HIDDEN IN THE HATBOX) Chapter 2- A Strange Lady.

And for the next chapter...

Claire loved riding lessons, but today she just couldn't concentrate.
"Sit straighter Claire. Claire? Claire! Pay attention!" her riding instructor Macy said.
"Claire," she said seriously, "has something happened? Have you been teased?"
Claire shook her blonde head.
"No Macy. I'm just excited; me and Lily-Anna are helping a Grace Williams at her hotel."
Macy grinned,
"Okay, remember; heel down, toe up."
...............................
After rinsing off the horses, Claire and Lily-Anna rushed to the changing room. They dressed hurriedly and waved goodbye to Macy. 
"Well, we're off!"Lily-Anna said triumphantly.
"Uh-huh." Claire replied, "I bet you could make a newspaper article outa this."
"Two nine-year old girls set off to help at the Old Hotel. Jane Wilson reports:" 
Lily-Anna mimicked the news reporter in a high voice. Both girls broke into fits of giggles. Then all of a sudden the grand Old Hotel loomed up in front of them. A small sign that hung over the door read:
                                NO VACANCY
in large letters.
"Wow. It must be pretty crowded to have No Vacancy," Claire marveled. "That's what I call a big building."
"Mummy told me it was over 150 years old," Lily-Anna said dreamily.
"Come on!"
The two best friends grasped each other's hands and Claire reached up and knocked. Moments later the rustic door opened and there stood a frowning woman dressed in a rich fashion.
"Can't you read?!" she growled, "There's no room!"
"Oh, but you have it all wrong, miss. We're here to help at the hotel."
Claire hurriedly explained and produced from her pocket the crumpled poster and handed it to the rich lady. Her face brightened instantly.
"We're looking for a Miss Grace Williams," Claire continued.
"Ah, you're looking right at her! Do come in, there's plenty of work to be done!" The dark-haired lady...who called herself Miss Williams...laughed. Claire and Lily-Anna looked at each other and groaned inwardly. Miss Williams was definitely a 'no nonsense' kind of person. She led them through the fanciest hotel they had ever seen in their nine years of life. On the side was the counter and a few dainty velvet couches. In the middle was two shiny, wooden staircases curving gently around two a second floor.Along the hallway at the top was lots of doors in a row.
"You can start by mopping the main visitors room." Miss Williams said, handing them each a mop and a bucket of warm, soapy water. The girls set to work scrubbing and wiping.
Suddenly there was a quick, loud knock on the door. Miss Williams hurried over to the front door.
"Keep working, girls," she said quietly, "I'll just get this..."
As she opened the door her eyes grew large and her face whitened. She let out a piercing, ear-splitting shriek. Claire jumped up in fright, reached for Lily-Anna's hand and grasped it tightly. A woman stood there in the doorway. She had on a baggy, long-sleeved tee-shirt and a holey pair of oversize shorts. The woman was obviously poor by the way she looked.
"What's so scary about a woman anyway?" Claire asked in a whisper. Lily-Anna shrugged.
"Maybe she has something against poor people." she suggested. Miss Williams face darkened again.
"What are you doing here?" she asked coldly.
"Grace," the woman said as she looked cautiously over her thin shoulder. "I know you don't want anyone to know about-"
"No!" Miss Williams said angrily.
"But Grace!" the woman pleaded.
"Goodbye!" Miss Williams said firmly and slammed the door shut.
...............................................
The next chapter is 7/10 exciting and a bit scary. I was writing it in bed and I freaked myself out by my own writing! (-Even though is it isn't that scary!!:) :)-)
Thanks lots for commenting...
xx Jada