Page 98 - Nuts to You - The Nutcracker Retold

her very name almost made him jump and give away the fact that there was a mouse in the house. But his early years of training did him well and even pure fear was not able to startle a movement. Well, maybe one of his whiskers twitched.
And that twitch was all it took.
Clara felt the move more than she saw the move, and she swerved to look. But all she saw was a vague shadow before Mother Stahlbaum gave her a little push toward the stairs, and the butler announced her name. Her father appeared at the foot of the stairs, looking displeased at the wait, then relieved at the sight of his daughter now doing her duty. And so, Clara was forced to descend to the coming-out party that would determine her life’s partner.
Unless Plan C worked, that is.
But back we go to Reggie. He was in a state of nerves like he’d never been before – he was sure Clara – that awful name – Clara had seen him! And horror of horrors, Reggie saw Drosselmeir coming out of the crowd, and Drosselmeir had the Nutcracker in his arms. And now it was all coming
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