The Charming Gift (3 page)

C
hip zoomed off on the tea cart to the study, where he found the bottle of glue right away. But there was just one problem. Lumiere was already using the glue—and a lot of it! There was glue on the desk, glue on the floor, and even glue on Lumiere!

“Is everything okay?” Chip asked.

“I seem to be having some difficulty,” Lumiere admitted.

“What happened?” Chip said.

Lumiere sighed. “I want my star charm to twinkle, just like a real star in the sky,” he explained. “So, I cut a star out of paper and tried to glue these flakes of gold onto it. But the glue is too gooey and gloopy. The gold flakes are too clumpy and lumpy. And then my paper star tore in half. Now I have made a tremendous mess in the master's study, and I have nothing to show for it!”

“Maybe I can help,” Chip said. “I was helping Mama make her charm. That's why I came to borrow some glue.”

“That would be wonderful,” Lumiere said gratefully.

“I'll be right back,” Chip promised.

“I will clean up this mess while you're gone,” Lumiere said, flinging his arms out wide—and sending even more drops of glue flying through the air. “And then I will clean up myself!”

A few moments later, Chip raced into the kitchen. “Mama! Mama!” he yelled. “I brought the glue!”

“Very good, dear,” Mrs. Potts said. “I've arranged the gems in a pattern. What do you think?”

A giant grin crossed Chip's face as he looked at the teacup charm. “Belle is going to love it!” Chip announced.

“Oh, I do hope so,” Mrs. Potts replied. She carefully applied a drop of glue to the charm. Then Chip nudged a jewel into place and pressed it onto the glue. They worked together to glue every gem onto the tin teacup.

“That should do it,” Mrs. Potts said finally. “Now we'll let the glue dry.”

“Mama, can I go back to the study?” Chip asked. “I told Lumiere that I'd help him make his charm, too.”

“Of course,” Mrs. Potts said. “Remember, you still have to make your charm.”

“I know! I'll have plenty of time!” He jumped onto the tea cart.
Whoosh!
It zoomed across the polished floor.

“No speeding in the castle!” Mrs. Potts called after Chip.

Chip knew he had to get back to the study right away. But what Chip didn't know was that Belle was on her way to the study, too!

“Whoa!” Belle cried as the tea cart nearly ran into her. “Where are you going in such a hurry?”

“Sorry, Belle!” Chip exclaimed.

“That's okay,” Belle said. “I just finished filling the ballroom with poinsettias. Since there were a few extra, I thought I'd put them in the study.”

Chip gulped. If Belle went to the study, she would see Lumiere working on her charm…and the surprise would be ruined!

“That's where I'm going,” Chip said quickly. “I'll take them for you.”

“Oh, would you?” Belle asked. “Now I can get back to decorating the ballroom!”

When Chip rolled into the study with the tea cart full of poinsettias, there was no sign of the mess that had been there earlier. There was
also
no sign of Lumiere!

“Lumiere?” he called. “Where did you go?”

“Under here, monsieur!” Lumiere's voice called from beneath the desk. Chip peeked under it and found Lumiere mopping up the last drops of glue with a damp rag.

“Phew! I am finally finished,” Lumiere sighed. “And I am exhausted!”

“I brought the glue back,” Chip said helpfully, pointing at the tea cart. “Do you want to cut out another star and try again?”

Lumiere shook his head. “I have seen enough glue for one day! We will have to find another way to make the charm for Belle's bracelet.”

“Okay,” Chip said. “But how can we make the gold flakes stick to the charm without glue?”

“I don't know,” admitted Lumiere. “We will have to think of a way.”

“Think, think, think,” Chip said to himself as he hopped around the study. He spotted a roll of stamps on the desk. “Stamps are sticky on the back!” he exclaimed.

“But
only
on the back,” Lumiere pointed out. “I think the star charm should have gold on both sides. Don't you?”

Chip nodded. “Think, think, think,” he said again. “Look! There is a bottle of ink in this drawer! Ink is sticky!”

“But ink is black,” Lumiere said. “If the gold flakes get covered with black ink, the star will not sparkle and shine.”

Chip knew that Lumiere was right, but he wasn't about to give up. Even so, as he searched the study, Chip had trouble finding something that they could use to make the charm. A feather pen, a stack of books, a pair of reading glasses, a lamp? None of these would work.

“Wait a minute,” Chip suddenly said. He hopped over to the lamp and peeked at the waxy candle under its colorful glass shade. “I know what we can use!”

“What?” Lumiere asked excitedly.

“Wax!” Chip replied. He bounded over to the supply closet in the corner, where cakes of yellow beeswax were stacked on a shelf.

“You are a genius!” Lumiere cried. “Wax is
just
what we need to make this charm!” He pinched off a small piece of wax and gently heated it with his candles.

“Mmm,” Chip said, breathing in deeply. “It smells like honey!”

When the wax was warm, Lumiere molded it into the shape of a star. Then he and Chip dusted the star with gold flakes. As the wax cooled, the gold stuck firmly to the charm.

Lumiere held the star charm up to the light. “Look how it gleams!” he said proudly. “This is just what I wanted to make for Belle. Thank you, Chip! You are an artist!”

Chip grinned at him. “I like to help,” he said. “Do you think anyone else needs me?”

“You should check with Cogsworth,” Lumiere replied. “I am sure that that overgrown pocket watch could use a hand!”

“Don't worry, Cogsworth,” Chip yelled. He jumped onto the tea cart. “Here I come!”

C
hip zoomed up and down the halls of the castle, loudly calling for Cogsworth. Finally, he heard a familiar voice reply, “I'm in here! Come in, come in!”

Chip followed the voice to the greenhouse. Rows and rows of exotic plants filled the room.

“Hi, Cogsworth,” Chip said. “Lumiere told me that you might need help making your charm for Belle's bracelet.”

The clock hands on Cogsworth's face started to twitch. “That old wax-head!” he sniffed. “What does
he
know about it?”

Chip shrugged. “I don't know,” he replied. “But I helped him make his charm, so I thought maybe I could help you, too.”

“Oh, well, in that case,” Cogsworth said quickly. “I suppose I
could
use a little help.”

He stepped aside to show Chip a long line of leaves that he'd made out of jewels. “I came into the greenhouse for inspiration,” Cogsworth explained. “And I've certainly been inspired…to make every plant
except
a sprig of holly! Look at all of these leaves! This one even has an acorn made out of rubies!”

“But you're supposed to make some
holly
,” Chip reminded him. “Just like the charm on Belle's
other
bracelet.”

“I know,” Cogsworth said, sighing. “But there isn't any holly in here! And when I see other leaves, I forget what holly looks like—and make a different leaf instead!”

“There's a big holly bush outside, next to the fountain. I can get some holly for you,” Chip said.

“Splendid idea!” Cogsworth cried.

Chip zoomed toward the large doors at the entrance to the castle. But on the way, he ran into his mother.

“Where are you going in such a rush?” asked Mrs. Potts.

“I'm going outside, Mama!” Chip said proudly. “Cogsworth needs a sprig of holly to make his charm.”

Mrs. Potts shook her head. “The area around the fountain is covered in ice. It's much too slippery for you. No, my dear, you'll have to find another way to help Cogsworth.”

“But, Mama—” Chip began.

“No buts, my dear,” Mrs. Potts said firmly.

Chip frowned, but only for a minute. He knew two things: Cogsworth needed a sprig of holly, and he couldn't get it for him. He would have to find someone who could.

Just then, Chip heard a clatter. It came from the West Wing…the one place in the castle where he was forbidden to go.

And that gave him an idea!

Chip glanced around to make sure no one was looking as he hopped up the stairs to the West Wing. I won't
really
go inside, Chip thought. I'll just stand outside and ask the master to come out.

But when Chip arrived at the West Wing, the heavy oak door was closed. He knew that even if he yelled as loud as he could, the Beast probably wouldn't hear him.

So Chip took a deep breath and nudged the door open an inch at a time, until he could squeeze in. But he never had to call for the Beast—the door's squeaky hinges gave him away!

“Who goes there?” yelled the Beast. He leaped out from the shadows. “Who dares to disturb me in the West Wing? You know that you are forbidden to enter. Get out!” the Beast roared.

“I'm sorry,” Chip whispered.

When the Beast realized that it was only Chip, his face softened. “My apologies,” he said. “I shouldn't have yelled at you. I was just worried about the enchanted rose. It's already begun to wilt, so I don't want anything to happen that could make its petals fall even faster. What can I do for you, Chip?”

“Cogsworth needs a sprig of holly to make his charm, but Mama won't let me go outside because it's too icy,” Chip said.

“I can get it,” the Beast replied as they went downstairs. “A walk outside would do me good right now. It will be nice to take a break. And maybe I'll figure out how to finish the rose charm I've been working on.”

“Do you need some help?” Chip asked.

“I might,” the Beast admitted. “I just can't figure out how to make my charm look like a
winter
rose. Maybe the snow and ice outside will inspire me.”

“I have an idea!” Chip exclaimed as the Beast opened the castle's front door. But neither one of them expected to see Belle on the other side of it!

“I was just hanging this wreath on the door. Where are you two going?” Belle said cheerfully.

“I need to get some holly for Cogsworth,” the Beast said nervously. “But I think it might be too slippery outside for you, Chip.”

“I can come with you—if you'd like company,” Belle offered.

“Of course,” the Beast replied, trying not to show how nervous he was. The Beast glanced back over his shoulder at Chip. “We'll be back soon.”

“Bye!” Chip called as the heavy door closed behind them. He rushed toward the Royal Jewelry Chamber for a very important mission of his own!