Jane liked pretending to be grander than she really was. One day, she was walking home from school with a new girl named Kylie, and was showing off as usual.

"We have five Siamese cats at our house. And a special iced lemonade tap."
Kylie dawdled, hoping to be invited in.

"I'd ask you in," said Jane, "but my mother's overseas. She's a famous opera singer."
"Wow!" said Kylie.
"She's singing in Paris. Our housekeeper, Mrs Grid, is looking after me. Our house has twenty-five rooms full of Persian carpets and antique furniture."

Kylie looked at Jane's house, thinking that a house containing such splendours would somehow look different.

"Don't take any notice of the front view," said Jane. "My dad built it like that to trick burglars. Inside it's different. My father is a millionaire."

She waved goodbye airily and went inside.
The house certainly was different inside!
The living room was carpeted with gorgeous rugs, and had a silver fountain labelled "iced lemonade". The cane furniture had been replaced by carved oak.

"Mum! Did we win Tattslotto?" Jane yelled excitedly. Her mother wasn't home, but a note had been left in the kitchen. It read:

From Paris going to Milan to sing Tosca after that Vienna.
Housekeeper will look after you.
Love Mum xxx

Jane read the note and then phoned the factory where her dad worked. A voice said, "Sorry, it's not possible to speak to Mr Lawson. He's overseas inspecting all his oil wells, diamond mines and banks."

It was Jane's turn to say, "Wow!"

She went into her room to change. Normally her room was a clutter of dropped clothes, unmade bed and overdue library books. But now it was magnificent. It had a four-poster bed, and a TV set in the ceiling. Jane was so impressed that she hung up her school dress, instead of letting it lie like a gingham puddle on the floor.