flew open and Jake and Liam burst into the room.

  ‘Mum said that you were here,’ Jake blurted as he swiped a cookie from the plate and plonked down on Ellie’s desk chair. Liam grabbed one too and glared at Ellie.

  ‘Did you get it?’ Liam demanded.

  Ellie swallowed hard.

  She opened her mouth to say something when Hazel hurriedly regaled the boys with the whole sorry tale.

  ‘What a load of twaddle,’ Liam scoffed. He picked up another cookie and stuffed it into his mouth.

  ‘It’s true. I swear,’ Ellie said. She could feel the tears pricking her eyes. She hurriedly wiped them away. ‘I’ll get it back.’

  She had no idea how, but . . . Ellie wanted to belong – to something. Even if it didn’t exactly sit right with her. She was Hazel’s best friend.

  Jake had been sitting quietly munching away when suddenly his face lit up.

  ‘This is perfect,’ he said.

  The others frowned at him.

  ‘What are you talking about?’ Liam said. ‘She’s hopeless.’

  Jake grinned. There was a chocolate chip caught in his front teeth, which his sister quickly pointed out.

  ‘Ellie needs to get the donation box – which is with the Highton-Smith whatever-her-name-is kid – at their mansion,’ Jake said.

  Liam looked at his friend and a grin began to form on his lips. ‘They’re on the list. Kane said that he saw these huge baubles in the garden when he was delivering some parcels there this afternoon.’

  ‘So while Ellie is getting the donations box, we can help ourselves to the stuff outside,’ Jake said.

  ‘Um, I think you’re forgetting something,’ Hazel said. ‘Like, they would have security, and there’s probably always someone around. They have staff, don’t they?’

  Ellie could feel the hot chocolate she’d enjoyed so much sitting like a stagnant pond in the bottom of her stomach.

  ‘Why do you want their Christmas decorations?’ Ellie asked.

  Jake and Liam grinned at each other.

  ‘Because we’re the Bauble Bandits,’ Liam said proudly.

  Ellie frowned. ‘I don’t understand. What? You get a kick out of stealing Christmas decorations – and then what do you do with them?’

  The boy sighed. ‘We go and decorate people’s houses – the ones who don’t have any Christmas cheer at all.’

  ‘But won’t people know that it was you? I mean if our garden suddenly looked like a celebration we’d call the police,’ Ellie said.

  ‘Would you? Imagine that you have a little brother and he goes outside and realises that Santa’s elves have been round and made the house look beautiful for Christmas. You’d call the cops and let them take it away?’ Jake said.

  ‘I do have a little brother and, no, I wouldn’t call the police because he’d love it,’ Ellie said.

  ‘Right – so you understand then. We’re just spreading the Christmas cheer to the people who need it the most,’ Liam said. ‘And rich people like the Highton-Smith whatever-whatevers have more than they need or deserve. Like that bloke from Hoxton Manor and that other old toff, Lord Littleton.’

  Ellie remembered seeing something about the Christmas decorations being stolen from several of the villages around the place and a couple of private houses.

  ‘So it’s you?’ she asked. ‘The one who’s been taking all those decorations?’

  Liam grinned. ‘And Jake and Kane and Hazel and a couple of Kane’s mates when we need them. We’re doing a community service, that’s all.’

  Jake looked at the boy and thumped him on the arm.

  ‘Ow! Whatcha do that for?’ Liam moaned.

  ‘You just told her that we’ve been stealing, you daft git,’ Jake said.

  Liam ran a hand through his straggle of greasy hair. ‘So what? Now she has to help – or . . .’

  ‘Or what?’ Ellie asked, horrified by what she was hearing.

  ‘Or we set you up to take the fall,’ Jake said.

  Ellie’s eyes widened and her stomach dropped.

  ‘Are you in?’ Hazel asked, a grin on her lips. ‘Bestie?’

  Ellie could hardly breathe. Either way, this wasn’t going to end well for her. And a criminal record was the last thing she needed if she was going to get into law school.

  ‘She said that they’d all be at the village Christmas light ceremony tomorrow night,’ Ellie said.

  ‘Who?’ Hazel asked.

  Ellie swallowed hard. ‘Alice-Miranda.’

  Liam and Jake grinned at each other. ‘Looks like we’re off to Highton Hall and then on Saturday, Hoxton Manor won’t know what’s hit it.’

  Ellie shuddered. The idea of stealing the donations box was bad enough. What they were about to do next was on a whole other level.

  Alice-Miranda and her friends had arrived back at the house wringing wet after the worst of the rain had passed. Now, having showered and changed, they were all gathered around the kitchen table, with gingerbread houses under construction. It was something akin to a military exercise, with the sweets divided into bowls and placed in the centre, and the gingerbread sheets in front of each child. There was even a set of plans pinned up on the kitchen chalkboard for reference. There were piping bags with royal icing too, which they’d use to glue everything together.

  Fortunately, they had a couple of hours before dinner to perfect their masterpieces.

  After they’d returned, Alice-Miranda had left the donations box in her room – she’d talk to her mother about it later but there had to be a rational explanation. It must have simply fallen off the counter.

  ‘Where’s Mummy and Daddy?’ she asked Mrs Oliver and Mrs Shillingsworth, who had both begun their houses along with the children.

  ‘Your mother was on the phone to Charlotte,’ Dolly replied, ‘and I haven’t seen your father all day. I think he’s at the office.’

  Alice-Miranda frowned. Her parents were usually the most enthusiastic gingerbread builders of all. It was something of a competitive sport in their household – although her father often ate his own body weight in sweets by the end of the activity and complained about having a stomach-ache for the rest of the night. Mrs Greening was coming around to judge the best houses after dinner before taking the rest of them to one of the local care homes tomorrow for the residents to enjoy. The winning three houses would remain as centrepieces for the table for the children’s final celebratory dinner before everyone headed home on Monday morning to be with their own families for Christmas.

  Caprice cast her eyes around the room, sizing up how everyone was getting along.

  ‘I wonder whose house is going to be the most beautiful,’ she said, then pulled a face at Neville’s, which seemed to be leaning heavily to one side.

  ‘Probably yours if you’ve had any coaching from your mother,’ Sep said. ‘And definitely not mine.’ His roof had just fallen off.

  ‘Probably,’ Caprice agreed.

  Millie rolled her eyes and grinned at the girl.

  ‘What have I done now?’ Caprice asked.

  ‘I wish I had your confidence,’ Millie said.