A shiver went down Ellie’s spine as she took in the page for what must have been the millionth time. It always thrilled her to think that she was actually related to the great Lizzie Trengilly.
Today, more than ever, she wished she could talk to Lizzie about her time at the Academy. But Lizzie had turned her back completely on gymnastics after that terrible injury. She’d always been a bit of a free spirit, so she’d taken off round the world – teaching sport to street kids in South America, helping save gorillas in the African jungle and who knew what else. Ellie wasn’t sure if Aunt Lizzie even knew she was going to the Academy.
Ellie sighed. Maybe one day she could talk to her about all this. Until then she had to keep working hard, and try to achieve her greatest ambition – the one she’d never shared with anyone – to fulfil Aunt Lizzie’s dream of Olympic gold.
Dreams of Olympic glory helped Ellie pass the time, but by midday the train was hot and sticky and she was stiff and ravenous. She munched on the strange sandwiches her mum had made for her – peanut butter and smoked salmon sprinkled with popping candy – as the train rumbled through fields and villages on its journey towards London.
‘Tickets, please.’
The guard was standing over Ellie with a kindly expression on his face. She rummaged around in her bag and handed him the ticket.
‘Now, I’m curious,’ said the guard with a twinkle in his eye. ‘How on earth do you manage to sit comfortably in that particular position?’
Ellie looked down and realised she was sitting virtually in the splits, one leg stuck out to the side, the other folded inwards. ‘Oh – um – I suppose – I – well, I do a lot of gymnastics.’
‘Ah,’ said the guard, his face lighting up. ‘A gymnast! I thought perhaps you’d dislocated your hips or something, and I was just wondering if I needed to pull the red cord and call for medical help.’
Ellie giggled.
‘Off to the Olympics are you, young lady?’
‘One day, I hope,’ said Ellie.
‘Goodness me, a world-famous gymnast on my train!’ exclaimed the guard.
Ellie grinned. ‘I hope so.’
‘Well, take a look out of the window and get your first glimpse of the Big Smoke.’
The guard tugged down the window and Ellie was amazed to see that the fields and villages had been replaced by rows of buildings that stretched as far as the eye could see, red-bricked terraces side by side with glistening office blocks and concrete shopping centres, traffic fumes mingling with neon signs in the cold grey winter’s afternoon. The sun had disappeared and it all seemed so different to Cornwall – so gloomy and crowded. Ellie wondered how she would ever feel at home here.
‘Newcomers to the city get to make a wish,’ said the guard.
‘Oh,’ said Ellie. ‘Um – right.’ She closed her eyes and made her wish.
‘Let’s hope London makes all your dreams come true,’ said the guard with a grin. Ellie shivered, but she wasn’t sure if it was excitement, cold or fear.
‘Now, I’d best be getting on,’ said the guard. ‘And no somersaulting down the aisles on my train, y’hear? Or I might have to impose a penalty fare.’
In no time the train was drawing into Paddington Station and Ellie gathered up her belongings and made her way on to the platform. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. The concourse was jammed with people and she wasn’t sure who she was looking for.
‘Ellie! Ellie!’ A voice sailed high above the crowd and Ellie turned to see a girl holding up a poster with ‘Academy Ellie’ painted on it. It was just like she’d seen in the movies, only this poster was massive, glittery and covered in hearts and pictures of gymnasts. Ellie couldn’t help smiling. There was no way she could miss that!
No longer feeling so nervous, Ellie made her way over. The girl had hair the colour of toffee cake, a face like a pixie and an upturned nose covered in freckles. As soon as she caught sight of Ellie, she squealed out, ‘It’s you! I recognised you right away because you look just like a fairy. All gymnasts are tiny – except me. I’m shooting up like a weed, Tam says. I’m Nancy by the way. Welcome to London!’
‘Thanks for coming to meet me,’ said Ellie as soon as she managed to get a word in. ‘I love the sign.’
‘We’ve been dead excited about you coming,’ Nancy went on happily. ‘Especially me cos we’re going to be sharing a room. You might not be so excited after you see what a mess I make, but I’m going to try not to be total nightmare, I promise . . .’
Ellie laughed. Nancy’s giddy excitement reminded her of Lucy and made her feel at home right away.
‘Nancy, let the poor girl get her breath,’ laughed a willowy blonde woman who had just reached Nancy’s side. She had to be Nancy’s mum, because she looked just like her, only her eyes had a kind light that was softer than Nancy’s mischievous twinkle.
‘Yeah, like that’s gonna happen!’ said a boy who had appeared apparently from nowhere. He had dark unruly hair and chocolate-brown eyes that sparkled as he grinned at Ellie. Despite the difference in colouring (and the fact that he was a boy) he bore such a startling resemblance to Nancy it was kind of weird looking at the two of them side by side. ‘The only time my sis ever stops is when she’s asleep – and sometimes not even then. You’ll be lucky if you get a wink of sleep sharing a room with Nance! She can talk for England.’
‘Oi! Shut up, Tam!’ said Nancy, punching the boy on the arm.
‘Trust me, I know what I’m talking about,’ Tam went on, ignoring her. ‘I had to share Mum’s tummy with her for a whole nine months. It’s a miracle I ever made it out alive.’
Ellie smiled. So they were twins. And, despite the glare that Nancy shot at her brother, Ellie could tell that there was a bond between them like the one she felt with Lucy.
‘If you two have finished bickering, shall we do some proper introductions?’ said the twins’ mum. ‘I’m Mandy and these are my troublesome twins, Tam and Nancy.’
‘At your service,’ said Tam, bending low in a way that made Nancy giggle.
‘Tam?’ said Ellie. ‘I’ve never heard that name before.’
‘Short for Tamar. Apparently I’m named after some river near where Mum and Dad went for honeymoon or something.’
‘Oh yes! It’s in Cornwall,’ said Ellie. ‘At least, it runs between Cornwall and Devon. Haven’t you ever been there?’
‘Nope,’ declared Tam. ‘We were born in the city and haven’t ventured out much our whole lives.’
‘Well, I’ve never been to London before,’ said Ellie. ‘So I suppose that makes us sort of – I don’t know – opposites?’
‘Ooh! Then we’ll have to show you all the sights,’ said Nancy. ‘Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the London Eye – the lot!’
‘Let’s just get Ellie back to Head-Over-Heels House for now,’ laughed Mandy. ‘She must be exhausted and hungry after her long journey. She probably