Madame Za-Za said something to the girls and left the room. The class carried on working. Feeling very happy, Delphie continued to copy them. It was almost like being in there.
Then, suddenly, the front door swung open and a voice called out. “You, girl! What are you doing?”
Delphie jumped in shock and swung round. She had been concentrating so hard on the dancing that she hadn’t heard it opening. It was Madame Za-Za standing on the top step, staring at her!
Delphie froze to the spot. “I…I’m really sorry! I just wanted to have a look.”
“Come here, child!” Madame Za-Za called.
And with just a moment’s hesitation, Delphie hurried up the steps.
“Come inside, child” Madame Za-Za said. “What is your name?”
“Delphie Durand.” Delphie felt tears prickling her eyes. She was sure she was about to be told off. She blinked quickly; she hated crying in front of people.
“I saw you through the window,” Madame Za-Za said to her. “Where do you learn ballet?”
Delphie was very surprised by the question. “I…I don’t go to classes,” she answered. “I just read about it in books and practise at home.”
“I see.” Madame Za-Za looked at her for a moment. “Well, why don’t you come in?”
“Come in?” Delphie echoed.
Madame Za-Za nodded. “It’s cold out here and I think you would like to see around. Am I right?”
“Yes!” Delphie gasped. “I’d love to see inside.”
“Come, then.”
Walking in a daze, Delphie followed Madame Za-Za inside the school. They went down the warm, brightly lit corridor. “Here we have the dance studios,” Madame Za-Za explained, pointing to two rooms, one on either side.
“Wow!” Delphie breathed.
Madame Za-Za looked thoughtfully at her. “Do you have any ballet shoes, child?”
“No,” Delphie replied. She always just danced in bare feet.
Madame Za-Za gave a small nod and then set off down a dark corridor, opening a door at the end that led into a small storeroom. The walls were covered with shelves piled high with boxes, dusty books, ballet costumes and what looked like a chest full of new ballet leotards and socks.
Madame Za-Za went into the room and took an old, battered box down from a high shelf.
As Delphie watched, Madame Za-Za opened the lid to reveal a pair of old red leather ballet shoes with red ribbons, nestling among yellowing tissue paper. The leather was slightly crinkly, the insides of the shoes a deep cream. They were worn and slightly shabby but as Delphie looked at them, she felt a sudden urge to reach into the box. Her feet tingled as if they wanted to try them on.
Unable to stop herself she touched the soft red leather and then realising what she was doing, she pulled her hand back.
She looked up to see Madame Za-Za studying her face, her expression unreadable.
“Do you like them?” Madame Za-Za asked.
“Oh yes,” Delphie breathed. The ballet shoes might be old but they were beautiful.
“Would you like to borrow them, child?” Madame Za-Za asked gently.
“Borrow them!” Delphie stared in surprise. “But why would you lend them to me? I don’t even come here to classes.”
“If you like you can come back tomorrow and join in with the class you were watching,” Madame Za-Za said.
Delphie could hardly believe her ears.
“But…but…well, I’d love to but Mum and Dad can’t afford for me to have lessons.” She blushed as she admitted the truth.
Madame Za-Za waved her hand dismissively. “Money does not matter. Just come tomorrow as I ask.” Her eyes met Delphie’s. “I will teach you for free.”
Delphie’s mind spun.
“Go home now and tell your parents what I have said. They may ring me if they have any questions.” Madame Za-Za gave her the box with the ballet shoes and then turned and took a brand-new pink leotard and socks out of the chest near the door. “Bring these clothes and the shoes to wear tomorrow.”
Delphie looked down at the box in her arms. “What if the shoes don’t fit me?”
Madame Za-Za gave a mysterious smile. “Oh, I don’t think there will be a problem with that. I think you will find them the perfect size. They have been waiting for the right person to come along and something tells me you might be that person.”
Her eyes stared deep into Delphie’s. “They are very special shoes, Delphie. I hope one day you find out just how special they are.” Suddenly her tone became brisker. “Now, I must return to class. I will see you tomorrow, ready and changed for half past four sharp.”
“Thank you!” Delphie gasped.
Almost before she knew it, she was following Madame Za-Za back down the corridor and then she was back outside in the snow again. But Delphie didn’t feel cold. Excitement raced through her as she hugged the shoes to her chest. She rushed home to tell her Mum. She was going to start ballet classes tomorrow. She couldn’t wait!
Delphie could hardly concentrate in school at all the next day. All she could think about was her first ballet lesson. She was at Madame Za-Za’s school by four o’clock and had changed twenty minutes before the class was due to start.
As Delphie tied her long hair back into a bun, she looked at herself in the mirror and couldn’t stop grinning. She looked just like the girls she had been watching the day before. Well, apart from the fact that her shoes were red instead of pale pink but Delphie didn’t care about that. They were beautifully soft and they fitted her perfectly, just as Madame Za-Za had said they would.
Other girls started to arrive. The two who Delphie had seen running into the ballet school the day before were the first to get there. “Who are you?” one of them asked curiously.
“I’m Delphie,” Delphie replied.
“Are you just starting lessons here?” the other girl asked.
Delphie nodded.
“Well, I’m Poppy,” the first