Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR The children hurried round to see Mrs Tidyworth and were soon sitting in her garden, sipping lemonade. 'Isn't it lovely?' said Anne. 'It was

a bit dirty, but Dick cleaned it with his handkerchief.' Mrs Tidyworth peered at the necklace through her glasses. 'I think I know who this belonged to. Follow me.' She led them into the house and to a painting in the hallway. It was a portrait of a stern-looking woman. 'That's my husband's great-great-grandmother, Juliette Tidyworth. Look closely.

'Oh!' Anne exclaimed. 'She's wearing the necklace.' 'Indeed!' 'So it belongs to your family?' Julian asked. 'It didn't come off a shipwreck?' George rolled her eyes. 'I already

told you that!' she muttered. She turned to Mrs Tidyworth. 'But who buried it? And why?' Suddenly Dick slumped back against the portrait and buried his face in his hands. 'Oh, no! Maybe it was cursed and the necklace had to be buried to end bad luck. He peeped out through his fingers. 'And I touched it!' The others looked away, their lips twitching with laughter. Dick loved to make jokes.

'You may be right, Mrs Tidyworth said gravely. A terrible curse was laid on the Juliette necklace. It was said that whoever touched it would wake to find worms crawling over them in the night. Dick's hands and face fell. 'Wha—'

Then he saw the twinkle in Mrs Tidyworth's eyes. He sighed with relief as the others all started to laugh at him. Mrs Tidyworth smiled. 'I had no idea the necklace had gone missing. We all thought that it must have been sold a long time ago because Juliette was the last Tidyworth to wear it.'