As the morning arrived, so did the postman with a letter. Maisy came outside with Genevieve and Patch as the mailman came and he tossed an envelope to the boarding school.
"I got it! I got it!" Genevieve yipped before hopping in the air and then caught the letter in her mouth.
"Nice catch, Genevieve." Patch smiled.
Genevieve smiled back as she came in with the letter.
Darla smiled as she put on her temporary school girl uniform. "Ah, I bet I look just like Nana Charlotte did when she went to school here."
"I just love these uniforms." Amber smiled as she twirled while Darla put on her brooch which had the Silver Crystal inside.
"They are rather photogenic." Darla agreed.
The girls soon went with Atticus and Cherry to check on Miss Clavel.
"Your brooch looks really great with your dress, Darla." Atticus smiled.
"Thanks, Atticus." Darla smiled back.
The girls then all came together to check on the headmistress of the school. "Bonjour, Miss Clavel~"
"How are you feeling, ma'am?" Amber smiled.
"Much better, mon petite, merci." Miss Clavel smiled back with a nod.
"That's good." Atticus smiled.
Genevieve then came in with the letter for the woman.
"Ooh, Genevieve has a letter." Charlotte cooed.
Miss Clavel accepted the letter and took it out of the envelope as the dog then returned to the girls with a smile.
"Good girl, Genevieve." Darla smiled.
"Ooh, la la!" Miss Clavel gasped.
"An announcement?" Chloe asked.
"An invitation?" Danielle asked.
"A 'posted card'?" Yvette asked with a smile.
"For whom?" the girls all asked.
"Madeline and Darla?" Miss Clavel called over the littlest of her twelve girls and their guest.
"What is it, Miss Clavel?" Madeline asked as she walked over with the curly blonde girl.
Miss Clavel smiled to the girls and handed the letter to the two of them. Madeline and Darla both began to read the letter and where they were surprised at what they read. The others looked very curious and anxious to hear all about what the letter had to say.
"From our 'long-lost Uncle Hortz'..." Madeline read aloud. "I 'ave a family, I 'ave an uncle, and I 'ave a cousin!" she then said the final part to Darla.
"Say wha...?" Atticus and Cherry asked out of shock.
Patch's jaw dropped as he was just as shocked. The others smiled as Madeline had a family at last.
"And he is coming here to see us!" Darla beamed, then smiled to Madeline. "And we're cousins! I don't think I've had a cousin before..."
"Your mothers must have been sisters." Atticus smiled at Madeline and Darla.
Madeline and Darla then smiled to each other and shared a hug.
"How wonderful!" the others praised.
"Girls, girls!" Miss Clavel stood up with a smile. "We must prepare, everything must be ready for Madeline and Darla's Uncle Horst! 'E's their family!"
"Where is he coming from?" Cherry asked.
"Vienna!" Madeline announced with a smile.
"Whoa! That's far away." Atticus said.
"Come on, guys, it's time to get cleaned up." Amber decided.
"She's right," Darla nodded as they all got into cleaning clothes and went to clean up as she sang a song that her nanny used to sing to her when she was little. "London from bottom to top is zup, The keeper in the shop is zup, And even Mrs. Mop is zup, Oh what a lovely morning~..."
Amber smiled to the song. "Your nanny used to sing that?"
"Every morning." Darla smiled back.
Everyone was soon dressed in different clothing as they were going to get the place cleaned. Cherry, Atticus, Patch, and even Charlotte did what they could do to help. Madeline and Darla were very excited to meet their uncle especially since they found out they were cousins.
"Arms that warm me when I'm cold~," Madeline began to sing. "Lips that smile and never scold, smile and never scold!~"
"Ears that listen, Hands that hold, Once again, we two have a family!~" Darla sang as they danced together as their clothes changed for cleaning.
"Homemade chocolate creme souffle~" Yvette sang as she washed the dishes.
"Picnics out on holidays~" Danielle sang as she passed a laundry basket to Janine.
"Summer beaches, Winter sleigh~" Chloe sang.
"Once more, they have a family!~" the girls all sang together. "Family!~"
"That's helps you up every time you fall~" Atticus sang.
"Family!~" the others sang.
"The ones that hang your drawings on the wall~" Cherry lazily sang as she put up a framed crayon drawing.
"Family!~" The others sang.
"The ones that love you most of all!~" Patch sang, not realizing he revealed he could speak.
The others looked to the dog curiously. Patch smiled nervously and then carried a basket of laundry on his back. The others simply shrugged before going back to singing.
"Words of comfort when I'm scared~," Madeline sang as she thought about her parents. "Treasured stories to be shared, Gifts that show me someone cared, Once more, I have a family!~"
"Family!~" The girls sang.
"They cure your tears when you feel small~" Yvette sang.
"Family!~" the girls sang.
"The ones who are there when you call~" Danielle sang.
"Family!~" the girls sang.
"The ones who truly love you most of all~" Chloe sang.
"Once more, we have a family~" Darla and Madeline sang together.
They were continuing to clean the house while singing.
Soon enough, the whole house was cleaned up and was spotless, unless you counted Patch. Miss Clavel felt a lot better after they spent the whole day cleaning and suddenly, the girls were all tired since they spent the day cleaning up.
"You girls better get some sleep." Atticus smiled.
"Oui, oui," Miss Clavel agreed. "Sweet dreams. Tomorrow will be an exciting day! Sleep well."
"Good night, good night, dear Miss Clavel!" the girls smiled back as their light was turned out and they all fell asleep instantly in their beds.
"Bon nuit, Auntie Clara." Charlotte added.
Everyone else soon went to bed. It was another exhausting day, but it was worth it.
"I'm just so excited that I have a cousin." Darla smiled as Atticus was tucking her into bed.
"I'm just surprised you two haven't met until the first time you Amber and her met." Atticus said.
"I know..." Darla giggled. "I knew we'd be good friends when we first met."
"Okay, kiddo, get some sleep," Atticus smiled. "You wanna be well rested for your uncle."
"I sure do." Darla yawned before going to sleep.
Atticus smiled as he tucked in Darla. "Good night."
"Night, Atticus..." Darla said quietly as she turned over to sleep.
Atticus then turned out the light for her and then left the room to get to his own bed. Maisy soon came into Darla's bed and rested with her. Darla seemed to sense Maisy in her sleep and hugged her kitten in her slumber. Maisy slept peacefully as they were excited to meet Darla and Madeline's uncle.
"Psst... Madeline, Darla, are you asleep?" Amber asked.
"Of course," Madeline replied. "This is no time to be asleep."
Yvette, Chloe, and Danielle agreed as they were wondering what the man they would meet tomorrow would be like.
"Maybe he'll be an author." Darla smiled.
Maisy was still fast asleep as the girls thought about what Horst could possibly be like.
"Yes, a beloved novelist like our very own Victor Hugo." Chloe agreed with Darla.
"Do you think he'll have red hair like mine or blonde hair like Darla?" Madeline wondered. "Who will be this Uncle Horst?"
"Well, whoever he is, I just know he'll be nice and kind." Darla smiled.
"Maybe he's a brave soldier?" Danielle suggested. "Non, non, a general! Vith medals and decorations... Or an Admiral who commanded his own fleet!"
"No, no, he must be a prince." Amber spoke up.
"Oui, oui, with a castle and fine horses!" Yvette agreed.
"What about you, Madeline, what do you think he's like?" Darla asked.
"He's sure to be handsome~..." Madeline smiled as she thought about it.
"As well as educated." Amber added.
"And rich!" Danielle smiled.
"And slender~..." Yvette smiled dreamily.
"And finally, very kind," Madeline smiled to her best friends. "Monsieur Perfect."
The girls all soon went to sleep.