Chapter 11
The Magnificent Violet Lady
Violet Door
The violet door was made of curved glass. When it opened, Paul saw a passage descending through rock.
“Ponco Violet is the only lady on the Rainbow Council,” Ronnie said as they followed lights glowing beneath the floor. “She is also the only Ponco who believes this makes her more sensible than the others.”
The lights went out.
“Why has she done that?” Paul asked.
“To prevent visitors learning the way back.”
“Why?”
“She thinks everyone wants to steal her inventions.”
“I haven’t seen one yet.”
“She thinks ahead.”
Paul felt his way along the wall until he collided with something soft.
“Kindly remove your nose from my sleeve,” said a woman’s voice.
The lights returned.
Ponco Violet stood before him in a long coat the colour of evening. Silver tools hung from her belt, and a pair of practical boots showed beneath the hem. A small crown, tilted to one side, suggested that she had dressed in a hurry and refused to admit it.
“This is Paul,” Ronnie said.
“I know. I’ve been watching him through the violet door. He asks useful questions and irritating ones in equal number.”
“Thank you,” Paul said.
“It was not entirely praise.”
Ponco Violet led them to an underground lake. A transparent submarine rose from its dark surface.
“My latest PoncoVention,” she said. “It will explore places no Ponco has seen.”
“Does it work?” Paul asked.
“It descends beautifully.”
“And rises?”
“That is included in the next stage of testing.”
Ronnie stopped at the hatch. “Perhaps we should wait for the next stage.”
“Nonsense. Paul cannot judge violet without experiencing it.”
The submarine sank beneath the lake.
Violet lamps lit the water. Tiny bubbles streamed from the stern, each bursting into a fragrant purple cloud.
“PoncoBubbles,” Ponco Violet explained. “They mark where the submarine has travelled.”
“They also make it easy for anything hungry to follow us,” Paul said.
Something struck the hull.
A huge pale creature appeared in the light. It had a long narrow jaw, powerful fins and eyes like blue marbles. A second creature followed, then a third.
“What are they?” Ronnie whispered.
“Animals that should have vanished millions of years ago,” Paul said. “This lake must have been sealed away.”
The creatures circled.
Ponco Violet seized the controls. “We shall return to the surface.”
She pulled a lever.
The submarine descended faster.
“The other lever,” Paul said.
She pulled it.
The lights went out.
“I may have missed one driving lesson,” Ponco Violet admitted.
“How many were there?”
“One.”
The largest creature opened its jaws around the bow.