Chapter one.
"I don't see what's so great about it." Modesta mumbled looking out the window of the carriage she, her twin sister Annabel, and father Martin shared.
"You will learn to like it. No worries there. If you don't we could always send you off to school." Their father stated. Modesta rolled her eyes. She hated Paris. It smelt bad and in her opinion there was nothing what so ever romantic about it.
"Why couldn't we go to London? Or Scotland even? I hate Paris." Modesta mumbled.
"Oh we are not staying in Paris." Martin grumbled.
"Where is it we're staying?" Annabel asked finally speaking.
"Montmartre. I'm going to inspect that forbidden nightclub they call Moulin Rouge. They're going bankrupt and the owner is going absolutely mad." Martin stated.
"Really?" Annabel sounded fascinated.
"Mm. yes. Harold Zidler. He has everything electrical and can't pay for it. but keeps buying. Stupid fool. There's even rumors he's hired hit men to get him money from those who have refused to donate."
Suddenly the carriage stopped. Both girls climbed out and their father followed. They both stared from a distance at the Moulin Rouge and it's fascinating windmill.
"Modesta it's gorgeous." Annabel murmured taking her sisters hand.
"I know." Was all she replied. Both Modesta and Annabel were very different girls. They both had a great since of humor and a side of mischief. But Modesta just seemed to be one who was more to waiting until she knew things were ok, rather taking a chance and being brave like her sister.
"Come along girls lets go." Their father called. Aside from Modesta's red hair and hazel green eyes and Annabel's blonde hair and dazzling blue eyes they looked exactly alike. They were the same height and liked the same things.
"You girls can share a room." Annabel and Modesta restrained their eyes from rolling in their heads.
Martin was just about to say something more when suddenly out of nowhere there were loud calls of anger and chasing.
Modesta and Annabel watched in amusement as coppers burst into the hotel and chased a boy about their age around the lobby. Running through people Annabel noticed the boys boyish good looks; his chocolate brown eyes and short hair. He was a little taller than she was and he wore a smile as if no matter what, no one could take it. She was enchanted. she didn't know why.
"He's a dreamer." She whispered with a smile.
"What?" Modesta asked.
"Nothing." She said as she watched something fall out of his pocket. No one else saw. she noticed. Quietly through all of the commotion she quickly walked over and picked it up and put in her purse.
"I saw that." Modesta giggled. Annabel scrunched her nose.
"GIRLS!" Their father snapped. Both girls came into formation.
"I don't want you going anywhere outside this hotel with out one another is that clear?" But Annabel was still watching the boy. He saw her now and his smile grew wider. He watched her and her alone as he ran around the room. However his distraction got him caught. Both police officers grabbed his arms and pulled him toward the door.
Her smile only faded a little, when he yanked out his right arm and turned to her blowing her a kiss. 'Bye' she lipped and he was gone.
"GIRLS!" He growled again.
"What?" Annabel snapped.
"You listen to me Modesta." Annabel rolled her eyes and walked away.
"Get back her young lady!" he hollered.
"Father, once you stop and pay us a little more attention. maybe you'll realize she's Annabel. I'm Modesta." Then Modesta also turned and left her father their.
~
"The nerve of that man!! To call us his children!" Annabel screeched as Modesta took the bed that was still empty.
"He can't tell us apart Modesta. And he expects us to follow him around and call him Daddy? No wonder mother left. She couldn't stand him any longer." Sighing heavily she scooted to Modesta's bed.
"So." She began with a twinkle in her eye.
"Oh go on Annabel I know you want to ask." Modesta giggled.
"Oh yay! Wasn't he the cutest!!?" She squealed now happily. She tugged the wallet from her purse as she and her sister looked at with complete astonishment.
"Good job Annabel." Modesta giggled.
"You've got yourself a pickpocket."
"I don't see what's so great about it." Modesta mumbled looking out the window of the carriage she, her twin sister Annabel, and father Martin shared.
"You will learn to like it. No worries there. If you don't we could always send you off to school." Their father stated. Modesta rolled her eyes. She hated Paris. It smelt bad and in her opinion there was nothing what so ever romantic about it.
"Why couldn't we go to London? Or Scotland even? I hate Paris." Modesta mumbled.
"Oh we are not staying in Paris." Martin grumbled.
"Where is it we're staying?" Annabel asked finally speaking.
"Montmartre. I'm going to inspect that forbidden nightclub they call Moulin Rouge. They're going bankrupt and the owner is going absolutely mad." Martin stated.
"Really?" Annabel sounded fascinated.
"Mm. yes. Harold Zidler. He has everything electrical and can't pay for it. but keeps buying. Stupid fool. There's even rumors he's hired hit men to get him money from those who have refused to donate."
Suddenly the carriage stopped. Both girls climbed out and their father followed. They both stared from a distance at the Moulin Rouge and it's fascinating windmill.
"Modesta it's gorgeous." Annabel murmured taking her sisters hand.
"I know." Was all she replied. Both Modesta and Annabel were very different girls. They both had a great since of humor and a side of mischief. But Modesta just seemed to be one who was more to waiting until she knew things were ok, rather taking a chance and being brave like her sister.
"Come along girls lets go." Their father called. Aside from Modesta's red hair and hazel green eyes and Annabel's blonde hair and dazzling blue eyes they looked exactly alike. They were the same height and liked the same things.
"You girls can share a room." Annabel and Modesta restrained their eyes from rolling in their heads.
Martin was just about to say something more when suddenly out of nowhere there were loud calls of anger and chasing.
Modesta and Annabel watched in amusement as coppers burst into the hotel and chased a boy about their age around the lobby. Running through people Annabel noticed the boys boyish good looks; his chocolate brown eyes and short hair. He was a little taller than she was and he wore a smile as if no matter what, no one could take it. She was enchanted. she didn't know why.
"He's a dreamer." She whispered with a smile.
"What?" Modesta asked.
"Nothing." She said as she watched something fall out of his pocket. No one else saw. she noticed. Quietly through all of the commotion she quickly walked over and picked it up and put in her purse.
"I saw that." Modesta giggled. Annabel scrunched her nose.
"GIRLS!" Their father snapped. Both girls came into formation.
"I don't want you going anywhere outside this hotel with out one another is that clear?" But Annabel was still watching the boy. He saw her now and his smile grew wider. He watched her and her alone as he ran around the room. However his distraction got him caught. Both police officers grabbed his arms and pulled him toward the door.
Her smile only faded a little, when he yanked out his right arm and turned to her blowing her a kiss. 'Bye' she lipped and he was gone.
"GIRLS!" He growled again.
"What?" Annabel snapped.
"You listen to me Modesta." Annabel rolled her eyes and walked away.
"Get back her young lady!" he hollered.
"Father, once you stop and pay us a little more attention. maybe you'll realize she's Annabel. I'm Modesta." Then Modesta also turned and left her father their.
~
"The nerve of that man!! To call us his children!" Annabel screeched as Modesta took the bed that was still empty.
"He can't tell us apart Modesta. And he expects us to follow him around and call him Daddy? No wonder mother left. She couldn't stand him any longer." Sighing heavily she scooted to Modesta's bed.
"So." She began with a twinkle in her eye.
"Oh go on Annabel I know you want to ask." Modesta giggled.
"Oh yay! Wasn't he the cutest!!?" She squealed now happily. She tugged the wallet from her purse as she and her sister looked at with complete astonishment.
"Good job Annabel." Modesta giggled.
"You've got yourself a pickpocket."