Forward

Children's adventure stories such as Nancy Drew or the Famous Five all revolve around a similar theme. That theme is usually about the child, or children, confronting adversity and triumphing in the end.

The story that follows is the third in this series and is a variation on that theme as viewed from a different perspective. Our little tale takes place a few months after our hero's escapades on 'The Beach' and finds that Tony has relocated to live near his cousin Shirley. Due to go on a mid-term break visit to play soccer in France he is dismayed to find out that the trip has been canceled at the last minute. Shirley, however, comes to his rescue and arranges for him to accompany her on a trip with her ballet school. The question is, will he go as Tony or Toni?

This story is written to depict a young boy's first innocent encounters with cross-dressing and his subsequent feelings. If the reader is seeking descriptions of explicit or adult sex then they will be disappointed because this sort of thing is not included here.

Chapter 1
Stranded!

Tony stood there looking at the telephone wondering what he was supposed to do. He had just received a call from his coach telling him that the trip to his school's big soccer tournament was off. Problems with the venue in Paris apparently had caused the whole thing to be postponed at the last minute, so his half term trip to France was not going to happen.

Things had changed a lot for Tony in the months following his eventful holiday with his cousin Shirley the previous summer (see The Petticoat Detective Squad Adventures - The Mystery of the Girl in the Garden and Mystery on the Beach). The most traumatic event was the separation of his parents, which left the eleven-year-old for all intents and purposes without a father. Constantly wrapped up in his work for the government, Mr. Green remained in London and managed to see his son only occasionally, a weekend here, a holiday there. The rest of the time the youngster resided with his mother, who'd moved to the coastal town where Tony's Aunt Mary - his mother's sister - and his cousin Shirley lived.

Although he had been a little concerned about the move at first, Tony had readily settled into his new location and he very much liked his new school and the friends he'd made there. The emptiness created by his father's absence quickly filled with his lessons and his new mates and especially soccer, with which he proved rather adept. In fact, the child's proficiency in the sport earned him the cherished position of first choice goalkeeper; hence the reason for the trip to France, which had been scheduled for the winter half-term holiday.

Meanwhile, his cousin Shirley had taken to ballet in a big way during the autumn months and had proved a natural at it. She progressed rapidly through the initial exams and was now a leading light in the local ballet school. As much as he hated to admit it, Tony was almost as proud of his cousin's accomplishments as he was of his own, and in some ways he even envied her ... but more about that later.

The problem the eleven-year-old boy now faced was that there was no place for him to stay. Shirley was also going on a half term trip, this one with her ballet school to Tampa, Florida in the United States. This trip had been arranged after an American ballet school had paid a visit to them in the UK during the previous year. And as the two children were to be away at the same time, their mothers had decided to take advantage of the situation and left for a few days holiday skiing in Scotland.

With Shirley leaving for Florida on the following morning, Tony would be left alone to fend for himself, at least for until he could make contact with his mother and aunt, and he knew that this would not be for another two or three days. They were traveling by car and hadn't left a contact address. And even if he could make contact he would have a real problem in arranging travel to join them.

Calling his father, of course, was out of the question, as he was incommunicado on one of the many government projects he worked on.

What was poor Tony to do?

He lifted the telephone receiver and rang Shirley's number. She answered it almost immediately and the confused little boy told her his problem.

"Well, you're not the only one with worries," his cousin said when he had finished his tale of woe. "My friend Sandra's mother called earlier. She was supposed to spend the night here with me before we get the taxi to the coach, which is taking us to the airport at five tomorrow morning. Apparently she, along with five or six others, have had to call off because they've got this flu bug that's going around. I bet Madame is going frantic. It's a good job that there are none of the principal dancers involved so far."

"Yes, but that doesn't solve my problem, does it?" said Tony.

"Well, for a start, as I'm now going to be here alone, so why don't you spend the night over at our place? At least we could keep each other company and then we could try to think of something you can do."

Tony thought that was a good plan. He would have company for one night at least, despite the fact that Shirley would be leaving for Tampa very early next morning. Donning his overcoat and scarf as protection against the freezing weather, he picked up the suitcase his mother had packed for his trip to France, locked the house and set off on the twenty minute walk to his cousin's house.

The afternoon sun was shining brightly but coldly as he set out on his walk. The previous month's snow had mostly disappeared or had been converted to slicks of ice which made walking treacherous. The icy cold wind blowing off the sea made him shiver, and as he walked along his mind went back to the last time he had stayed at Shirley's house; it was hard for him to believe all the adventures he had shared with his cousin. In his mind those were some of the best - and worst! - times of his life.

Encouraged by his mischievous cousin (see The Mystery of the Girl in the Garden), Tony had donned the frilliest of dresses and posed for days on end as Shirley's little girl cousin, "Antonia"; in turn the young boy experienced some exciting adventures and made the most wonderful friends. It was hard for him to admit to himself that he'd spent so many idyllic days running about playing the role of a little girl; on the other hand, as much as he hated to admit it to himself - and no one else, mind you! - he missed his little dress up games miserably so.

The pre-teen boy couldn't quite explain it, but there was something alluring, addictive even, about putting on feminine attire and pretending to be someone he was not. The secrecy and seductiveness of it all, going by another name, wearing outrageously girlish disguises ... saying and doing things he'd never normally get the chance to do ... it was all so ... so wonderful! There were times during his adventures, in fact, when he actually wished it would all go on forever.

Perhaps instead of pretending to be someone else, he often wondered, am I actually being more of ... of myself...?

Of course, as everyone knows, boys just don't wear pretty dresses! And so while Tony tried to put his precious experiences - and the resulting confusion! - to the back of his mind, he did have the occasional reminders when he received letters from his friends, Fiona and Anthea, whom he'd met during his clandestine escapades. To his chagrin, he'd been put on the spot more than once when his mother noticed that he was receiving mail addressed to 'Toni Green,' but he managed to explain that his "pen pals" were just having a little fun with his name at his expense.

Having handled that situation rather gracefully (or so he thought) Tony was as amazed as he was relieved that his mother never suspected his dual life. True to her word, his Aunt Mary had not divulged the role her feminine nephew had taken on during his stay at the old manor, or his subsequent visit to his dearest Anthea's home; nor had Shirley let slip any of the details regarding their adventure at Fiona's home. Sadly, he had to remind himself that his mother did have more important things on her mind with the impending divorce.

As a reminder of his adventures as "Antonia," Tony carefully stored his precious letters in a small wooden lockable box in which he kept all his most treasured possessions. He took that box with him whenever he was to be away from home and it was carefully packed in the suitcase he was now carrying. Also in the box was a small book of photographs and a delicate fairy necklace made of real gold, which Anthea had given him in gratitude for rescuing her from a band of scheming kidnappers.

As enamored as he was with his experiences, the boy in Tony was still uncomfortable with the memories of the emotions he had felt during that time and he had tried to dismiss them as unimportant. He was walking past the entrance to Fiona's house now and more memories came flooding back. The house stood empty now as Fiona's mother had decided that they would spend some months staying in their London flat to further rehabilitate her daughter. He yearned to see her again, but how could he in his present appearance? (See The Mystery on the Beach). She only knew him as "Antonia," Shirley's girl cousin. Sighing a sigh of frustration, he feared that one day he would have to reveal all to her. But his daydreaming was about to end as he neared his cousin's house.

Before he had time to knock, the front door opened revealing Shirley's bright smiling face.

"Hello, little cousin." He flinched whenever she addressed him like this. Nearly a teenager, Shirley had grown a couple of inches since last summer and had started to develop into a rather beautiful young woman. Tony on the other hand hadn't grown at all and was still the same, almost petite build that he was months before. The difference between them was so great that sometimes he felt as though she was as tall as his own mother. Sometimes she even acted that way, too.

The older girl glanced at the large suitcase he was carrying. "That's some overnight bag you've got."

"Well, I was already packed to go to France and I couldn't see any point in unpacking just to come over here."

"Oh, don't worry about anything," she said smiling mischievously. "I think I've an answer to your little problem."

"What is it?" He had deposited his case in the hall and was busily removing his coat and scarf.

"I won't tell you until it's been confirmed," she said, still smiling. "I made a couple of phone calls while I was waiting for you and I'll know if it's all set up when they call back. Now you'd better take that case up to the spare bedroom as you'll be spending the night there."

Tony lugged the case up to the feminine bedroom he had used the previous summer and threw it onto the bed. He was about to go back down to rejoin his cousin when something inside him drew him to the wardrobe. He just had to see if his old things were still there. However, when he looked inside, the wardrobe was completely empty; apparently his aunt had boxed up all the clothes he'd worn during his stay.

I wonder if she got rid of everything? He thought sadly.

He reached out as though to touch the silken party dress that once hung there and he was surprised as anyone that his feelings were mixed; on one hand he was relieved, but on the other something made him feel a little disappointed.

The only thing in the room to remind him of his holiday adventures with his cousin was the delicate ballerina doll posed so regally on the dressing table. A gift from Fiona, its appearance triggered a wave of nostalgia within the youngster, and he found himself blushing furiously for no apparent reason.

I shouldn't be feeling this way, he thought to himself. But I can't help it. I bet I'm the only boy in the world with problems like this. Why are things always so complicated for me?

He heard the distant sound of the telephone and wondered if it was the answer that Shirley had been waiting for.

Chapter 2
Plans Remade

Tony rejoined his cousin in time to see her replacing the handset with a self-satisfied look on her face. She smiled at him and beckoned him to follow her to the kitchen for much needed warm drink.

"That's settled then," she said while they sat at the kitchen table.

"What is?"

"The answer to your problem." She looked at him with an air of mystery. "You obviously can't go to France, and it's going to be difficult for you to contact our folks, at least for a day or so."

"So tell me something I don't already know." The eleven-year-old boy was getting a little impatient with his cousin's superior manner.

"So ... you're coming with us." Shirley smiled at his look of astonishment. "I contacted Madame and as she's had a few cancellations and the places are already paid for, she's agreed that you can come to Florida with us. We'll be back at the same time your soccer trip was to have taken and let's face it, at least you'll get some warm sunshine instead of all this freezing weather we're getting over here."

His astonishment subsided. "Well, I'm not so sure I want to spend a week in the company of a load of ballet dancers. What am I supposed to do? I mean I want to go to Florida, but what do I do while you lot are performing?"

"Oh, there will be plenty to occupy you and a lot of sites to see, and you can always give us a hand by doing odd jobs if you get bored. Just think yourself lucky that you're getting a free holiday in the warm sunshine," said Shirley. Still, she had a mysterious look on her face, and as far as Tony was concerned, that was cause enough to be suspicious.

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I just wanted to know how I would fit in. I've always wanted to go to the United States," he said defensively.

"Oh, you'll fit in just great. Trust me!"

"Well, I guess I'd better go home and re-pack my case," he said. "I mean all I've got in my case are warm winter things and I'm going to need some summer clothes."

"I'll help you with all that later," she answered. "Right now I've got a couple of phone calls to make, then we'd better get something to eat. We'll have to get to bed early as we are being collected by taxi at five in the morning and it's going to be a long day travelling. Madame says we should get there late afternoon their time, but they are several hours behind us so it'll seem like a long day."

"We'd better not leave things too long then," he said, thinking of the trip into the warm sunshine of Florida. Football was okay, but there was no contest between an exciting trip to the United States and playing football on a freezing cold football pitch in the middle of winter!

Shirley left him to start making her calls, still with that disconcertingly mysterious grin on her face. Shrugging it off, he settled down to watch some television.

Chapter 3
Tricked ... Again!

The two cousins took supper in the kitchen later that afternoon. As he finished up his dessert Tony noticed that it was getting dark outside. Turning to Shirley, he said, "Don't you think that it's time I went over to our house to repack my case?"

"Oh, there's no need for that," she smiled broadly. "We've got everything you'll need right here."

"I don't see how!" he retorted. "You can't possibly have enough clothes to last me for a week. Unless... wait a minute! You don't mean ..." the hidden meaning behind her mysterious grin started to explain itself. "You can't mean what I think you mean .... " His voice tailed off, he didn't know how to continue.

Shirley beamed. "Well, what do you think I mean? Of course, you'll be going along as a girl. What did you expect? I mean, you even said so yourself: What kind of boy would want to hang around a lot of silly ballerinas?"

Ever since the previous summer Shirley had marvelled at the almost magical way her cousin was transformed into the perfect little girl when he was wearing a dress. Unlike their cousin Barry - who always looked like a boy in whatever he was dressed in - with Tony it was almost like a spell had been cast on him. She had so wanted to see the transformation again but had almost given up hope, until his desperate phone call earlier that day. And now she was getting her wish come true!

"But I can't!" Tony blustered. "There's no way I'm going to do that sort of thing again. It caused enough trouble when you tricked me into it last summer."

"Oh, there wasn't any trouble and you know it! You did just great. No one had the slightest idea who you were or anything, and even you have to admit that you had a wonderful time."

Tony blushed and pretended he didn't hear that last part. "But ... I'm a boy ... and boys don't wear dresses ...." The eleven year old's voice didn't sound very convincing.

"Nonsense. You won't be a boy, you'll be 'Antonia,' remember? No one will have the slightest idea you're a boy, I promise. You'll have a great time, you'll get to see Disney World and the ocean and everything! It'll be a grand adventure! Cross my heart and hope to die."

"I don't know." Tony blushed more than usual and averted his eyes. Shirley just about jumped for joy as she knew that her cousin was weakening in favour of her scheme.

"Well think it over, little cousin. There's no need to decide right now. A couple of the girls who were at the old manor with us are going so they already know who you are." Shirley laughed to see the look of panic on her cousin's face. "No, I mean, they already know whom 'Antonia' is, you silly goose! I've got more than enough things for you to wear for the trip and since your hair's a little longer now it shouldn't take much to style it. No one will have the slightest idea you're really a little boy in a dress."

"Well, maybe ...." The red-faced child shook his head and pouted. It was all Shirley could do to keep from jumping up and down and shouting "hurrah!"

"I'll tell you what. Sleep on it and I'll wake you at four, you can tell me your decision then. If you say no then you'll just have to stay here alone and I'll tell Madame that you've changed your mind. But if you agree," she gave her cousin a flirtatious smile, "you'll have a great holiday in the sunshine. You know you enjoyed yourself last summer, so what's to decide?"

"We'll see," he said feeling angry that she'd tricked him again. "I'll tell you what I decide in the morning."

He didn't say anymore about it for the remainder of the evening and Shirley knew better than to bring the subject up again. In a way she felt guilty about using such trickery because it would have been just as easy to arrange for him to go along as a boy. Of course, she couldn't admit that to him at this stage and besides, she'd already told the ballet school that her cousin was a girl!

The cousins went to bed early; no matter what the outcome of Tony's decision was, they both had to wake at four. The eleven year old had trouble going to sleep, however, because his mind was in turmoil. He was still a bit angry at Shirley's deception, but he was more concerned with his own feelings. He knew he should have refused her offer outright and expressed his displeasure in no uncertain terms.

And then there was the fact that he was a boy. Boys don't like wearing dresses, he kept telling himself. But if that was true, why was it always on his mind so? Was it possible that he actually liked the idea of ... well, dressing up and pretending he wasn't a boy ...? There was no denying the feeling that he got when he was wearing a dress; as disconcerting as that may have been, it certainly was pleasurable! Tossing and turning about in his bed, he thought about some of the more involuntary sensations and occurrences that had happened to him during certain occasions when he last masqueraded as a little girl, especially the more messy - and shamefully exciting! - ones.

Sitting up in his bed, the flustered boy quietly opened his box of secret treasures and pulled out the little book of photographs he kept there. It was filled with pictures taken the previous summer, the ones of him posing with Anthea and Fiona and his cousin Shirley and Aunt Mary. As he thumbed through the images of himself in a variety of dresses and poses that would make any pre-teen girl proud, he had to admit that he did make an attractive girl. He also felt a familiar tingling in an embarrassing part of his body.

Oh, what am I to do?

Eventually he fell into a fitful sleep and in what appeared to be no time at all his cousin shook him from his slumbers.

"Come on dozy, it's nearly four." Tony noticed that Shirley was already dressed, looking quite sharp in a blouse and sweater and a pair of snug-fitting jeans. "Have you decided what you're going to do yet?"

Still rubbing the sleep from his eyes the little boy averted his eyes in embarrassment and said, "I suppose I'll have to go along with your plan."

"Good," she said triumphantly. "Now hurry up and wash. We haven't a lot of time. Your hair is longer that it used to be so it should be simple to get it styled. I've also packed you a case so all you'll have to do is put your personal things into it and you'll be all set."

Tony quickly washed up and found himself almost trembling with expectation. He shouldn't be doing this, or should he? As he put away his toothbrush he looked down at his trembling hands and winced. If he was this excited now, who knew what would happen before this newest adventure was over with!

When he had finished, Shirley set to work on his hair. She brushed it out and then tied it into two bunches on either side with white bows of ribbon. She looked at her handy-work with satisfaction then disappeared out of the door only to reappear again in an instant carrying a bundle which she deposited on a chair. And after instructing him to hurry up and dress she left to finish up her own packing.

In a very short while Tony - or should it be Toni? - was examining himself in the mirror. That little girl - the one from the photographs - was looking back at him again. The clothes were a little different this time as it was winter, but he had to secretly admit he did look rather convincing. He wore a red plaid woollen dress with a short pleated skirt. The hem of the dress reached high above his knees. This was over top of the familiar frilled underwear, a silken slip and lacy panties. In his hand was a pair of thick white tights which were giving him problems. He was about to toss them aside when Shirley appeared and instructed him on the art of donning feminine hosiery.

"See, if you'll be patient they work just fine, you'll need them for this cold weather. Gather them in a little pool and put your foot through it carefully … that's it. Great! Now, just slide them up and pull them over your panties ..."

With his cousin watching him so closely, Tony felt positively indecent as he wriggled into the snug-fitting tights. The hem of his dress raised high above his waist in the process, exposing his panty-covered bottom to his cousin's smiling eyes. Who in the world came up with such humiliating clothes as this?

"Can't I wear some jeans or something ...? I mean, all I have on is this dress and these silly tights. I feel like I'm not wearing any pants or anything!"

"Oh, hush, try on these little shoes. Oh, my ... that looks perfect!"

Shirley marvelled once again at the magical transformation she'd sparked. Poor Tony didn't look at all like the rough and tumble soccer player that came to visit her; from the white bows on either side of his head to the cute little white ankle high boots on his feet, he was the ideal vision of an eleven year old girl ready for a day of travel. It wasn't just the clothes that did it, of course, but the way his every move and mannerism were changed into those of a typical girl his own age. Shirley smiled to see him turn with his back to the dressing mirror and then look over his shoulder to see if his bottom was properly covered up.

There he goes, just like a girl! she thought proudly. How does he do that?

Breaking herself from her reverie, the older cousin quickly took charge of the situation. "All right, 'Antonia,' you can admire yourself later. Here, this is your suitcase, so put anything else you want to take with you into it and we'll almost be ready."

Tony quickly retrieved his little box from his room and upon opening the pink suitcase saw - with considerable embarrassment - that lying on top of the vast assortment of girlish garments was the doll that Shirley had insisted he carried last summer. His cheeks hot with shame, he tucked his box in amongst the rest of the contents and quickly closed and locked the lid.

He turned around and saw his cousin stifling a giggle. "You're way out of practice!" she said, "I thought you knew better than to bend over while wearing a short skirt!

The little feminised boy blushed violently at this while she pushed his arms into a red coat trimmed with fake white fur. This was teamed up with a matching scarf and gloves and he was soon ready, complete with matching wool hat to face the winter elements for the first time as a little girl.

Shirley had just finished putting her own coat on when they heard a car horn outside; it was their taxi. Once outside in the cold dark air Tony realised that because he was wearing thick tights he didn't feel quite as vulnerable wearing a short skirt as he had on his previous occasions, but those sensuous feelings he had felt then were still there. Of course he had the added protection of his thick warm coat which covered up his dress completely, but seeing his reflection in the taxi's window he knew he didn't look anything like the boy he was.

During their short drive to the coach the little petticoated boy began thinking about what he was getting himself into; on his previous masquerades as a girl he was never far away from being able to revert to his real self. On this occasion, however, he would be separated from his boy things by several thousand miles. In fact, he'd be an ocean away from his identity as Tony Green, first choice soccer goalie. While travelling with the ballet troupe, there would be no going back.

Whispering silently to himself, he resolved to be the best little girl he could, no matter what the next few days might bring!

Chapter 4
The Holiday Begins

The two cousins arrived at the coach, which was parked outside the building that served as the ballet school. The structure was no more than an extension to Madame's house and had been built specifically to accommodate the needs of her students. Anxious and worried, Tony clambered out of the taxi behind Shirley and took a good look at everything that was going on. They were greeted by two jolly looking elderly ladies whom Shirley introduced as Madge and May. They were twin sisters and helped Madame run the school; Madge played piano and did everything else musical while May helped with the paperwork and general organisation. Tony noticed two young women, probably in their late teens, who were supervising two large trunks labelled 'costumes' being loaded onto the coach. Shirley said that their names were Cheryl and Barbara and they were both ex-pupils of Madame's who helped her to run some of the classes. Last of all, as they went to board the coach they were greeted by a very regal, aristocratic looking lady who gave them both an almost hypnotic smile. This was obviously Madame, the principal of the ballet school.

"Oh good, you've arrived well on time," said the smiling lady. "Now all we're waiting for is Melanie, so we should get away without any delay. Give your cases to the driver so he can stow them away." Then turning to Tony, she said "This must be your cousin, Antonia. She's such a pretty little thing! Shirley says that you don't dance."

Eager to get away from being the focus of attention, Tony felt himself blushing and answered quickly. "No, I'm afraid I don't."

"Well, dearest, I'm sure you'd be very good at ballet. You look very strong and graceful for your size. Why don't you give it a try when we come back?"

The little feminised boy just grinned and shrugged. He'd learned long ago that when in doubt, say nothing at all. Madame nodded to the fidgeting boy, said something polite to his cousin, and then excused herself.

Shirley took Tony's suitcase and, before passing it to the driver, removed the daintily dressed doll and handed it to him. "Here you go. Dolly can keep you company while we're travelling." The eleven year old boy gave his cousin a frowning look, but he took the doll without argument.

The two cousins climbed onto the coach and found that there were plenty of vacant seats. Even if all the absentees had been present there would still have been seats to spare, so Shirley led her cousin to the very back row, which was completely empty. As they removed their coats, the coach interior being pleasantly warm, a girl sitting two rows in front turned about and said, "Hi Toni, it's nice to see you again." It was Gwen, whom Tony had met during his adventure at the old manor.

As blushing boy sat down next to the window and fiddled self-consciously with the hem of his skirt, Shirley began to chat with Gwen. "I wonder if Melanie has decided not to come after all?" she said.

"I wouldn't bet on it," replied Gwen. "She's Madame's pet, remember? We'll have to put up with her. I hope she's not too late though."

"She'll be arriving any minute in her mum's flashy car. You can bet on it. She really is a strange one isn't she?" Shirley laughed.

"Who's Melanie?" asked Tony. "And what's so strange about her?"

"Oh, she's a girl came to start at our ballet school last month," replied Shirley. "You know when you meet someone new and you try to make them feel welcome and become friends? Well, we all tried hard with Melanie but she hardly ever speaks to anyone. She keeps very much to herself and always looks so darned miserable. Sometimes she acts as though she couldn't care less about ballet, but she never gives up, either. We all gave up trying to be friendly with her and tend to leave her well alone. Every time she arrives at the school in her mother's big flashy car and is collected in the same way."

Gwen cut in and made the most dramatic frown. "What's even more bizarre is the fact that she's never seen by anyone outside the ballet school. She's weird, but I suppose we'll have to suffer her doing a solo dance for the Americans. It will be so embarrassing to watch her."

Tony blinked. "What's the matter? Isn't she very good at ballet?"

"Not really," replied Shirley. "But, for some reason Madame has taken her under her wing. Most of us think it's because Melanie's mother contributed half the cost of this trip, along with a complete set of new costumes."

"What other reason could there be?" pouted Gwen. "I can't help but cringe every time I see her perform. I don't mean to be cruel. It's not her fault. She just doesn't have enough experience. Still, I suppose she's got lots of money."

"How bad is she? " asked Tony getting interested.

"Oh, she can do all the steps all right," replied Shirley. "Madame drills her constantly. Sometimes she's there before any of us, but it doesn't do any good. She has no grace or poise and no elegance at all. She's just very wooden, almost clumsy. Like I said, I get the impression that she really doesn't want to be a dancer, but she says she does. I suppose we'll just have to put up with it."

"Here she comes now," interrupted Gwen.

They all looked out of the window; Tony especially was getting inquisitive about the mysterious Melanie. As he looked out of the window he could see a large dark coloured Daimler coming to a halt by the coach. He saw a girl of about Shirley's age covered from head to foot by a wool hat and a large coat. Getting out from the driver's seat was a very severe looking lady who Tony assumed was Melanie's mother. She extracted a suitcase from the boot of the car and with a brief kiss of goodbye on the cheek she vanished back in the direction she had come.

The mystery girl climbed in to the coach and deliberately made straight for a seat as far away from everyone else as possible. She just smiled when greeted by the others and removed her hat and coat to reveal a dress that looked like something Shirley would have made Tony wear; sleeveless with a short, pleated skirt, it made the girl look much younger than she obviously was.

"See there! She wears the silliest clothes! None of us would be caught dead in something like that," muttered Shirley quietly so as not to be overheard. Then realising what she had said, she turned to her little feminised cousin and said, "Sorry I didn't mean to poke fun at you, Tony. You must admit though that she's much too big for a dress in that style."

Tony just nodded, not knowing how else to respond. The skirted boy looked at the girl who was now reading a book and ignoring all the others on the coach which was just preparing to depart.

Cheryl, one of Madame's helpers, joined the two cousins on the back seats. She looked very elegant in her travelling clothes and she had a wonderfully happy smile that soon proved infectious among the younger dancers.

"Hi, you must be Shirley's cousin Toni," said the newcomer as she took her seat. The coach moved off. "You're very pretty. Oh, you brought your dolly, too! How sweet!"

"What do you say, Tony?" Shirley nudged her cousin playfully.

"Thank you." The petticoated boy felt himself colouring up as the teenager lightly caressed the worn doll that rested in his lap. He dreaded it when people made a fuss over him like that, and he hated it even more when they teased him about that stupid doll his cousin made him carry.

"You're quite welcome," Cheryl said warmly. "It looks like we'll be seeing quite a lot of each other because Madame's just given me the accommodation arrangements. Everyone is staying with families connected with the school. But you two, together with me and Madame and Melanie are staying with Mimi, the principal and owner of the American school."

Tony sensed a certain amount of resentment from Shirley when she heard that she would be staying in the same place as Melanie, but he let it pass. Something strange was going on here and he began wondering if there was another mystery to be solved.

The one-hour trip to the airport was quickly over and for Tony the rest of the trip was one of wonderment. It enabled him to forget all about his feminised appearance as he gazed at the airport and was even more enthusiastic about the plane. True, he had flown before, but that was just going on holiday with his parents. This plane was so big and he wondered just how a thing like this could ever get off the ground. When they at last got on board the two cousins found themselves with seats allocated next to Melanie. Tony had become determined to make friends with her and try to discover why she looked so sad all the time.

During the long flight Madame explained that they would be landing in New York and from there they would be catching a connecting flight direct to Tampa. She said that she was sorry that they wouldn't be able to see any of the sights in New York because they would only be at the airport for an hour or so before they caught the connecting flight.

At one time Tony thought that he had broken through Melanie's reluctance to talk but it turned out to be a false hope. She had been busily reading the in-flight magazine which contained all the details about the plane they were on. He was interested in all things to do with aircraft so he tried once again to start up a conversation with her.

"It's amazing that these things can ever get off the ground, they're so big," said Tony.

"Yes they need very powerful engines," she replied. It was the first time that she had said more than one syllable to anyone since she arrived at the coach that morning. "They do say that you can drive a car through the engine housing, it gives you some idea of the size and the power of them."

Tony, sensing a breakthrough, continued on. The two children chatted enthusiastically about airplanes for an amazing amount of time. In fact, their conversation went on for so long that Tony noticed Shirley giving him a stern look. She mouthed something to him, but he couldn't quite make out what she was saying. Leaning closer to his cousin, he felt her breath in his ear as she whispered softly.

"You don't sound very much like a girl, Antonia. If you're not careful, someone might get suspicious!"

The skirted boy blushed immediately and realised his cousin was right. He listened politely as Melanie finished saying something about having flown on a jet before, and then the eleven year old decided to change the subject to something more appropriate to the role he was supposed to be playing.

"Oh, Melanie, I really like your dress! Do you know It's almost identical to mine? The only difference is that mine is red and yours is green. We must have similar tastes in clothes."

To the nervous child's surprise, his change of subject caused Melanie to frown. With a shake of her head and a sigh, the once talkative girl reverted back to her usual monosyllabic self, answering with a brief "That's nice." She then went back to reading her book.

Confused what just happened, Tony became even more determined to find out what was the matter with the girl sitting next to him. There was something that needed explaining and he knew he wouldn't rest until he found out what it was.

This is a mystery! he decided most pointedly.

It was then that the realisation of his situation came back to Tony. Back home, whenever he had dressed in girls clothes he had always been comforted by the fact that he was always able to revert back to his real self if he wanted to because his own clothes had never been far away. Now, with every passing minute he was getting further and further away from home and his 'real' identity. The resulting effect was dizzying to the pantied boy; he turned bright red as he remembered that he would have no alternative but to do everything he could to make people think he was a little girl during his entire visit in the United States.

The rest of the journey seemed to drag by but the troupe finally landed in Tampa at the end of the day. Mimi was there to meet them all along with a group of other adults who were to act as 'hosts' to the rest of the party during their stay in Florida.

The informality of the American ballet school took Tony and the others by surprise because back in England the head of the ballet school was always referred to as 'Madame,' but here the head was known to everyone just as 'Mimi.' Madame and Mimi embraced when they saw each other for the first time; they had been friends ever since their dancing days and had always kept in touch.

After sorting out and introducing everyone to their respective hosts, Mimi called them all together to explain the plans for the coming week.

"Tonight," she called above the noise of the airport lounge, "if you're not too tired from your journey we will be putting on a little show for you. Then tomorrow morning we'll have a combined practice class followed by some individual rehearsals for your principals. In the afternoon we'll organise a sightseeing tour followed by a barbecue in the evening. Then on Wednesday evening you visitors will be putting on a show for us. On Friday evening, which will be your last of your stay we'll put on a combined show comprising of the best bits from both our individual shows. We'll try to get together on one or two more combined practice sessions, but above all else, please enjoy yourselves."

Mimi then gathered her own guests together and took them outside to where her large station wagon was parked. Once they were outside the air-conditioned environment of the airport building Tony noticed how warm it was and started to feel hot in his thick woollen dress and tights. They all carried the coats that had been so necessary back home, grateful to find that Mimi's huge car was also air-conditioned.

Squirming about in his short dress and tights, Tony marvelled at the different sights as they drove to Mimi's house and he wondered to himself why everything in this country appeared to be so much bigger than things back home.

Mimi's house was a large single story rambling sort of place with lots of rooms that all seemed to surround a central sitting room area. The smiling woman showed them all to their respective rooms and left them to unpack and "freshen up." The two cousins were sharing a twin bedded room and once they were inside Shirley muttered something about Melanie having a room to herself.

She turned to her cousin. "Right then, little lady." Tony wanted to protest about being referred to in this way but decided against it. "I think it's time we go changed into something more fitting this climate," and after she had unpacked she selected a suitable outfit for her little 'girl' cousin.

A short time later Tony was back on strangely familiar territory. He was wearing a short white cotton dress with the seemingly obligatory net petticoats and ruffled panties. Shuffling about in a pair of lacy ankle socks and white patent leather shoes, he protested rather unconvincingly about being put into 'little girl' fashions; he secretly revelled in the sensuous feel the clothes gave him, but the boy in him insisted on making itself heard.

Ignoring her cousin's protests - well, she was actually enjoying them, if the truth be known - Shirley was looking quite grown up in a simple straight cotton dress and she was wearing a little make up. After spraying both herself and her pouting cousin with perfume, she declared them both ready, and they went through to the lounge area.

Melanie was already there looking her usual morose self and was staring out of the window. She was dressed in similar style to Tony and he overheard Shirley muttering under her breath something about "little girl fashions" while she looked at her with a disgusted expression on her face.

At that moment the atmosphere was lifted with the arrival of Cheryl whose bubbly personality cheered everything up. She looked very glamorous in her sleek shift dress with her hair tied back. "Hi, girls," she said in a happy sounding voice. "Are you getting settled in all right?"

The two cousins said that they were, and Melanie just smiled briefly and nodded.

"What's going to happen now?" asked Shirley.

"Well as soon as Mimi and Madame get back we'll have something to eat and then it will be time to go and see the show they've put on for us," Cheryl replied. She then turned to Tony. "Come here a minute, the bow at the back of your dress in coming undone."

Tony wanted hide at suddenly becoming the centre of attention, but he knew he had to do as he was asked. He shuddered when Cheryl re-tied the offending bow and felt very embarrassed as she rearranged his skirts.

"That's better," she said patting him on his frill protected bottom. "You know you really ought to take up ballet, you really do have the look and build for it."

"I don't think I could do that ..." the reluctant boy murmured.

"Nonsense! I know you'd look really cute in a tutu. We'll have to see if we can get you into one before the week's over. You'd love that I'm sure. You're such a little cutie! I bet your mum buys you lots of pretty dresses so she can show you off."

Tony hated all this attention and felt his face going red. He wanted to scream that he was not a little girl at all but he knew of course that he couldn't. Instead, he glanced at Shirley, who was grinning broadly at her cousin's predicament.

To make matters even worse, Tony could feel a terrifying sensation from the region of his panties that had started with Cheryl's persistent, friendly touching. This was a sensation that he had almost forgotten about and one that he had not felt since the previous summer. Once again he was glad of the disguising powers that his little skirt and petticoats afforded because he was experiencing an erection, which was increasing rapidly. His embarrassment, however, was short lived, because at that moment Mimi and Madame had returned. Everyone then went out to the huge kitchen area for something to eat.

Chapter 5
The American Ballet School

They had all eaten their fill, but they still had quite a bit of time before it was time to leave for the school and the show. Shirley and her feminised cousin went back to their room. "I think it's time that we changed to go out," she said.

"Why do we have to change?"

"Because silly, we want to make a good impression on our American hosts. We don't want them to think that we are a load of scruffs, do we?"

"I suppose not," replied Tony. "But what do I put on?"

"Don't worry, I'll sort something out for you but first I've got to do something with your hair."

The first thing Shirley did was have her cousin undress down to his panties and lacy socks. She then washed his hair and towelled it dry. Feeling naked in his skimpy panties, Tony then had to endure nearly an hour of being subjected to hot rollers and curling tongues before Shirley completed her task. A satisfied smile covered the older girl's face. "Right, then. You look scrumptious. Here, wait until I get myself ready, then I'll help you get dressed."

Burning red from head to toe, the pantied boy did as he was told and waited patiently while his cousin primped at her hair and then changed into a white silk blouse and pale blue mini skirt. She complemented her outfit with a pair of white-heeled shoes but decided against tights because the weather was warm. After applying a little make up she asked Tony for his opinion of her outfit.

"Very nice, quite grown up in fact," the nearly naked boy said truthfully. "But now what about me?"

Shirley smiled at her pretty cousin and walked towards the built in wardrobe, which took up the entire length of one wall. "I bet you never dreamed that you'd wear this again." She slid open a door and pulled out the pale lemon party dress his Aunt Mary had bought him for the trip to Anthea's house last summer.

"I can't wear that! Not any more, please? It's much too childish!" protested Tony, not too convincingly. "Besides, I bet it doesn't fit me anymore." He knew he had to put up some sort of argument, but something inside was making him excited at the thought of being enveloped in all those frills again.

"Of course you can, it's ideal for the occasion," replied Shirley. She could tell that her cousin's protest was a sham, but she went along as though it was part of a game. "Now come on, get undressed and slip these on. Don't worry, I'll turn my back until you're decent." She tossed the pair of ruffled panties that matched the dress to him. "Don't worry about the style of the dress because I bet Melanie's wearing one just like it. She always seems to dress far too young for her age."

He did as he was told and experienced that dreaded sensation when he slid the panties over his legs. Oh they felt so nice... but he shouldn't be feeling this way, should he...?

Shirley helped him get into the dress, which still fitted him, and waited until he had put on the white, lemon trimmed ankle socks and white buckled shoes before doing her final inspection. "You look perfect," she said still wondering at his transformation. "Just like a fragile little fairy. Tell me, you are taking dolly with you tonight, aren't you?"

Tony blushed at this remark, "Do I have to? She might get in the way."

"Not at all. I think she'll help keep anyone from suspecting who you really are. We can't afford a slip up while we're in the states, you know." Tony's cousin then busied herself with clipping little ribbons in the petticoated boy's hair.

"I suppose so." Tony sighed as he picked up his cousin's - well, his, now that she'd given it to him, come to think of it - doll. Without thinking, he hugged it tight to his chest and pouted. "I feel so silly. I mean, this stupid skirt's too short, and I look dumb enough as it is. Carrying this doll makes me feel... well, so sissyish. I hate feeling like this." He wasn't quite telling the truth because he was secretly savouring the almost sensuous feel all that lace and net gave him.

Shirley, of course, wasn't fooled on bit by her cousin's protestations. "Nonsense! You look perfect and you can't tell me that you're not really enjoying yourself. You know that you make a cute little girl and you can't deny that you love wearing dresses." The look on his face gave her all the answers she needed and she smiled to herself. "Come on there's still some finishing touches to do before we join the others." And with that she gave him a liberal spraying from her perfume bottle. She then insisted on applying a little lipstick and make up, just for fun!

Tony didn't know how to react to all this, secretly he knew she was right, but he would never admit it. The question Why can't boys wear dresses? kept going through his mind, as well as How do I get myself into these situations?

There was just one thing to add to his outfit before it was complete. When Shirley wasn't looking he opened his little box of secret treasures and took out the precious fairy necklace and put it around his neck. For some reason he always felt better, safer even, when he wore his fairy jewellery. It was like a good luck charm to him, even though he had no explanation as to why. Looking at his girlish reflection in the mirror, he shrugged his shoulders and smiled a crooked smile. It was all too confusing to explain.

The two cousins went off to find the others when they were ready. Shirley had been right about Melanie. She was dressed in a pale pink dress very similar to Tony's. Cheryl came over as soon as she saw them.

"Well don't you two look pretty;" she said and then turned her attention to Tony. "You know you really do look cute in that dress. You're just like a china doll."

"Thank you, Cheryl." Tony felt himself colouring up and was relieved when Mimi called them to get into the car. It was time for them to get going.

The trip to the school only took a few minutes and as soon as they arrived Mimi took them on a short tour. This was something completely different to Madame's establishment back home. It was huge in comparison; it had three full size practice rooms plus four smaller ones for individual coaching. It also had its own theatre complete with lighting, sound and several individual dressing rooms. This was big business and made Madame's establishment back in England pale into insignificance. They were shown to their seats in the opulent theatre, which had an audience mainly consisting of the parents of pupils at the school as well as some local press.

The lights dimmed and they were then treated to a series of ballet sequences put together to demonstrate the best points of the ballet school's repertoire. Tony, shuffling about in his frills, found that his dress was not the ideal thing to wear in the constraints of his theatre seat. His eyes were immediately drawn to one of the girls performing. He guessed that she was about his age and looked absolutely sensational in her white sequinned tutu. Her dancing mesmerised the little boy in his party dress and he found that he couldn't keep his eyes off her whenever she took to the stage. The effect of all this started to get him aroused again and he shuffled even more at the unwelcome sensation from within his panties.

Oh, no! Why now? he wondered, feeling a little ashamed at his involuntary reaction.

When the show had ended they were all invited to a back stage reception to meet all who had participated in the show. As is tradition at these sorts of gatherings the cast were still in costume and Tony had the opportunity to see the girl in the white sequinned tutu at close hand. She looked even more beautiful in close up and Tony almost fainted when she spoke to him. She had a voice to match her appearance and Tony couldn't take his eyes from her. She looked fabulous! Even more importantly, she seemed extremely interested in talking to the petticoated boy when she learned he was from the UK.

Reluctantly however he had to let her go and speak to some others so he went over to where Shirley and Gwen were talking.

"Well despite all these wonderful facilities I still think we can show them a thing or two when we put on our show," Shirley was saying. "I know our dancers are just as good if not better."

"With one exception," said Gwen.

"Oh, you mean Melanie," said Shirley. "Well, Madame's put her solo spot in the middle of the first part so with a bit of luck no one will notice her much. The rest of us will just have to do even better so they don't remember her."

"By the way, just where is Melanie, anyway?" asked Tony.

"Oh, hello," said Gwen when she saw him. "I just love your little dress. It looks really cute on someone your age, unlike someone I could mention. I think I saw her skulking off outside. She's probably embarrassed about her outfit and doesn't want anyone to say anything. That's what I'd be doing if I were dressed like that."

"Well I suppose someone ought to go and see if she's all right," said Shirley.

"I'll go," said Tony. The skirted boy had been waiting for an opportunity to get her alone. He really wanted to find out more about her and offer help if she wanted it.

"Oh, Antonia, that's really sweet of you," said Gwen. Patting the skirted boy on the cheek, she seemed as touched by Tony's generosity as she was relieved not to have to deal with the bothersome Melanie.

Tony set off on his mission to locate the absent Melanie and he wasn't long before he found her. She was standing alone in the garden at the back of the school gazing at the stars. She didn't hear his approach so he decided to call out to announce his presence. She looked so alone standing there in her frilly party dress and he so wanted try to talk to her.

"Hi, Melanie," he called, still walking in her direction. "We were worried about you because no one knew where you'd gone."

His sudden arrival and announcement made her jump and she spun around to see who was there.

"Oh, it's you, Toni," she said quietly. "You startled me! I didn't hear you coming."

As she turned the lights from the house illuminated her face and the little feminised boy was sure that he saw a glimpse of a tear in her eye. He realised that she must have been standing there alone crying to herself. His heart went out to that figure standing there so alone in her little party dress; he so wanted to help her and was more determined than ever to find out all he could.

"Are you okay?" He walked up close to her and he could see that she really had been crying. Her pink cheeks were streaked with tears and her nose was shiny where it had been running. "Is there anything I can do?"

Almost as if by instinct he gently took her hand in an effort to reassure her that he really cared. At first she stiffened at his action and made as if to pull her hand away. After a second, however, she relaxed a little and closed her hand over his.

"Look, if you'd like to talk about anything that's troubling you, I'd like to let you know that anything you say will go no further. I've been told that I'm a really good listener." The boy shuffled about in his yellow dress and thought about Fiona and how troubled she'd been when he first met her. "I do so hate to see anyone upset and it does help to talk."

Melanie looked down, the flared skirts of her party dress was almost touching Tony's. She slowly looked up and he sensed that she was about to start crying again. He flashed her a sweet smile in hopes of stemming the oncoming flood of tears. To his surprise, it worked!

"Oh, Toni," she said after a pause. She reached out and caressed the young boy's cheek. "You're not like all the others, are you? If ... if only things were so simple."

Tony was overjoyed at this; maybe finally he was about to make a breakthrough. He stepped a little closer, the skirts of the two children rustling as they mixed together; he took her other hand and looked deep into those sad, shiny eyes.

The next thing the petticoated detective knew, he was being hugged tightly, so tight, in fact, that he was actually having trouble breathing. To feel his scantily clad body pulled so close to the older girl was as unnerving as it was thrilling, and he prayed that it would never end.

As she released the breathless boy, Melanie planted a light kiss on his lips, and almost immediately the two children were giggling and blushing as never before.

"Oh, Toni ..." The older girl's voice was choked with emotion. "I wish I could, but I just can't tell you anything. Of all the people here on this trip, you're the only one I feel that I could share a confidence with, but it's just not possible. It'll all be over soon, I hope and then ... oh, I wish things could go back to how they were last year...," her voice trailed off. Suddenly she straightened up. "We really ought to re-join the others, you know." And with that she led him back inside by the hand.

Gosh! Tony mused, that certainly was some progress! The eleven year old detective was convinced now that he would eventually find out all about the mysterious Melanie. In his infinite, pre-teen wisdom, he also knew that it was best to take things a little at a time.

The two re-joined the rest of their party just in time to hear Mimi call that it was time they all went home. Tony had just one last glimpse of the girl in the white sequinned tutu before he had to get into Mimi's car.

Oh, what a day it had been!

Chapter 6
The Clumsy Ballerina

The next morning the two cousins emerged for their breakfast prior to the combined practice session that had been arranged by Madame and Mimi. Shirley had, as usual, provided her cousin with his outfit for the day. He was wearing a white cotton sundress with lacy pink trim and the now normal layers of petticoats. It was arranged that he and Cheryl would follow on to the school and meet up with the others when the combined practice session had finished. Cheryl would then be required to help with the solo rehearsals and Tony had been asked to lend a hand whenever he was needed.

After the others had departed he spent the morning relaxing and thinking about how he should next approach Melanie. He couldn't get their meeting of the previous evening out of his mind but he just couldn't imagine what it was that was troubling her. He just knew however that he would get to the bottom of it no matter what it took.

Later on Cheryl found Tony relaxing in the garden enjoying the sunshine and feeling strangely content in his little dress.

"Come on, It's time we left. The joint session should just about be over and I'm needed to help out with the solos."

Cheryl drove to the school in her rented car and when they arrived the joint session was just finishing. Tony caught sight of the girl who had been wearing the white sequinned tutu for the show and even in her practice leotard he still thought that she looked wonderful. Madame greeted them and escorted them to the theatre where the solo rehearsals were to take place. They entered the gloom of the dimly lit auditorium and saw that Madge was already tinkering at the piano and her plump sister May was fussing over the practice order with the dancers involved.

The girls all stood around while Madame called the order of appearance. They were all dressed in their practice leotards with filmy gauze skirts, including Cheryl, who was also going to dance a solo spot. Finally they were all called to order and the rehearsal began. Tony sat in one of the rows of theatre seats near to Madame so she could use him to run any errands she might have. He watched in awe when Shirley and Gwen danced a duet; it didn't seem possible that this graceful creature was really his cousin. She looked so professional!

When Cheryl had finished her solo it was time for Melanie to perform and Tony looked on with interest as his new friend approached the stage. She gave him a little smile and a nod as she passed by his seat.

That's a good sign, he thought to himself. We're still on talking terms.

Madge started to play Melanie's music and the shy girl started her routine. Tony - who knew absolutely nothing about ballet - had to agree with all that he had heard about the clumsy ballerina's dancing ability. She did all the steps perfectly and never missed a musical cue but her movements were anything but graceful; they were almost wooden, in fact, and her forced smile didn't help the effect. As he sat taking this all in he looked at Madame and she had the same expression on her face that he had seen many times before on the faces of his schoolteachers. It was just like when his math teacher was trying to convince him that the work that he was doing was excellent when, in reality, it was anything but that. He hated that look, and he could tell from Melanie's expression that she did, too.

Tony watched as Melanie neared the end of her routine. Her movements had not improved at all and, if anything had lost the little grace that they had at the beginning, he thought that she looked rather embarrassed by her own performance.

"Very good dear," called Madame, not too convincingly, as the clumsy ballerina came to the end of her solo. The ballet mistress did her best to perk up the dejected girl, giving her some pointers and a warm hug for her efforts.

Melanie went to sit at the back of the theatre while rehearsals continued, so Tony decided to join her. The sad-faced girl smiled when she saw him approach and motioned to him to follow her outside. Once in the privacy of the corridor she turned and started to speak.

"Toni, about last night," she said looking rather nervous. "It was really sweet of you to be concerned about me and I didn't mean to sound as though I didn't appreciate it."

"But you didn't," argued Tony. "I could tell."

"You're too kind, dear friend." The older girl gave him a smile. "You're so right, though. It is good to talk about things and you're the only person who I feel I could talk to. The problem is that I just can't tell anyone about my problems because the result of that would be too awful to imagine. Please believe me when I tell you that it's impossible for me to say too much. Not just yet, at least."

Tony looked at her standing there in her practice leotard and wondered silently. If I stay with her long enough, will she tell me all about it? His thoughts were interrupted however by a voice calling his name. It was Shirley.

"Tony, Madame's looking for you. She wants a word."

His cousin led him back into the theatre to find Madame. She was standing by the side of the stage watching Cheryl going through her own solo routine. Tony looked at her in wonderment because he hadn't realised before just what a talented dancer she was. All those present joined in spontaneous applause as Cheryl's dance came to an end and she dropped into a graceful curtsy.

"Ah, yes, our darling little Antonia!" Madame came over to him, her face wreathed in her delightful smile, "I wonder if you would do me a huge favour and help us all with a serious problem."

Tony didn't know where this was leading but he liked this tall graceful lady and didn't hesitate to reply. "Why, yes, of course I'll do anything I can to help."

"Oh super, you are a brick! Now, come and sit over here while I explain what it's all about. Cheryl, Barbara, Shirley, we'll need you as well." She led the way to the front row of seats and indicated that he sit beside her.

Cheryl and Shirley came over and sat on the plush carpet in front of them. Tony wondered what all this was about.

"Now, Antonia," the graceful lady said when they had all settled. "You know already that we have some absentees from this trip, what with that awful virus going around back home, don't you?"

The little boy in his dress nodded and shuffled about on his frilled bottom.

"Well, fortunately all the principles have made it, but we do have a problem with two of the major sets. The opening has proven difficult enough, but the finale might just be a disaster if we don't do something to fix it. The way both were choreographed calls for the corps-de-ballet to be set in four groups of four girls. Now with a bit of re-working I've altered the sets to make do with three groups instead of four."

He still didn't know what all this had to do with him but he suspected that the other two present did.

Madame continued. "The problem that I'm currently faced with is that I find that I'm still one girl short to make up a group of four. Now, darling, I know that you have never danced ballet before but I'm sure that with a little training we could teach you enough of the routines to make up the numbers. After all, some of the girls performing are also very new to ballet and the moves aren't all that difficult. Judging from your build and the way I've seen you move, I think you could do a wonderful job for us."

What's this? he thought in a panic. She ... she's actually asking me to take part in the ballet?! I couldn't do that! I couldn't possibly wear a tutu and all that ... that stuff! Besides, I've never danced before in my life!

Madame, however, was not the sort of person who would easily be dissuaded, and before he could begin to express his feelings she continued.

"Now I've asked Cheryl to run through the basic steps with you when I've finished talking and, with help from your cousin, it shouldn't take long for you to learn what will be expected. I'm confident that with a little practice you'll be a fine ballerina."

Tony wanted to refuse but looking at her smiling face he could only say, "But ... I'm not dressed for it."

"Oh, sweetheart, don't you worry about that. You can dance in the dress you have on, no problem. The skirt is short enough and it's nicely flared, so it won't get in the way. It may not be perfect, but it will do very well. We'll just have to find you some shoes and then you can make a start. Now then, the big question is, will you do it?"

Tony just didn't know what to say, so he just nodded. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Shirley's bright shining smile and he knew he'd never hear the end of this as long as he lived.

"That's just super!" Madame said. "I'll be along in a while to see how things are going. Mimi's provided us with the use of a practice room, so off you all go and make a start."

Tony sighed. It was official. He was about to take his first ballet lesson.

What would my friends back home say if they could see me now? he thought fretfully. Better yet ... I wonder what Mum would say as well ...?

The thought sent a shiver down his slender spine.

Chapter 7
Tony the Ballerina

Tony spent the next couple of hours learning the basics of ballet and then putting them together to practice the routines he would be dancing in the show. Cheryl was supervising all this and encouraging him while Shirley demonstrated each part. At first he was a little self-conscious about all this and worried about his little skirt flaring up and exposing his pantied bottom as he pirouetted about. Well, actually, he was a bit more than self-conscious; he was more terrified than anything, not to mention feeling about as stupid as a boy in a dress might feel, should he find himself taking dancing lessons with a bunch of girls!

I shouldn't be here, the eleven year old thought fiercely. I should be on the soccer field with my mates!

As scared as he felt, however, Tony knew to refuse would only draw more attention, and fear of discovery drove him to pretend to be the best little girl he could. He had to reconcile his reluctance with the fact that everyone around him quite naturally assumed he was the sweet little 'Antonia' his cousin had presented him as, and as such he must make every effort no to show his embarrassment.

Madame came into the room when they had just about finished. "And how is everything going with our prima ballerina?"

"Oh, Madame, she's just perfect!" Cheryl gushed enthusiastically. "Antonia picks things up very quickly and she's so graceful. You would think that she'd been doing it all her life." With that she gave the little feminised boy a loving hug.

"I see," Madame smiled at Tony and bade him to run through the basic positions as Cheryl taught him to do. Applauding enthusiastically upon his completion of the task, she gave him a curious look. "Are you certain you've never taken ballet, dear? Or any other kind of dance?"

Dry in the mouth, the petticoated boy could only shake his head.

"Oh, no, Madame," Shirley offered with a grin. "Toni has never taken a lesson in her life. She has played her share of soccer, though. I think there must be some similarities, don't you?"

"Perhaps," beamed Madame. "Whatever the case, I think this is going splendidly. In the meantime, my dear, you'd better go and see May now as she needs to measure you for your costume. If we don't have your size she will need time to make any alterations."
That afternoon they were all taken on a sightseeing tour followed, in the evening, by a barbecue. Tony didn't have the opportunity to talk to Melanie alone then or during the following day. This was taken up, in the main, with practice and rehearsal sessions for the fledgling ballerina because he had a lot to learn in very little time.

Shirley had found the answer to his practice costume problem. She provided the embarrassed little boy with a tennis skirt complete with frilled panties plus a short baby tee shirt. Even Tony had to admit that he was really getting quite good at the ballet routines, but he knew much of this was due to Cheryl's expert coaching and Shirley's elegant example.

The timing of the English School's show had been brought forward to start in the afternoon so late the following morning they were all very busy. The backstage area of the ballet school was buzzing with activity and all the participants rushed around fired up with nervous energy. Tony and Shirley were sharing one of the dressing rooms and finally, after some last minute words from Madame, the two cousins found some peace and quiet in their allotted room.

"All ready for your debut as a ballerina?" Shirley grinned at her cousin, who was fiddling with a loose ribbon on his pale yellow summer dress.

The little boy looked down at his girlish clothing, blushed and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess so."

"Oh, don't be so down. Just think, if you hadn't come along, you'd never get the chance to do this. How many of your friends have danced ballet with a bunch of pretty girls?"

"None, I dare say. At least," Tony giggled, "none I know would admit to it."

"Well, then, there you go. While you're out there, just remember, you could have been home alone, freezing your tutu off."

The two cousins laughed good-naturedly, and Tony had to admit things weren't as bad as they seemed.

Shirley felt warm to see her cousin so happy, not to mention so pretty. Whatever doubts she'd harboured before had evaporated, and she was determined to take him as far as she could with his role as her pretty little girl cousin. "Right, then. We need to go to Cheryl's room to get our hair and make up done. If we do that now we'll get ahead of the rush and we can change into our costumes when we come back."

"Where are our costumes and what are they like?" For almost the first time Tony gave serious thought to notion that he was about to be transformed into a ballerina, and he was getting very nervous.

"May will be bringing them along shortly. We all wear the same things during the main numbers, but those of us doing solos or duets have to change into different costumes. If you get ready you can help me with my changes. Now come on, let's get our make up and hair done before the others get in first."

The twosome then went along to another dressing room where Cheryl and Barbara were just putting the finishing touches to Gwen's make up.

"Oh, hello, you two. Sit over there and we'll make a start on you." Barbara indicated a row of chairs set against one wall and the two cousins sat down to wait.

Cheryl came over to Tony and explained what was going to happen. "We'll comb your hair straight back and as it's not very long we'll clip on a false bun. We have to use fairly thick make up otherwise the stage lights will blank out all your facial features." Seeing the puzzled look on his face, she smiled. "Oh, don't worry, it won't come off. We do the same thing for lots of girls whose hair is too short. Take Melanie, for example. Her hair is so short, she even wears a piece like this when she's not on stage ...."

With that she began work on Tony while Barbara worked on Shirley. When Cheryl had finished her work she offered up a mirror to Tony. He was amazed at his transformation! Gone were any traces of the little boy he really was and in his place a completely different creature looked back at him. This ... person ... had huge eyes, bright red lips, perfect complexion, and her hair was combed tightly back into a bun. The young boy was both enthralled and excited with what he saw.

"Is that okay, sweetie?" asked Cheryl, smiling at the look of wonderment in the youngster's eyes.

"Yes," said the bemused little boy.

Barbara had just finished with Shirley who had the same treatment as her cousin. The only difference was that, as a soloist, she wore a silver tiara in her hair.

On arriving back at their dressing room Shirley looked excited. "Oh, look, Tony! The costumes are here!" She indicated three costumes covered with polythene hanging on a rail. Though the plastic wasn't completely transparent Tony could make out two pink garments and one glittery white one. There were labels on all three, one read 'Toni' and the other two read 'Shirley.'

"Right," said Shirley. "Start getting undressed and I'll help you get ready."

With a little uncertainty Tony slipped off his dress and petticoat then started to pull off his shoes and socks. He then looked at his cousin with an enquiring look as he stood there in nothing but a pair of ruffled panties.

"Here," she said, handing him a pair of plain white elastic briefs. "Put these on. They should help to disguise any possibility of you showing any embarrassing little boy bulges. Oh, don't worry, I'll turn my back until you're decent."

He did as he was told and wriggled into the tight briefs and wondered what would happen should he get that dreaded tingling feeling while he was so constricted.

Shirley then handed him a pair of white tights. These were different to the ones he had worn a few days before. These were thinner, very sheer and light. His cousin helped him put them on and he trembled at the cool feeling they gave to his legs.

"Right, I think I'll help you get the shoes on now." Shirley produced a pair of pale pink ballet shoes and demonstrated how to tie the silk ribbons. She then undid them and made her boy cousin practice doing them up twice. "Very good, not too many boys know how to properly tie a dancer's slippers. Now it's time that you became a real ballerina!"

Tony watched in wonder as Shirley unzipped the protective polythene cover and lift out his costume with its pink glittery tutu. She held it up for him to get a better look. He about died as he realised this was for him to wear.

"Isn't it fabulous? There's one good thing about having Melanie along, her mother paid for all these costumes."

Tony was almost mesmerised at the sight of this exquisite garment and was speechless. Shirley proceeded to help him into it. He carefully placed his delicately ribboned feet inside and Shirley pulled it up and fastened the buttons at the back of the bodice. She had to pull hard as the garment was very tight but after a few tugs the young boy was trapped in his girlish costume. Now he was ready to see the effect for himself. Shirley turned him around so he could see his reflection.

The figure before him almost caused him to faint. He was actually quite beautiful, just like a little pink fairy! He had worn all manner of female clothes in his adventures with his cousin, but this was the ultimate! He couldn't believe that any other boy in the world had been subjected to something quite like this. The effect was literally making him dizzy.

"Do you like what you see?" Shirley knew full well by the look on her cousin's face just what the answer was. "You look just like that little doll Fiona gave you, you know." With that, she left him staring at himself while she donned an almost identical outfit.

For the longest time, Tony just stood there, all sorts of thoughts, feelings and emotions flooding through him. This can't be really happening to me! he thought desperately. But it is! And I feel absolutely wonderful!

"Come on, let's practice some steps to loosen up." His cousin's voice caused him to turn around and he saw that she, too, had been transformed into a pink fairy. She saw the tears of genuine emotion welling in his eyes. "Hey don't cry, little cousin. You'll spoil your make up." With a spontaneous gesture of understanding, Shirley moved towards the tearful boy and hugged him tightly. The stiff spreading skirts of their tutus rustled as they crushed together. "Come on let's practice, it'll do you good, okay?"

Tony pulled himself together, looked down at his tutu and thought for a moment. It was impossible to see his pink feet below the stiff spreading layers of his tutu's skirt. He answered quietly. "Oh, okay. I'm ready."

Shirley led her cousin in a series of practice positions and steps. She looked at the excited grin on his face and said, "Now, you have to admit, Tony, that this is so much more fun that playing football."

Their enjoyment, however, was cut short by a knock on the door, which announced Gwen's arrival. She was dressed in identical fashion to the two cousins and smiled brightly as she entered the dressing room.

Chapter 8
The Clumsy Ballerina's Secret!

"I told you that you should take up ballet," said Gwen as she looked Tony up and down. "You look perfect, just like a little ..."

"... fairy," Tony said, finishing her sentence for her. The older girl blinked and then laughed.

"Well, I was going to say 'doll.' But, yes, you do look like a fairy, and a very pretty one at that. I guess we all do, for that matter."

"My cousin really likes pretending she's a fairy," Shirley said in a teasing voice. "She does it all the time back home."

The three dancers held hands and giggled at the silliness of it all. To Tony's surprise, Gwen took the trembling boy in her arms and hugged him tightly. "Oh Antonia, you're making this all so much easier for everyone, do you know that? Madame, Shirley, myself and the other girls of the school, we all owe you so much for helping out like this. You really must join up with us when we get back home. Promise me you will, please?"

Shirley gave her boy cousin a knowing glance and watched as he squirmed uncomfortably. "I ... I don't know if I can. I mean, I'll have to ask my mother. I can't make any promises."

Gwen wasn't at all satisfied with his answer, but she took it in very good spirits. "Well, we'll see about that. I'm pretty sure Madame can talk your mum into letting you attend with us. In the meantime, the reason I've come is this." She held out a silver plastic tiara similar to the one that Shirley was wearing. The difference was that this one was broken. "It snapped when Cheryl was fixing it into my hair. Madame says that there are some spare ones somewhere and that Toni may know where they got stored."

Pulling his mind reluctantly from his beautiful thoughts and emotions, Tony paused for a moment and then nodded enthusiastically. "Why, yes, there are some in a box I put into the room next door. You know, the one that Melanie's using for a dressing room?"

"Trust her to have a room of her own," said Gwen pointedly. "Would you be an angel and go and see if you can find one for me?"

"Of course," said Tony, and with that the little boy bounced from the room in his tutu in search of a replacement tiara.

When his knock at the door went unanswered Tony tested the door and slipped inside the storage/dressing room. Apparently Melanie was getting her hair and make up done. This room was much bigger that the one he shared with his cousin and only one end of it was set up as a dressing room. The other part was separated by two rows of high metal shelving racks loaded with all manner of boxes containing supplies and stationary. The area behind these racks was set up as a small office with a desk and filing cabinets.

Tony stood thinking where he had last seen the boxes he had brought in there and then began to look along the rows of shelves for some boxes that looked familiar. As he looked between the two rows of racks, he saw that someone had put them carefully out of the way against the wall between the two rows. He carefully squeezed into the gap trying to make sure that the spreading skirt of his tutu didn't catch on anything and knelt down to open the box at the top.

He giggled softly to himself, as the realisation of his bizarre situation became apparent. There he was, tutu, tights and all, squeezed between two rows of metal racks looking into a dusty cardboard box. I wonder if fairies have to do this sort of thing? he said quietly. Whatever the case, it's a good thing my mates back home can't see me now! He then burst into another fit of giggles.

Suddenly his thoughts were pushed away by the sound of the door opening - Melanie was returning! Tony's first thoughts were to make his presence known, but for some reason he froze. Peering through a gap between two boxes, he could see that although she had her hair done - sure enough, there was the little false bun on the back of her head, just like his! - she was still without her stage make up. Worried that she might think that he was snooping around, he decided to wait there until she went off to get made up then he could make his exit without her being any the wiser.

The cross-dressed detective suddenly became aware of a strange, sad noise. To his surprise - and concern - he realised that Melanie was talking quietly to herself. He also saw through his little spy hole that she was crying slightly. Why is she always so sad? he thought to himself. Although he felt guilty about spying, he decided that this might be the only way for him to unravel the mystery that surrounded her. He strained his ears as she started mumbling to herself again when through his limited field of vision he saw that she had removed her stage tutu from its protective cover.

"Well, Mel, you certainly get into some new experiences," she said to herself while holding the pink tutu up for examination. "If only my old friends could see me now."

She hung the fairy-like costume back on the hook and slumped down on a chair, still gazing at the pretty garment as if hypnotised by it. Her sobbing increased and she held a tissue to her eyes. Tony yearned to rush out of his hiding place to comfort her, but he knew he must stay out of sight. Suddenly the sad little girl sat up, took a deep breath and started speaking to herself again.

"Come on Mel! Pull yourself together! It's just for a couple more days. Then maybe it'll all be over with. Oh, Auntie and her silly ideas ... I never imagined that I'd find myself like this ..." her voice trailed off into an inaudible whisper.

Tony was itching to find out more but he couldn't quite make out what she was saying and if she moved sideways he was unable to see her.

She moved into his field of view again and Tony was embarrassed to see that she had started to get changed into her tutu. He knew that he ought to respect her privacy and avert his eyes, but something inside compelled him to keep watching.

She sighed as she slipped out of her dress and removed her socks and shoes. She just stood there in her underwear for a couple of minutes with her back towards him. She muttered something that he couldn't quite hear but was sure it was something like, "Oh, I do wish Mum would show up and take me away from all this ...."

Tony frowned. Just what did that mean?

Before putting on her tights, Melanie opened the door to the small lavatory on the opposite side of the room, turned with her back to the hidden detective and fiddled with her underwear. Tony was about to avert his eyes for the sake of decency but then something odd happened; he heard the sound of splashing, as though ... as though someone was peeing! Tony blinked and watched ... and after thinking for a moment, his eyes nearly popped out from his head! Melanie was standing up, in front of the toilet ... just like a boy!

How could that be?

At first the boy in the tutu didn't believe what he saw and had to steady himself. He bit his lip as he watched the older child finish with her libations. As the toilet flushed and he watched Melanie washing her hands in the sink, Tony came to a perfectly ridiculous, but ever so logical conclusion. This had to be the answer to the puzzle, it just had to be!

The mysterious Melanie - the shy girl and clumsy ballerina - was in reality ... a boy!

The cross-dressed detective was still trying to take in this revelation when Melanie finished changing her clothes, pulling on her tights and the pink tutu. She - he? - then made to leave the room to get her - his? - make up done. When Tony emerged from his hiding place he was trembling and kept asking himself what in the world was going on. He had to admit that he was in no place to comment in his present situation and looked down at his own frilly tutu. What was he to do? He just had to talk to Shirley alone, and as quickly as possible.

He waited long enough for Melanie to get clear and then hurried back to where Shirley and Gwen were waiting. After handing over the replacement tiara, he watched as Shirley helped her friend arrange it properly on her head. He was bursting to talk to his cousin but that would have wait because a voice from outside called everyone to the stage as the performance was about to begin.

"Come along, girls," Madame ordered with a warm but authoritative voice. "Keep up the tempo, we don't want to lose momentum now, do we ...?"

Steeling himself for his performance, Tony forced himself to forget all about Melanie. His small part in the opening scene went flawlessly, and he was proud to see that he was able to keep up with the other dancers as though he'd been taking lessons for months. Madame gave him the brightest smile from her position just off-stage, and he felt a warmth flow over him as he joined the "other" girls in a dramatic bow at the end of their routine. The applause from the audience enhanced the feeling of pride he experienced, and as the troupe left the stage in graceful order, the eleven year old boy found himself understanding why his cousin and her friends enjoyed being on stage.

Shaking off the glow of his first ballet performance, Tony tried but failed to catch Shirley alone after the opening dance; she apparently went off with Gwen to change into her solo costume. He also was asked to take some messages to some of the backstage crew and was kept busy doing other duties. He was however determined to catch Melanie's performance and arrived in the wings just in time to see the last part of her routine. Her clumsy movements all made sense to him now and he watched her in a whole new light. She completed her performance to somewhat polite but muted applause and Tony was relieved that she walked of the stage on the opposite side from where he was standing.

He was just about to go and see if he could catch his cousin alone when Cheryl appeared for her solo spot. She looked fabulous in her very special tutu and Tony almost didn't recognise her. It was the first time he had seen her like this and he was determined to see her performance.

"Hi sweetie," she said as she approached the stage. "You see, I told you that we'd get you into a tutu before the week was out. You make a very pretty ballerina."

Tony just grinned and muttered a shy "Thanks."

She took her position on the stage and when the curtains opened he was mesmerised by her stunning performance which ended to rapturous applause.

The whole show finished to a prolonged ovation from the appreciative audience and after the third curtain call the dancers all stood around to congratulate one another. Overcome by what had just happened, Tony forgot all about Melanie as his own emotions took over. If he were honest with himself he would have to agree that he wanted to do this again and again, knowing full well that "little boys don't go around in tutus!"

But as the echo of the applause rang in his ears, a persistent voice within him echoed that fateful question: "Why not?"

It was all so confusing.

At last he was able to see Shirley alone when they got to their dressing room. After enduring - and enjoying more hugs from her than he could ever remember, he steeled himself to share his newly found secret. It wasn't easy, though, as his cousin was still on a high from the success of her solo performance and the fact that they had performed as well, if not better, than their American counterparts. Shirley made as if to start getting changed but the impatient little boy - still in his tutu - insisted on speaking to her first.

"Uh, I've got a silly question." As many times as he'd gone over it in his head, he still wasn't sure what to say, so he decided to stumble along as best he could.

Shirley could tell there was something on her pretty cousin's mind and she smiled encouragingly at him. "What is it? I'm sure I have a silly answer."

The petticoated detective shuffled in his tutu. "This sounds awful, I know but ... well ... can ... can girls pee standing up? I mean ... like a boy?"

The older cousin stared at him in disbelief, and then broke out laughing. Tony felt foolish for asking such a ridiculous question, but he didn't know how else to broach the subject.

"Oh, you're having fun with me!" Shirley said, wiping her eyes. "There's only one 'girl' I know who can do that, and 'she's' standing in front of me!"

"Perhaps not. I think I've found out Melanie's secret," he said in a very serious tone and then went on to tell her everything he had witnessed in Melanie's dressing room. "What are we going to do?" he asked when he had finished telling her his strange tale to his wide-eyed cousin.

"You're not teasing me, are you?" Shirley sighed as her cousin shook his head most vigorously. "Well, dear, I don't know. This is bizarre. A boy masquerading as a girl ... and taking ballet? I'm sure I don't know what in the world to think." Shirley looked at her cousin in his tutu and apologised. "Sorry, I know you're also doing the same thing, but that's just for fun. No, in Melanie's case it sounds like there's something serious going on. We'll have to talk to somebody and get some advice. I know, let's find Cheryl. She'll know what to do."

"Shall we change first?" asked Tony. He hoped she'd say 'no' as he was reluctant to get out of his tutu.

"No, we'll have plenty of time for that later. Let's go and find out what's going on."

The two tutu'd cousins went out in search of Cheryl and were lucky as she was just coming back from the stage area in an attempt to get changed out of her own costume.

"Hello, you two," she said brightly. "Not getting changed?"

"We have something to tell you and it won't wait," said Shirley. She glanced about to see if there was anyone around. "And it's kind of secret."

"Well, come into my dressing room and you can tell me all about it there if it's so important."

They followed her to her room and when they were all seated Shirley prompted Tony into telling Cheryl all about what he had seen in Melanie's dressing room. "Do you believe us? What are we going to do about it?" asked Shirley when Tony had finished his story.

"Well I didn't believe you at first," said Cheryl. "But having thought about it, it explains an awful lot about that young lady. We'll have to do something, of course, so I suggest that we speak to Madame without delay. Come along, she'll be in the front office."

The trio went off and found Madame just where Cheryl had said she would be. "Hello, I thought you three would be getting changed by now," said Madame as she welcomed the three ballerinas into the room.

"We haven't had time," explained Cheryl. "Toni here has told me something rather disturbing and I think you should listen to what she has to say."

Madame's smiling face turned serious. "Well, this certainly sounds serious. Let's make ourselves comfortable first." The regal lady indicated the three to sit down and then she prompted Tony to tell her all about it.

As he told his tale for the third time he felt that it sounded more improbable each time he told it, but Madame focused her attention to him and listened without interruption.

When the cross-dressed detective was done with his tale, the director of the ballet school didn't say anything for the longest time. Tony feared for a moment she was about to ridicule what he'd just related or otherwise contradict him; instead, she said something almost as unbelievable as what had just been told in that small enclosed room.

"Yes, it's true, sweetheart. What you saw is exactly what you think. Melanie is indeed a boy." There was a collective gasp, and for an instant Tony thought the air pressure in the room had dropped as a result of everyone taking such deep breaths. "But before I tell you anything thing else, I must get a pledge of silence from each of you. There's too much at stake, and a young man's happiness - indeed, his very life - may be at risk."

Chapter 9
A Daring Rescue!

In the wake of what she'd told them, Madame assured the bewildered children that secrecy in this matter was essential but temporary, saying that everything would be over within a couple of days. In the meantime, the three tutu'd dancers all eagerly nodded in agreement that none of what they were about to hear would be repeated outside their little circle.

Aside from the revelation that Melanie - or Melvyn, as his real name turned out to be - was actually a boy in disguise, the newest shocker was that she - well, he, actually - was the nephew of none other than Madame herself!

"My younger sister, Elisabeth, married a rather powerful and influential man, you see, one whom I always suspected was too impressed with his own importance. He came from a questionable background and as far as I was concerned seemed a bit too quick to take charge of my sister's financial affairs. To make a long story short, he was also a rather violent man, and has victimised his family for several years. It's only been recently that my dear Elisabeth has been able to break away from the brute and seek a divorce. I can't tell you how relieved I was to see that she'd taken the first steps toward freedom for both herself and her young son."

Tony shifted in his tights and tutu and thought of his own situation back home. He wiped his eyes and listened even more closely to the unfolding tale.

"Anyway," Madame continued, "Harris was furious when he realised that his control over Elisabeth and Melvyn was disintegrating and he swore he'd have his way, regardless of what the courts might have to say. In light of the evidence of her husband's violent tendencies, my sister was given full custody of her son, but ugly notes and phone calls have caused her to go into hiding for fear of her son's freedom as well as her own life." The normally strong-willed woman sniffed sadly and looked into the eyes of the children before her. "Melanie ... Melvyn's father can be rather violent when he chooses to be ... even to his own flesh and blood."

There was a sad silence in the room, and then the lone voice went on.

"Anyway, Elisabeth decided that it would be best to take Mel and get as far as way from her husband as possible, so she obtained a position with an American company here in Florida as of late. The problem was, Harris had threatened to snatch his son away in spite of the court's directive and take him to the continent where he'd never see his mother again, somewhere in Germany, I think. When Elisabeth came to me with her problem, I swore that man would never hurt her or her son as long as I could help it."

Cheryl cleared her throat. "And so you ... decided to help slip your nephew out of the country ..."

"... and into the states in disguise!" Tony finished up the young dancer's sentence. His voice was hoarse and spirited, as though he was completely caught up in a tale that had been spun.

Madame smiled at the cross-dressed detective. Something in her eyes caused the young boy to blush even more than usual. "Exactly, my darlings. My brother-in-law has resources within his power that he wouldn't hesitate to misuse, and I suggested that if there was some way to hide Mel and sneak him into the states, well, it would buy some time until the authorities could make their case against his father."

"And what better place to hide a boy than among a bunch of silly girls!" Shirley said. She turned and looked directly at Tony, who was by now blushing furiously. "Who would have suspected such a thing was possible?"

The little boy in the tutu shrugged his naked shoulders and nodded in agreement.

Cheryl was equally impressed. "What a wonderful plan! I had no idea that Melanie was anything but a girl. I mean, she - uh, he ...? - wasn't exactly our best dancer, but ... a boy?! What an accomplishment that was! Oh, Madame, you really pulled over on all of us, you know!"

There was a few moments of excited chatter and whispering among the young dancers, and then the ballet school director took charge once more. She explained that it was her suggestion that Melvyn was cross-dressed, schooled in the basics of ballet and acting out the role of a girl, and then enrolled in her academy with the intention of disguising him as one of the dancers when the school made its trip to America. The idea, she said, was met with the greatest enthusiasm by her sister; her nephew was understandably less than pleased, but he agreed to do his very best to carry out the charade.

"Melvyn was such a good sport about all this," Madame said with a smile. "Elisabeth pulled him out of school and for nearly two whole months he has masqueraded as a girl, which was not a simple thing for the dear child. Thirteen year old boys and dresses rarely mix, but he knew firsthand the danger both he and his mother were in, and he understood that desperate times call for desperate measures. That, of course, didn't make putting on a leotard and tights any easier, but he's adapted to the role quite well considering that he's much more at home on the soccer field."

With this last remark the smiling lady looked directly at young Tony, who squirmed uncomfortably in his tutu. The youngster thought for a moment about what she said and blushed. It's as though she's talking to me! the cross-dressed detective mused silently. But that's nonsense. I mean, she doesn't know about me ... does she?

According to Madame, the plan went off better than expected. She assisted her sister in tutoring Melvyn in his role as Melanie while the other children were attending school during the day, and then each afternoon the teenager joined the "other" girls for two hours of ballet lessons. It was important that he spend time with the girls in class as he needed practice in talking and behaving as a sophisticated young lady. This went on for more than eight weeks, until Madame was able to schedule the exchange program with her friend's school in America.

"Somehow Harris has discovered our plan to smuggle Elisabeth and Melvyn out of England. I suspect he's hired someone to spy on them, as one night there was a burglary at her flat in London. Fortunately, Mel was already staying with me and his mother was in hiding with some friends, so no one was hurt. But you can imagine how shaken up we've been ever since." The regal woman nodded at the wide-eyed children before her. "Mel still isn't completely safe. Elisabeth was supposed to be with us at today's recital, but I just received a message postponing things. She apparently recognised one of the passengers on her plane as an employee of her husband."

"What ... what are we to do?" asked Shirley. For once her focus was away from her cousin and centred directly on Melanie's - well, Melvyn's - predicament. Her pretty face was tinted with concern.

Madame looked at Tony for the longest time. A slight smile took hold and then grew until she was beaming.

"I have a plan," she said softly. "And I need the help of you girls to make it work."

The next couple of hours were a whirlwind as far as the cross-dressed detective was concerned. Tony thought he knew what was going on, but as Madame's plan was put into effect, he wasn't so sure. To be quite honest, it was kind of scary.

Errands had to be run, clothing collected, and phone calls made. The next thing the young boy knew, he found himself standing before the dressing mirror in Melanie's dressing room, blinking in disbelief. He couldn't believe what he saw.

This is really dumb! he thought silently. I can't believe I'm actually doing this!

Instead of one of Antonia's dresses or an equally girlish skirt or playsuit, the eleven year old was completely clad in - of all things - boy's clothes! From the baseball cap atop his curly head to the trainers on his feet, he was the very image of an English schoolboy on holiday.

Adjusting the baggy soccer shorts about his waist (they were a good size - if not two! - too large), Tony had a hard time ignoring the irony of his situation. He tugged gently at the dinosaur that decorated the front of his loose-fitting t-shirt.

How do I ever get myself in these predicaments? He wondered fretfully.

"Oh, Antonia, what a perfect little boy you make!" Madame smiled warmly at the blushing youngster. "If you are as good an actress as you are a dancer, I believe this may work after all!"

Shirley, of course, could hardly contain herself. To see her cousin so openly flaunting his boyish identity before her unsuspecting friends was almost more than she could stand. This is really amazing, she mused with wonder, He's dressed as a boy, but they still think he's a girl. How delicious!

"Does everything fit all right? What kind of undies does Cheryl have you wearing?"

The older dancer laughed as she tightened up the waistband of Tony's borrowed shorts with a safety pin. "Oh, she's still safe in her pretty panties. I couldn't bring myself to make her put on some old yucky boy's briefs. That wouldn't be right. I mean, can you imagine our little Antonia wearing something so ugly as a pair of jockey shorts?"

Tony's cousin burst out laughing, and in spite of the ridiculousness of his situation, he had to laugh, too. "E-e-w-w-w-w!" he said in as girlish a tone as he could muster under the conditions. The other girls echoed his disgust and everyone giggled at the silliness of it all.

It was nearly five o'clock when Madame took Tony to the front door of the American dancing school. Giving him loving pat on the head, she gave him his last minute instructions.

"Now, remember, this might take a while, so just be patient. Take your soccer ball and kick it about for a while, as though you haven't anything else to do. Elisabeth is supposed to come by in about a quarter of an hour, but it may take whoever it is that's following her a while to make his move. Remember, there is absolutely nothing for you to worry about. Mimi and I will be watching from the office window, and her friends are close by." Giving the trembling boy a hug, she patted his bottom as she would if he were still wearing his panties and dress. "You're not scared, are you?"

Tony shook his head, paused ... and then nodded. The woman laughed.

"I understand. Fear is a good thing, though, so that's okay. Don't you worry, though. I won't let anything happen to you just as I wouldn't let anything happen to Melvyn."

Madame was wrong about only one thing. Instead of fifteen minutes, Tony kicked the soccer ball about the front of the property for at least half an hour before a nondescript sedan pulled up into the driveway, glided over to the parking lot and then stopped. Glancing toward Madame, who was indeed watching his every move from her friend's window just as she said she would, Tony grabbed up his ball and ran toward the woman next to the sedan.

"Oh, Mummy!" the boyish youngster yelled, much in the same tone as he would in addressing his own mother back home. "Mummy, you're here! I missed you so much."

Just as he got within arm's reach of the smiling woman standing alongside her car, the screeching of tires broke the afternoon quiet and a strange dark automobile pulled into the parking lot. The woman - whom Madame had previously assured Tony was Melvyn's mother - grabbed the wide-eyed detective up in her arms and pulled him into her own vehicle, locking the doors as a pair of men exited the darker sedan and approached. For a moment the youngster was in absolute terror as the larger of the two men tried opening the door to the locked car.

Just then all heck broke loose! Out of nowhere sirens and red and blue lights filled the air, and a pair of bright white sedans with official markings pulled into the property and four very serious American policemen took charge of the situation with weapons drawn. Tony watched in absolute amazement as the two men meekly submitted to questioning by the officers, and the young boy felt a wave of joy as the culprits were actually handcuffed and then secured, one in the back of each of the huge police cars. He'd never seen anything quite so exciting in his entire life!

One of the men struggled against his bonds and shouted an ugly curse toward the woman who held him tight; his protests proved futile as one of the American police slammed the car door shut on him.

I wonder if that's Melanie's - darn it, I mean Melvyn's - father? the amazed youngster thought. No wonder the poor fellow is in fear for his life!

Hugging Tony with all her might, Melvyn's mother was as happy as she was grateful that no one had been hurt. Where her sister was tall and most dignified in her bearing, Elisabeth was more playful and lithe, and her delight with Tony's role in ending the nightmare of the past few months was most evident.

"Oh, you little heroine, you!" she said, kissing the flustered boy all over his face, "you've saved the day! I don't know how I can ever thank you enough! You are one in a million, Antonia ... and don't you ever forget it! We will be forever grateful to you for what you've done here today."

The confusion that followed settled down after a bit, and it wasn't long before Tony was finally able to make sense of everything that had happened. The two men were - just as he suspected - Melvyn's father and a hired accomplice. They had been stalking Madame's sister with the intent to take the fugitive child away from his mother and to who knows where. Taking Mimi into her confidence, Madame was pleased to discover that her American friend was engaged to a very resourceful American police detective; after checking with the authorities back in the UK, he assured the two women that he would be able to take the two men into custody should they be bold enough to show their faces.

Thus Madame's trap was set, with Tony as the cheese!

"It was just basic choreography, my dears," the modest woman said as the policemen offered their congratulations. "The real hero is our own little Antonia. What a creative little actress she is! And so very brave, too!"

"Hurrah for Toni!" Cheryl said, giving the young boy a hug and a kiss on the cheek. The other girls joined in with praise and kisses of their own. "It just goes to show you that great things come in small packages!"

Once again Tony found himself the centre of everyone's attention. Ironically, the fact that he was dressed as a boy proved just as embarrassing as if he'd been wearing another of his cousin's silly outfits. Everyone fawned over him, telling him how proud they were and how courageous he'd been, and throughout he was hugged and kissed and pat on the head in a way he rarely was as "Tony."

Adding to his frustration, Shirley made a point to remove her cousin's boyish ball cap, exposing the head full of girlish tresses she'd so faithfully curled only days before. Tony felt extremely self-conscious about this; to be trapped between the role of boy and girl was very confusing, and he wasn't exactly sure how he should act. At one point he found himself getting hugs from the police officers who came to his rescue, one of whom even gave the blushing boy a kiss on the cheek! Talk about disconcerting!

In the middle of all this another subject was brought up. "What about Mela- ... Melvyn?" Cheryl asked. "Is she ... he all right?"

"Just wait a moment. I think I have a surprise for you," said Mimi. She smiled mysteriously and nodded toward the front door of the school where Madge and May were emerging with a strange figure in tow. The pretty ballet mistress took Tony by the hand. "Come along, you three. I want to introduce you to Melvyn."

The trio of dancers were both shocked and surprised by what they saw! It was Melanie all right, but now she was all boy. Gone were the little blonde hairpiece and the girlish curls, which had been washed and brushed back into a very masculine style. And without his makeup, a scattering of boyish freckles were plainly evident. More importantly, the frilly tutu had been replaced with trousers and tee shirt, the point shoes with a pair of boyish basketball shoes. It was amazing; no one could ever imagine how this boy could ever have been mistaken for a girl.

Melvyn looked surprisingly embarrassed about being paraded for inspection in his new guise but, at the same time, the haunted and sad look had disappeared from his eyes.

"Looks different doesn't he?" said Mimi.

The young dancers all nodded in agreement, and then everyone watched as Madame and Elisabeth broke free from the questioning policemen and hurried to embrace the youth. It was a very emotional moment for everyone, and once again Tony found himself crying; to see the child he once knew as Melanie happy at last made his part in this adventure worthwhile. Looking on as the threesome shared a very precious and warm moment, he realised he would do it all again - and more! - if that was what it took to make his new friends happy.

The rest of the evening was spent recovering from the day's events. Madame and her sister had to accompany the police downtown to make statements against the would-be kidnappers, so Mimi took it upon herself to entertain everyone with a quiet dinner of pizza and some movies on video. Everyone was much too tired to do much else, and even Tony called it a night much earlier than usual.

Standing in the bedroom wearing only his girlish panties, the young detective looked wistfully at the borrowed boy clothes laying on his bed. To be so close, yet so far away from his other identity was frustrating indeed; he knew, however, that if Antonia suddenly abandoned her prissy wardrobe, more questions would be asked than he was prepared to deal with.

Sighing a sigh of resignation, he slipped into his skimpy baby doll nightgown and wondered what tomorrow would bring ....

Chapter 10
Antonia's Brief Encounter

The next morning the two cousins met up in their bedroom after a late breakfast which was taken with everyone still in their nightclothes. Being a day free of 'official' obligations, it had been decided that the girls would go first to the beach and then shopping. That evening a party was to be held in honour of visiting dance troupe.

Tony was excited about the prospect of swimming in the warm sea until he realised that meant he'd have to wear a girl's bathing suit.

"Oh, don't look so glum," his cousin said teasingly. "Don't I always take care of my little cousin?"

The eleven year old boy looked in amazement as the smiling girl pulled from her suitcase a bright red and white bathing suit that was - naturally! - just his size. A two-piece design, it had a cute little nautical top with a built-in brassiere and a flirty skirt sewn about the bottom. Tony shook his head in disbelief.

"I ... I can't wear that! Everyone will ... will ...."

Shirley gave her cousin a stern look. "Tony, trust me ... No one will anything. You'll be fine! Just try this on and see for yourself. The way this thing is made, no one will see a thing, which means no one will suspect a thing. Trust me."

Hearing the words "trust me" used in such a context sent chills down the cross-dressed boy's back. Tony had trusted his cousin again and again, and each time he'd been put into the most precarious situations. Then again, he reasoned, nothing bad had ever happened.

True to Shirley's word, the red swimsuit fit the young boy just fine, although it was still a bit skimpier - and gaudier! - than he would have liked. Regardless, the two cousins gathered up sunhats, sunglasses, lotion and towels and went out to join the others for a wonderful day at the beach.

And what a day it was! From the foamy surf to the fascinating people to the fun lunch they had, everyone had a wonderful time, letting off steam from the rigors of their performances and - more importantly - the stress of the previous day. Tony thoroughly enjoyed himself in spite of his insecurities, so much that he even joined in an improvised game of "water ballet" and taking part in girlish chit-chat while sunbathing. Shirley was thrilled with the ladylike manner in which her cousin conducted himself throughout the adventure, noting with great relish that the usually reluctant cross-dresser seemed to be having more fun than anyone else!

When they got back it was decided there was enough time for whoever wanted to go shopping. Those who didn't want to go were invited to see the local sights, including an alligator farm and a ride on a sailboat. Fearing his cousin might use the shopping trip as a means of further embarrassing him, Tony opted for the tour; besides, he always wanted to ride on a sailboat, so what better chance than this!

"I've got the perfect outfit for you to wear to go sailing!" Shirley rummaged through the wardrobe and produced an all white dress with a short frothy skirt. Tony recognised it as the same one he had worn that day on the beach with Fiona. He was still uncertain about his reactions on that day and the thought of wearing the same outfit again made him a little nervous.

"That won't fit me now," he protested. "It was only just big enough when I wore it last summer, and I know I've grown at least two full inches."

"Nonsense. It'll be just perfect," and with that she started to help him get ready. "And I know for a fact that you've grown just one inch, not two, so don't you pull that on me, young lady!"

Sending her cousin to take a quick shower, Shirley smiled to see that another part of her plan had worked out to perfection: as a result of the morning's excursion in the bright Florida sunshine, Tony's young body sported the most interesting tan lines! Even nude, he appeared more feminine than not, as the marks of his girlish top and skimpy bottom were evident on his pale skin.

I wonder how he'll explain this to his mum? she thought with a giggle.

A few minutes later Tony was inspecting his appearance critically. Was it his imagination, or was that the edge of his panties peeking from underneath the hem? "See, I told you it would be too small," he said. "It's way too short! I can't go out like this."

"You look adorable! Just the way everyone expects sweet little Antonia to look," replied Shirley. "Now, come along. Everyone else is ready to go. Don't forget your purse when you go out."

Tony was blushed violently at this, but he did as he was told, and tucked the tiny white beaded handbag he'd been given to carry his tissue, money, and perfume. After joining the others, he was subjected to their admiring comments and looks. "Oh, what a sweet dress! Doesn't Toni look cute?" Mimi fussed, and all the others agreed wholeheartedly.

Besides Tony, the tour group included Cheryl and a handful of the other girls from the ballet troupe, as well as Melvyn and his mother and - of all people - Madame! Mimi agreed to take Madge and May and some of the other girls to a local mall, assigning one of her assistants to drive everyone else about in a large passenger van belonging to the school. Just as soon as everyone was settled on board, they were on their way!

All the time they were out Tony was all too aware of the problems with his short filmy skirt. He also became concerned with the increasing attention that Mel was paying him. He came to realise that the older boy wanted to speak to him in private, but with so many other people about there was never the chance. Tony did start to get a little worried as Mel always managed to end up sitting next to him whenever they got on the bus, and by the end of the day the twosome were holding hands. This proved more than a little embarrassing for the young boy as this unwanted romance had become a choice topic of discussion among the 'other' girls.

Late in the afternoon, as the group drifted along the Florida waters in the borrowed sailboat, Tony found himself seated next to his admirer, and he was surprised when the older boy slipped his arm about his waist! Tony wasn't sure how to react - after all, he was a boy! - but as seeing how this got smiles of approval from both Mel's mother and Madame, the cross-dressed boy decided that he had better act as a girl would and gracefully accept the situation.

At the end of the day, when they were back at Mimi's house awaiting the return of the others, Mel sat next to Tony on the sofa and put his arm around the petticoated boy's shoulders and pulled him close. Tony grimaced as he realised the older boy wanted him to put his head on his shoulder, but rather than create a scene, he reluctantly complied. When Shirley arrived from her shopping trip with Mimi, she saw her cousin's predicament and grinned broadly at him. Tony glanced up from where he was cuddling with Mel and he shot her a look that said Don't you dare say a word! But he was doomed and he knew it; he'd never hear the end of it once they were alone.

When they eventually retired to get themselves ready for the party, true to form, Shirley started to make fun of her hapless cousin.

"I think Mel's got a crush on you," she teased. "You'd better be careful because he's a bit old for a little girl like you. You'd be much better off with a boy your own age, you know."

Tony didn't know how to react or what to say and he felt his face colouring up.

"Well, I guess that if he is going to see you tonight we'd better make an extra special effort to make you look beautiful."

With that she sent him off for a bath and after that she paid special attention to his hair. Sitting in little more than a bath towel wrapped girl-style about his slender body, Tony felt so stupid. He hated having his locks curled up so tightly, but Shirley insisted that if she was going to do it, then she was going to do it right. It took more than half an hour to get all the little curlers lined up, rolled and pinned. She then borrowed a hair dryer from May - or was it Madge? - and secured her pantied cousin in the device.

After about an hour under the drier, she combed out Tony's curls and decorated his locks with a silver comb on each side of his head, she then started to apply some make up. This, she explained, must be considered a 'one off' as Tony wasn't really old enough for such grown up things. She then went to the wardrobe to select his outfit.

"This will do perfectly, it's a little more grown up than you're used to, but will make you look stunning," she said holding up a pale blue creation trimmed with silver. It was a skimpy thing with ribbons for shoulder straps and a dropped waist which finished in a little full skirt; to Tony's consternation the hem barely reached mid-thigh. When he had it on complete with white patterned knee length socks, Shirley explained that he was too young for stockings or tights, which was probably just as well. Even so he had to admit that he looked very nice, as much as it pained him to do so.

"You don't think I look silly?" he asked as he twirled about in his new dress.

"Oh, Tony, really! After all you've been through, you just worry too much," fussed his cousin. She was smiling with satisfaction at the fruits of her labours. "You look wonderful! Really, sweetie, don't be such a sourpuss. The way you look, you'll be the belle of the ball. Mel won't be able to keep his eyes off you!"

That was exactly what the pantied boy didn't want to hear!

Sure enough, as soon as they went to meet the others in readiness for their departure to the party, Mel was waiting for them. The smiling youth made straight for Tony and gave him every attention on the short drive to the venue. Occasionally Shirley would glance over to check on her flustered cousin, who was politely holding hands with his all too friendly escort; in turn, the petticoated boy would shoot ferocious looks back in her direction.

What great fun this is! Shirley thought with a giggle. My little soccer-playing cousin, dating a boy! I should have thought of this sooner!

As they arrived they could see that the house was in the style of an old ranch house set in the middle of some extensive and well-cultivated gardens.

"Wow, what a place," exclaimed Shirley when they entered through the huge oak front door.

The visitors from England were treated to a fabulous dinner and afterwards a live band of country and western musicians. Much to his own surprise, Tony actually enjoyed himself, especially as the other girls were making such a fuss of him. To his alarm he was pulled onto the dance floor where everyone took part in a country line dance; it wasn't nearly as hard as it looked and within a few minutes he found himself slipping rather too easily into his feminine role, twirling about and showing off his pantied bottom without a care in the world.

During a break Gwen said, "Where's Mel got to? I haven't seen him for a while."

"I saw him going outside a while ago," said one of the others.

"I hope he's okay," remarked Shirley. She glanced toward Tony and gave the skirted boy a mischievous grin. "Maybe you should go look for him, little cousin. If anyone can cheer him up, it's you."

The feminine boy turned red in the face. "Okay, I'll go and find him," he said softly. He was glad of the opportunity to go outside to cool off anyway, much less get away from his cousin and the rest of those silly girls.

Tony discovered Mel sitting alone on a garden seat on the veranda. The older boy seemed deep in thought and didn't notice Tony's arrival at first. He made a start when became aware of Antonia's presence.

"Oh, hi, Toni!" He smiled and indicated for the pretty child to sit beside him.

"I'm ... I'm sorry to bother you. I mean, I didn't intend to intrude, but we were concerned about you when we realised that you weren't in the room." Tony still marvelled at Mel's transformation into his 'real' self. With his blonde hair neatly combed and his boyish smile shining brightly, it was impossible to imagine him in the role as a girl.

"Oh, that's all right. I just felt I needed some time to myself. I'm glad you're here, though. It'll be nice to talk about things."

"Okay." said Tony. He sat down on the bench and began fiddling with the folds of his skirt and petticoat. "If you want to talk I'll listen."

Mel turned and took the younger boy's hand in his. "Oh, Toni you're a wonderful person," he said with a smile. The cross-dressed detective noticed that as his new friend talked, he moved closer. "You seem so much older than you are. I promise, you really do! You know, I almost told you everything the other night. You're the only person I felt that I could confide in. The problem was that I was too scared of the consequences."

"I think I understand." Tony squirmed in his fluffy dress, feeling a little uncomfortable sitting so close to another boy. "It sounds as though your father wasn't very nice."

"It wasn't always like that. I can remember him being quite kind to both mother and me when I was little. But when his business went sour, he fell in with the wrong people and started drinking ...."

There was a long silence, which Tony was dying to fill. Thinking quickly, he asked the question that had been on his mind ever since discovering his friend's secret the day before.

"I don't mean to embarrass you, but I want to know ... what did you feel like? Being made to be a girl, I mean?" asked Tony. "Was it fun for you?"

The older boy sat up and laughed. A rueful grin lit up his face. "Oh, no! It wasn't fun at all. It was absolutely awful!" he replied. "I mean, at first it wasn't too bad. I pretended I was like a spy in a disguise, hiding from the bad guys. But that didn't last long. I just hated having to wear dresses and skirts all the time. I felt so embarrassed by it all. I loathed having my hair curled and having to put up with all those frills and girlie underthings. And I never did get used to sitting and walking about in skirts. Mum and Auntie were always fussing at me for letting my undies show, and I just couldn't stand that!"

The teenaged boy blushed as he said that, prompting Tony to giggle, just like the little girl he pretended to be.

"Just as bad, I found that I couldn't make friends with girls, even when I went to Auntie's ballet school. I know the other girls in the class tried to make me feel welcome but I was always afraid that someone would find out the truth about me. I felt that I had to keep my distance from them. I know it's difficult for you to understand just how I felt. After all you're a girl and you're used to doing girlie things. But I'm not and I never could get the hang of it."

Tony felt himself colouring up. How could Mel know that the person in the dress sitting next to him was really a boy?

The teenager continued. "Of course, like I said, I hated it, but then again I was frightened by what my father would do to me if he found out where I was, so I was determined to do as my mum and aunt instructed. I know it sounds like I'm a bit of a wimp, but you don't know how cruel my father can be if the mood takes him." There was a trace of a tremor in his voice as he spoke. "Besides, I didn't want to leave Mum and have to live in Germany."

Tony felt himself feeling desperately sorry for his new friend, which was perfectly understandable, of course; the poor boy had been subjected to years of mental stress as a result of his father's abuse, something Tony could hardly imagine.

As his friend told his story, the petticoated detective noticed Mel's lips trembling ever so slightly, as though he was on the verge of crying. Tony wanted to make the nervous boy feel that he wasn't alone in this, that Antonia would help him all he could to get over it. And so, in an almost unconscious movement he gently took Mel's hand in his.

Why am I doing this? he thought as he touched the other boy's hand with his own. I mean, I couldn't stand it when he did this to me. This is the sort of thing a girl would do, right? But I'm a boy, and boys just don't hold hands with other boys....

Could it be that wearing a dress somehow made him act and think like a girl? Who could tell? ... it was all too confusing!

Mel's reaction to Tony's gentle touch was to move even closer to the feminised little boy. He turned to study the cherubic face and saw the look of genuine concern in the youngster's bright eyes. He gently put his arm around Tony's shoulders and slowly pulled him even closer. With their faces now only inches apart, Mel looked at what he perceived as this pretty girl and his attraction to 'her' grew even stronger.

On the other hand, Tony was getting more uneasy with their close proximity and he shuffled with profound embarrassment as he sensed a slight arousal beginning in the region of his panties.

Oh, no! Not now! he thought desperately. Okay, so I feel sorry for him, but that's all .. right? I mean, it's not like when I was with Fiona, is it? I was in love with her, so that was okay, I think ....

Despite his attempt to make sense of what was happening, Tony became even more confused about what he was feeling. Taking a deep breath, he looked into Mel's eyes and tried to say something to avert disaster.

The older boy took this slight movement and the intense look in his companion's eyes as a signal of acceptance at their situation. His next action was to plant a kiss, very briefly, on Antonia's pink lips ....

The involuntary reaction Tony had to this brief kiss was almost electric! He found his arousal increasing and the erection he was experiencing - mercifully hidden in the folds of his skirts, thank God! - growing by the second.

He started to panic! He knew he shouldn't react like this, but ... what was he to do? He thought he should get up and run and hide somewhere, but he was also aware that he didn't want to do anything that would hurt Mel's feelings. So, he did the logical thing. He didn't move. Instead, he looked once again into Mel's eyes while trying to fathom out just what was going on inside him and what he should do next.

Unfortunately for the cross-dressed boy, his friend was once again heartened by his hesitation. Mel interpreted the expression on Tony's face as one of unquestionable encouragement, and so he placed his hand at the back of the curly head and gently pulled him close, kissing the weakening child on the mouth once more. Only this time the kiss was much, much longer and much more impassioned.

Likewise, Tony's involuntary reaction to this intimate contact was even more violent than before! As his painted lips squished warmly against his friend's wet mouth, his boyish erection strained against his silken undies, increasing until it literally exploded into an exquisite climax. Confused and overwhelmed, Tony felt his young body convulse with the beautiful intense emotions radiated by all that was happening to him. Ashamed of what he felt, he wanted to pull away and scream "NO!!", but the feelings were just too wonderful to cut short. The two young mouths were locked in that embrace for nearly five full minutes, and only when things had subsided was Tony able to pull away and think about what had just happened. It was then that he burst into tears.

This shouldn't have happened ... he thought shamefully. Slumping down in his frilly frock, he accidentally licked his lips, and the taste of the older boy was mixed with his own salty tears, sending a final shiver through his young soul.

Mel was mortified to see Tony crying. Fearful that he'd offended the little girl he thought he was with, the teenager did his best to console her. "Oh, Toni, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that, please don't cry," he begged. "I didn't mean to hurt you ... I really am sorry if I did."

Torn between joy and guilt, Tony tried to divert attention away from what had happened under his girlish clothes. Clasping the older boy's hands in his own, he played his role to the hilt.

"Please," the cross-dressed boy said softly, "please don't say you're sorry. You ... you didn't do anything wrong. I just feel for you, for all you've been through, I mean. The look in your eyes ... the way your father acted ... it hurts me to know people can be so cruel."

What the blushing child now wanted above all was to get away so that he could attend to the damp mess in his ruffled panties. But before he could escape, Mel took his flushed face in both hands and pulled him so close they touched noses.

"Oh, my little Toni ... I think I love you," he said breathlessly.

Tony took a deep breath, and a third kiss ensued, this one igniting that dreaded tingling sensation that has so haunted our young hero. The situation might have gone on to its inevitable conclusion (yuck!) had the panicked boy not taken the initiative and made the excuse that he needed to go to the powder room.

Once he was alone and locked safely in the bathroom, Tony removed his ruined panties and cleaned himself up. After washing them out in the sink he realised shamefully that there was no way he could wear them in the state they were in. Not knowing what else to do, he shook them out and folded them neatly; he'd tuck them away in the little beaded purse Shirley had provided. The rest of the evening he would have to brave minus any protection for his bottom whatsoever. This was a new - and terrifying! - experience, one that terrified the flustered boy as the skirt of his dress was not really long enough to ensure his dignity.

Having rejoined the party, the bare-bottomed child managed to avoid any more dancing, citing "over exertion" as his reason. Shirley kept giving him strange looks, and at one point seemed very curious about why the petticoated boy's makeup was messed up. Tony wasn't sure what she meant until he realised that he must have smeared his lipstick when he and Mel had been kissing, and he quickly passed it off as boyish carelessness.

"I guess I just wasn't paying attention when I was eating my sandwich," he said with a blush.

Shirley gave him one of her 'big sister' looks and shook her head. "Well, you must go and touch it up. We don't want our hosts thinking that we're careless, do we?"

The flustered boy shook his head and turned to do as his cousin ordered.

Just as he was about to enter the bathroom, who should he meet coming out but the cute little American ballerina whom he'd admired so throughout his stay! Smiling brightly, she greeted Tony as though she would a treasured friend.

"Antonia, hello! Are you having a nice time? I hope you're enjoying yourself."

The shy boy nodded and said that he was. He didn't say much else as he was so smitten with his acquaintance's extreme beauty. Dark-headed and with the features of a fine porcelain doll, Allison - as she introduced herself to be - seemed as taken with him as he was with her. Taking his hand in hers, she started throwing questions at the petticoated boy left and right.

"Oh, I heard what happened the other day and I was so scared for you! Are you all right? Weren't you terrified? Are you always so brave?" The bright-eyed American girl was practically in Tony's face as she spoke, but the youth didn't mind so much. He could almost taste her fruit-flavoured lipstick as she moved closer and closer.

Regaining his senses, somewhat, Tony endeavoured to answer all of his new friend's questions as best he could. He laughed at most of them as he fetched the little tube of lipstick his cousin had given him from his purse and gave short, modest answers as he tried to touch up his smeared mouth.

"Here, let me help you with that," the older girl said sweetly. "You have to wipe off the old lipstick to get rid of the smear, then you put on the new. What in the world did you do to make such a mess, anyway? You're too young to be kissing boys," she teased. Tony just blushed and let her do as she wished.

Once his makeup was repaired, Tony actually felt better about himself. He was also in love with his hostess; she was as fun to talk with as she was to look at, and he found himself terribly flattered to be so near her. By this time she'd stopped asking him questions and was talking about herself, which for some reason he found fascinating. Back home he normally wouldn't have cared whether some girl was interested in ballet or beauty pageants or whatever, but the skirted boy found himself hanging on Allison's every word.

At one point the American girl paused as if in thought and gave Tony a peculiar look. "I have to ask you something," she said in a conspiratorial tone. Moving in so close that for an instant he thought was about to kiss him, she put her mouth up to his ear and asked, "Why aren't you wearing any panties?"

Tony froze. For an instant he thought he'd misunderstood, or perhaps was dreaming, but the sound of music in the other room and the warm touch of Allison's hand on his let him know that, no, he wasn't imagining things. She knew! he thought in a panic. She saw me ... oh, gosh ...!

"Don't English girls wear panties?" the smiling beauty asked innocently, "or did you have an accident?"

Not knowing quite what to say, the embarrassed boy shrugged his shoulders. "I ... I kinda ... made a mess," he stammered. Digging a patent leather toe in the carpet, he wondered weakly, What exactly did she see?

Allison put her arm around the petticoated boy and gave him a sympathetic hug. "Oh, honey, I understand. Don't feel bad. You're not the first girl" - she smiled warmly and wiped a tear trickling down his cheek - "who ever had an accident. It's not easy being a woman, trust me!"

As the older girl led Tony to the back of the house where her bedroom was, Allison explained that she'd spotted his bare bottom when he'd spun about one time too many. The feminised little boy was grateful that she hadn't seen much more than a glimpse of his pale bum, and he found it ironic that it was the girl of his dreams - at least on this trip! - who'd done so.

"Here you go, Antonia." Allison opened a drawer filled with all kinds of frilly, filmy undies. Tony's eyes were wide with amazement; he'd never seen so many pair of panties in one place in his entire life! "Pick out something. I have so many I won't miss a pair. My mama and daddy love buying clothes for their little beauty queen." Her laugh caused the young boy to smile.

Tony fudged about a bit before choosing a pair of blue satin briefs trimmed in white lace. His newest friend seemed delighted with his selection.

"Oh, those look just like something you'd pick out. You are the cutest little thing, you know that? Here, do you want me to help you put them on?" She held the skimpy panties out for the bare-bottomed boy to step into.

"That's all right," Tony said with embarrassment. "I can manage, I think."

Allison grinned. "So cute and so shy. You're just a little doll, you know that, honey?" She handed him the feather-light garment. "Take a whiff of them. No, I'm serious, do it. Mama insists on spraying my lingerie drawer with perfume every time we do laundry. She's always saying 'little girls need to be fresh and sweet from top to bottom.' Isn't that silly?"

The blushing eleven year old boy had to agree, it was very silly, but they did smell ever so nice and he wondered if he should do that to his own underthings in the future. With his backside to his hostess, he couldn't help giggling as he slipped into the cool, thin panties. They felt so cool and nice on his bottom, and made him feel a little bit more secure, in spite of their frailty. He blushed as Allison insisted on lifting the back of his skirt to see how they looked.

"Perfect!" the pretty ballerina said sweetly, and she gave the weak-kneed boy a kiss on the cheek.

The remainder of the party went fairly uneventful. Tony danced a bit more with the other girls and ate and chatted in his best little-girl fashion. He had a wonderful time, though he did feel light-headed, as though he was either drunk or in a dream. To the cross-dressed boy's relief, Mel kept a polite but discreet distance for the remainder of the party, apparently feeling responsible for upsetting the young Antonia. Tony was grateful for this as he was still trying to come to terms with all that had happened; he also had a terrible time keeping his eyes off Allison, and he couldn't help thinking about the fact that the panties he wore once covered her bare bottom.

Chapter 11
A Fond Farewell

The last days of their stay in Tampa went off without any further melodrama. Tony got to wear his tutu once again in a joint presentation that featured all of the students from the American and English ballet schools. As the last encore finished, the feminised boy suffered a wave of melancholy as he realised this was the last time he'd ever dance with his new friends, or even have reason to wear his pretty dancing costume. Shirley noticed his sadness, and before they changed out of their tutus she made a point to ask Madge (or was it May?) to take their picture alongside Madame for her cousin's photo album.

The next morning the entire group piled into a caravan of cars and vans and took off for a day of fun and excitement at the amusement park. Clad in a short pink sundress, hair ribbons, ankle socks and strappy shoes, Tony lost himself completely in his guise as "Antonia," giggling and skipping gaily about as though he'd been wearing ribbons and lace all his life. Shirley looked on with glee as her cousin played his role to perfection, amazed that the girlish figure that danced and flirted with the other children ever wore boy's clothing.

At one point the delighted girl caught her cousin walking along the fairway, hand in hand with a moon-eyed Mel; keeping her distance so as not to be seen, she watched with amusement as the twosome whispered and giggled and traded coy looks.

At one point the couple paused to sip soft drinks under the shade of a large tree. Her curiosity piqued, Shirley giggled to see her cousin being so intimate with another boy. Who knows where this could lead, she thought in wonder.

Just as she was about to go off and join her friends, Shirley saw something that shocked her. Acting out his role as a typical boy, Mel flipped up the hem of the younger boy's skirt and stole a kiss! Eyes wide and her mouth forming a surprised "oh!" Tony's cousin was stunned by what she saw! But what happened next was even more interesting: Instead of being upset at being kissed on the mouth by another boy, Tony fussed playfully at the mischievous teen, a second kiss was exchanged - this one lingering much longer than the first - and the young couple then grinned and laughed as though it was the most natural thing in the world for them to do.

Unbelievable, the smiling girl mused. He's more girl than I am.

The morning of their departure was an emotional one. Tony was looking rather chic in a sleeveless white angora sweater dress belonging to his cousin; it made an adorable dress for a little girl with the addition of a pink leather belt, tights and pink ankle high boots. Shirley was pleased with her cousin's new look, saying that perhaps he might want to look a bit more grown up when he said good bye to his American friends.

Mimi and several of the girls from the American school accompanied the troupe from England to the airport, as did Mel and his mother. After checking their baggage, everyone met in the lounge to say goodbye. It was there that Tony realised just what his presence had meant, not to just his cousin, but to the group as a whole ... and his new boyfriend in particular.

"Toni ... Antonia ... " Mel was blushing as he took the feminised boy's hand and held it tightly. "Mother and I are ever so grateful to you ... you put your own safety at risk to rescue me ... and to keep us together. And, well, we just wanted you to have this."

Tony blinked as the smiling boy handed him a small gift wrapped in ribbons and tissue paper. With all eyes on him, he opened it, and discovered a velvet covered jewelry box inside. A shiver swept through his body as he in turn opened that and saw what he'd been given: it was a gold charm bracelet, very feminine, very delicate, the kind of which he'd seen his cousin and several of her friends wearing.

Mel cleared his throat and coughed. "There's a little ballerina charm on there, too. It kinda matches the little fairy you always wear around your neck."

And so there was! Squirming about in his angora dress, the eleven year old boy squinted at the precious golden ballerina that dangled from the bracelet. She looked so frail, hanging there in a frozen moment in time, and despite his boyish inclinations, Tony thought she was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen in his young life.

Mel draped the golden bracelet over Tony's slender wrist and locked it in place. A simple "Thanks" was all the pantied boy could muster, and everyone laughed good-naturedly as the older boy kissed him on the side of the mouth and gave him warm hug. Tony actually had tears in his eyes as the two boys pulled apart, and he found himself wishing they didn't have to leave so soon.

On the flight back the plane was by no means full, which gave them plenty of room to relax. Most of the girls dozed or read, but Tony was restless. He sat as long as he could with his cousin, enduring her constant questions and remarks regarding his relationship with Melvyn. It was embarrassing enough that she'd seen him holding hands with the teenager, but for her to see him getting a kiss like that ... well, Tony just didn't feel comfortable talking about it. After about the hundredth "Did you like it?" he excused himself and took off on a self-guided tour of the huge jet.

When he came back he was pleased to find his cousin sound asleep, though she did take up both of their seats. Madame noted his situation and made a point of inviting the skirted boy to sit with her for a spell.

"I'm glad you liked your gift," the elegant lady said, fingering the delicate ballerina that dangled from Tony's wrist. "Mel was insistent that we get you something nice, something for you to remember this trip by, and I am grateful that you accepted such a pretty trinket with such grace."

The cross-dressed pre-teen fidgeted about in his dress; the sheer hose his cousin had him wearing was driving him to distraction and he wondered if anyone would notice if he took them off.

"Oh, well, Mel's really nice. I just felt bad about the way his father was acting. It's not easy being a child sometimes."

"I can imagine. Take yourself, for instance ... Anthony. Boys and dresses don't usually mix, but you certainly seem the exception." Madame touched the wide-eyed boy on the chin as the realisation of her words hit home, directing his eyes to look into her own. "I'm just amazed at how well you manage your dresses and girlish appearance. You're much better at it than my nephew."

Tony felt his heart melt as he stared into the woman's eyes. "I ... I d-d-don't know w-w-what you mean ...." He stammered.

Madame threw her head back and gave a soft, throaty laugh. "Oh, Tony, how sweet you are. Don't tease, you know exactly what I mean ..." - she paused and smiled brightly - "young man. You are most certainly the most talented boy I've ever met, but you don't seriously think you can fool me, do you?"

Tony fought the desire to turn away, forcing himself to look his accuser directly in the eye. As much as he'd feared such a thing, he was actually kind of relieved to finally be caught, even if it was in a jet flying over the ocean at 35,000 feet. He decided to admit his guilt and put his life in the ballet mistress' hands.

"How ... how did you find out? Have you known long?"

Madame took his hand in hers and squeezed it warmly. "It doesn't matter how I know, darling, nor for how long. Not really. What's important is that I do know, and I want you to know that I admire you very, very much."

The youngster looked at the woman next to him for a moment and shook his head. "I ... I don't understand. You're not mad at me?"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, no, I'm not mad. I'm not the least bit bothered. And why should I be? You've acted with nothing but the interest of others in your heart this entire trip, and in the most ladylike manner, too, I might add. Goodness, sweetheart, no ... I'm not upset. As a matter of fact, I'm quite proud to know you. I mean, for goodness sake, you saved my nephew's life. You are indeed a very special person."

Tony found himself on the receiving end of a loving hug, and he felt a warm wet kiss being planted on his forehead. Tugging the hem of his sweater dress down about his thighs, he relished the warm feeling that slowly grew within him.

"So I'm not doing anything wrong?" he asked shyly. It was a question that he'd been dying to ask someone - well, someone other than his cousin Shirley, of course! - for some time.

Madame smiled. "I don't think so. But some people might, so you do have to be discreet. I think, however" - she leaned close and whispered in his ear - "I think you are just being you. That's what I think."

"Mel doesn't know, does he?" He found it hard to swallow with a lump in his throat. Just as soon as he asked, he realised that was the one question to which he didn't want to know the answer.

"Does it really matter?" the regal lady replied quietly. Tony blinked and thought for a moment. Not knowing what he should say, he just shrugged his shoulders.

Madame gave him a mysterious smile, laid her head back on her flight pillow ... and closed her eyes.

The cross-dressed boy sighed. He got his wish.

Epilogue

It wasn't long before they arrived in England. Once inside the airport Shirley watched carefully as her cousin struggled with his luggage. Between the doll under one arm, his coat under the other, and the heavy suitcase and his handbag, it was all the befuddled boy could do to keep from dropping something. It might have been cruel to take such pleasure in his plight, but there was something about seeing a boy clumsily dealing with feminine accoutrements that made the twelve year old girl smile.

He's just so ... so cute! she thought to herself as Tony paused to tug the hem of his sweater dress from where it had ridden up over his pantied bottom. Satisfied that he was properly covered, he picked up his suitcase and coat and began walking toward the airport lobby with the other children. Shirley shook her head and grinned. I just love him when he's like this. It's like having a life-sized doll to play dress up with!

As she managed her own bags - and rather gracefully, thank you very much! - Shirley kept her eyes on her pretty cousin and wondered at the remarkable transformation he made each time he wore a dress. It was as if there was as if some magical spell that took place whenever he was made to wear anything feminine.

The wistful girl's mind went back to the events during the past few days and she shook her head. Not only had she been able to smuggle Tony out of the country in girlish guise, but she'd managed to get him into a tutu and a ballet performance, help him solve a crime, and then - le piece de resistance! - she'd watched him being intimate with a boy! It was like having two cousins in one, both a boy and a girl!

What a wonderful adventure this had been! The pre-teen girl was determined that this would not be the last time that she would see her cousin in the role of Antonia - the big question was just how was she to do it?

"Well, we're almost home, little cousin. I hope you had a good time." Shirley nodded toward the group of girls gathering at the lobby door. Soon they would be on the coach for home.

"It was okay, I guess."

Shirley laughed. "Okay? It was more than okay ... it was fabulous! You can't tell me you didn't have a wonderful time. What about the ballet? The alligator farm? Swimming in the ocean?" She sighed. "And what about the mystery of the clumsy ballerina?"

The skirted boy gave an embarrassed grin and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it was fun all right, I'll grant you that. I just don't know if I'd do it again. It was pretty scary, too, you know ...."

"You mean, like when those men tried to get into Elisabeth's car and get you?"

Tony blushed and nodded. "Well, that was pretty frightening, all right. But I was thinking more about ... well, stuff like being on stage in that silly tutu ... or being alone with Mel. That was pretty scary, too, you know."

The older cousin didn't laugh. Instead, she flashed a warm smile and caressed the young boy's cheek. "Well, you're almost home now. You can forget about all that stuff ... for a while, at least."

"Good thing, too." Tony gave a shiver. "I can't wait to get back to my own house and into a pair of pants. It's a lot colder here than it was in Florida. Too cold for a dress."

Shirley started to laugh at the little boy's remark, but just then she saw something that sent a shiver down her spine. Pausing long enough to allow her cousin to catch up, she whispered just loud enough for him to hear her.

"Uh-oh. We're in trouble now!" she said in a sing-song voice. "Really big trouble!"

Tony looked at his cousin and made an ugly face. "Uh-oh, what? What kind of trouble are you talking about now?"

"Look who's here to meet us." The older girl nodded in the direction of the lobby door. "I think we may have a little problem."

Tony turned toward where his cousin was staring and froze. Standing at the main entrance into the airport lobby was a pair of familiar faces. Aunt Mary and - oh, gosh, no! - not Tony's mother, too!!! The two women were waving enthusiastically in their direction, smiles beaming brightly. The cross-dressed detective felt his stomach drop as he saw that his mother was looking directly at him and calling his name.

"Oh, Tony, here we are, sweetie! Welcome home!"

That's it, the cross-dressed boy thought forlornly. I'm dead.

Glancing down at his angora dress and the doll tucked under his arm, he wished he'd at least worn something a little less ... girlish?

How in the world am I going to get out of this one? he wondered.

And that, dear reader, is another story ....

Finis