Olivia's Enchanted Summer by Lyn Gardner Read Free Book Online Page B

nowhere round here where my kids could learn circus skills. They’d love that.” She looked over to where her children were tumbling about with Eel and laughing. “Come on, you two, time to go,” she called, and they set off down the hill, calling their goodbyes over their shoulders.
    Olivia stared after them. “That’s it!” shesaid, very suddenly and very loudly.
    â€œThat’s what?” asked Aeysha, puzzled. “What on earth are you talking about, Livy?”
    â€œShe’s started rambling,” said Eel. “Exhaustion must have softened her brain.”
    â€œThat’s what we need to do!” Olivia’s eyes were gleaming.
    â€œBut what is the what?” asked Jack, rubbing his eyes. He was very, very tired and there was still work to be done to re-rigg and secure the tent overnight. Although they’d be taking any valuables back to the campsite every evening, he was still concerned that the tent would be vulnerable at night. What they really needed was some overnight security but that was too costly.
    â€œCircus-skills workshops!” said Olivia triumphantly.
    Jack’s eyes lit up. Alicia’s face sharpened too, as if her brain had gone into overdrive.
    Olivia continued. “We give free circus-skills workshops for kids who come to the shows. If the parents buy a family ticket, their children get a free workshop before the show or even the next day.”
    Alicia and Jack looked at each other withmounting excitement. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Liv, you are a genius!” cried Jack.
    â€œI think that’s going too far, Dad,” said Eel with a grin, “but it is a fab idea. Let’s do it.”
    Â 
    The next morning Olivia and the others were out early on the Royal Mile. They were giving out Swan Circus flyers that were so freshly printed they still smelled woody and inky. Olivia gave them a surreptitious sniff and decided that it was the scent of optimism. They’d had five thousand leaflets printed that morning at what had seemed such vast expense that Alicia had commented drily that clearly the only people getting rich in Edinburgh during August were printers.
    Now the Swans were out in force on the streets before the afternoon performance, handing out the leaflets and trying to persuade people to come and see the Swan Circus. Some of the cast had gone down to the half-price Fringe ticket booth and others were out in costume, wandering the streets looking for likely punters.
    Alicia advised them only to give the flyers to people who showed genuine interest. Eel had already persuaded a party of Guides andtheir leader to come to the afternoon show. The leaflets offered a two-for-one deal, but they’d also had a smaller number of flyers printed that offered completely free seats, as well as flyers for the circus-skills workshop.
    â€œWe ought to be heading back to Calton Hill,” called Aeysha. They’d all agreed to meet back at the big top at 2 p.m. to run through some parts of the show that needed polishing up a bit.
    â€œComing,” said Olivia.
    They passed a newspaper seller, who was shouting out the headline news. “Daring jewel theft at Devlin Hotel. Thief gets away with priceless horde. Read all about it!”
    â€œHey, that’s the hotel where we saw those sisters and their dog yesterday,” said Georgia.
    â€œExpect they were staking the place out,” said Olivia, laughing. They walked to the top of the Mound and started down the steps.
    â€œLook,” said Olivia, pointing to where a crowd had gathered. “It’s that boy-magician we saw yesterday. Let’s go and see if he’s got a different routine.”
    She ran down the steps as Aeysha called out, “We don’t have time!” after her. By the time she and Georgia caught Olivia up, she and Eelhad already threaded their way to the front of the thong.
    â€œI want you to choose