Carlotta Brown

"She's excellent," he says to no one in particular. "Mary Lou Retton and the Flying Graysons have nothing on her."

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fiery_ring

Carlotta does a series of floor exercises, then finishes her routine with the balance bar; the watching Milliwayans might recognise these moves from the ones she tends to perform in the rafters of the bar.

The girl called Prudence looks very explosive when the crowd applauds Carlotta, and as the judges retire to make their decision, she gets up and wanders casually over to the man with the moustache.

"Carlotta was wonderful, wasn't she." she says in a smooth voice. "She's come along well even since she left the circus."

The man looks at Prudence.

"Oh, is that where she learned it? Well there's nothing in the rules against that, we are open to girls and boys of all backgrounds." He sees her sour face and smiles, amused. "Nice try, miss."

Prudence pouts and goes to sit down again. Angela gives her an 'I told you it wasn't the time' look.

The judges ring a bell for silence and the head of the table stands.

"Well we were very impressed with all four of our very talented young ladies. However we do have to make a decision, so without further ado.
In fourth place, after a most unfortunate fall off the vault but an otherwise good performance - Elizabeth Knight from Cavestede School. In third place, Tessie Johnson from Whyteleafe School. In second place, Fanny Atkinson from St Catherine's Convent School and in first place Carlotta Brown from Ringmere!"

There is a lot of cheering, even from the schools that didn't win; in fact the school that came fourth are subjecting their slightly injured candidate to extreme hugging and slapping on the back.

"Carlotta, would you like to come up here?" The man with the moustache presents her with the big trophy for her school, and little one to keep herself. And then, unexpectedly, a local photographer appears in the audience and snaps off some photographs. Carlotta looks slightly startled, but nobody notices; the crowds are dispersing and the reporter honing in on her.

This could be bad.

"Miss Brown, congratulations, I'm from the local paper and we'd love to have a chat with you."

"Um, I don't think my father would like that." Carlotta says, going a bit red and flustered.

"That's all right, I have plenty of time if you want to ask him first." The reporter looks around.

"He's not here." Carlotta says. The reporter looks back at her.

"Not here! Goodness, that must be very disappointing for you after you clearly worked so hard. What about your mother?"

"My mother died when I was a baby." Carlotta says, looking for an exit route. She can see him writing notes. 'Father missed her big day, mother dead' "Please, I don't want to be interviewed, I'm sorry, I'm not prepared to talk to you without my father's permission."

She hurries back towards her school party, the frustrated reporter shaking his head. Prudence approaches him, smiling.

"I used to be at the same school as her. What would you like to know?"

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As soon as the awards are handed out, Demeter heads towards Carlotta with the flowers but the reporter gets in the way. She waves trying to get Carlotta's attention.

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ostro_goth

Teja follows, then forges ahead through the throng, worried about the man who is crowding Carlotta -- she does not look at all happy to be talking to him!

He shoulders the man aside when he gets there.

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Charlie laughs at that before he really remembers not to, shaking his head at Teja. "Congratulations, Carlotta!" he calls over the heads of the crowd, smiling. It's good to see her having done so well.

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The other Charlie applauds enthusiastically, even as he tries to watch what's going on at floor level. He can tell a newspaperman man even from the back. That hat, given the era, is a giveaway, even in the UK.

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fiery_ring

Carlotta, not realising that Prudence has got to the reporter, grins at the four of them.

"Thanks, that was simply super fun. I don't know how long my form mistress will let me hang around and talk to you all, but I expect we'll be having a celebratory tea at the school. What do you want to do now? There's a tea shop around the corner if you want to get something to eat, or when I get back to the school I can go to the back gate and let you back to the bar."

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"Let us treat you, Carlotta."

Finally Demeter can give her a big hug,

"Since you should choose how you want to celebrate."

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ostro_goth

"You did excellently!" Teja says, also -- hoping that the pesky man will leave her alone now that her friends are converging on her.

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"You did, it was a wonderful show." Charlie smiles at her, tucking his hands in his pockets. "Congratulations on first place."

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"It was very, very good," the erstwhile hero says, a little distracted. "Um, Carlotta, there seems to be a reporter talking to one of your classmates?" He can't let that go unnoticed, can he?

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fiery_ring

"I'm sorry, I'm still in school." Carlotta says to Demeter, hugging her and then Teja and grinning at Charlie M. "But when we get back to the bar..."

Then she hear what The Question says, and looks around. And her eyes widen when she sees who it is.

"Thank you. Former adversary, be right back." she says, going over there. There is a brief interchange between the girls, but the reporter seems to have what he wants and leaves.

Carlotta returns.

"I told her that I would slap her if she carried on, so we're all right." she says casually. "Have you decided where you want to go?"

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"I'm not sure since you're going to be with your classmates. We can save our celebration until later and maybe I should back and start making some of those cakes you love."

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ostro_goth

"Carlotta," Teja says, "wouldit be all right if my Charlie and I went off by ourselves in your world for some days? We would sneak into you school unnoticed the way we came out, and meet you, so you can let us back through?"

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"Be an interesting holiday, at least." Charlie flicked a short sideways glance to Teja, smiling politely.

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"Guess I'll head back to the Bar, then. Didn't really bring enough money for a vacation." And he hasn't a clue how long he could stay, or what would happen. For once, he's not that curious.

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fiery_ring

"That would be lovely, thank you Demeter."

Carlotta pauses and thinks about it for a moment.

"All right." she says to Teja and Charlie M. "But you'll have to wait at the back gate; if you got caught in the school the mistresses would call the police. Hang on, I tell you what." She pulls the ribbons out of her hair and gives one to each of them. "Tie this on the gate when you get there, and I'll come out and let you in. I'll check regularly for you but it'll be less suspicious if I can look out the window."

Smiling at the Question. "Sorry I can't entertain you a bit longer, but that's the disadvantage of living in a boarding school."

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"This is lovely, Carlotta, now go let your friends fete you."

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ostro_goth

"Thank you, Carlotta!" Teja says, putting his ribbon in his pocket, safely.

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Charlie takes the other ribbon and tucks it into the pocket of the vest he's wearing, smiling at Carlotta. "Thank you. We'll be sure to keep track of these, so you'll get them back."

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