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fell
into the hole again.
    Scatter knew he had to escape before the
creature leaped out from its hiding place. Desperately he headed
for the nearest door and barely managed to squeeze under, then
skittered down the front steps and bounded towards Bromley Meadow.
He nearly flew across the cobbled drive, his tiny paws pounding
furiously. He had to get to his master! He had to tell him that the
girl was not safe!
    The meadow lay just ahead when there was a
crashing sound behind him—the creature had broken through the door!
Dodging between tall blades of grass, Scatter gasped for breath.
Soon he heard deep grunting and a vicious snarl. His enemy was
gaining on him more quickly than he had anticipated!
    The Circus still seemed to be miles away.
Scatter’s legs and lungs burned from running so far and so quickly.
At last the mouse reached the tall tent, slipped inside, and ran
around the edge of it, unnoticed by the crowds of people.
    He was almost to his master; his master
would protect him! Only a few more feet to go, then he would be
safe!
    Scatter leapt towards the booth with the
dark green curtains, but something caught the fur on his back,
suspending him in mid-air. Hearing a guttural growl that sounded
almost like some kind of twisted chuckle, he closed his eyes.
    Pain erupted throughout Scatter’s tiny
body.
     
     

     
8
     
    Tilly woke up wearing the same dirty dress
she’d worn the day before, still clutching the letter with one
hand. She blinked groggily, feeling a bit disoriented, and got up.
Leaving the crumpled letter on her bed, she staggered over to her
washbasin, slipped out of her dress, and splashed water on her
face.
    What did it matter if Lord Hollingberry had
given her the whole week off? There was nothing for her to do but
go to the Circus, and she wasn’t about to do that. So she pulled
out her maid’s uniform, preparing to work all day.
    But first she headed to the kitchen for a
bite to eat and some company. Mrs. Gregson was the only other
person in Winslow who remained unmoved by the Circus’s charisma. In
fact, she called it “a place of cheap tricks and bamboozlers.”
Tilly and the cook rarely discussed Bromley’s Circus; they were
each happy to know that the other agreed on the subject and left
the topic alone.
    “Morning, Mrs. Gregson!”
    The old woman snorted. “Morning, indeed.
It’s past ten! You, my girl, are turning into a sleepyhead.” She
chuckled to herself and took out an egg, cracking it over a copper
bowl.
    Tilly scrounged up a piece of leftover apple
pie from the night before. “You certainly seem happy this morning.”
Settling at the table, she took a bite.
    “It’s just nice to have the house all to
ourselves. You and me and Lord Hollingberry. That’s the way
it should be all the time.”
    Tilly smiled and chewed on pie, wishing she
could feel as carefree as Mrs. Gregson. Finished, she rinsed her
plate in the basin. “If you need me, I’ll be cleaning the dining
room.”
    The hours passed slowly and easily. Tilly
spent them working and stayed out of Lord Hollingberry’s way,
determined not to think about the Circus again. However, no matter
what she did, Bromley’s Circus and the strange Moon Master kept
flashing before her mind’s eye.
    Why had he asked if they had met? She would
certainly remember someone like him. Yet his voice had seemed
somehow . . . familiar.
    There were also the ribbons, the Moon
Master’s gift. They were beautiful, far too beautiful for her!
Nevertheless, she kept them.
    And then there was Rodger.
    Was he actually interested in her, or was he
merely fond of her as a friend? Tilly had never thought of a
relationship between the two of them; Rodger had been her friend
and support ever since they were children. She had never noticed
him acting strange around her until yesterday, after she left the
Circus. Hopefully she was only imagining his interest.
    She closed the drapes in the front drawing
room and took a deep breath. Another day was