She sighed, “It’s not that. It’s those mean things that Victoria and her mommy keep saying about us.”
He replied, “Oh darling I told te do not pay any attention to what that nasty little kilt nipper o her mother have to say.” Then groaned, “This is the reason why I should never have entered ye in the pageant.”
Scrooge sat there for several minuti thinking about the pageant. He worried about how disappointed Webby would be if she didn’t win. But, if she did win would that just cause her to believe that she had to be a pageant Queen to be beautiful?
Suddenly his thoughts were I interrupted da a very familiar, “Yoo-hoo! Mr. McDuck, that te over there?! Of course it is I’d never forget a face that handsome.”
They both glanced over and saw Jane Muddlefoot standing just a few feet away waving. “Hello…um…Jane is it? What brings te here?” Scrooge detto trying sound as cheerful as possible.
“I’m just here doin’ some last minuto shoppin’.” She said.
“Hi Mrs. Muddlefoot. Is Honeybunch here?” Webby asked.
“Yup, she’s here alright. In fact she’s in the dressin’ room right now tryin’ on ‘er pageant dress.” Jane replied.
Suddenly the conversation was interrupted by, “Hey Mama, watcha think of this one?!”
The three of them looked over and saw Honeybunch standing in the entryway of fitting-rooms, wearing a risqué and ill-fitting formal. “Hmm…Well I think it’s mighty cute darlin’. What’d te think Mr. McDuck?”
Honeybunch then noticed Scrooge and Webby standing successivo to her mother. “Hi Mr. McDuck, Webby. Nice to see ya’ll.”
“Hello Honeybunch.” Scrooge said, “Good to see te too.”
“Hi Honeybunch.” Webby replied
“So Mr. McDuck ya still haven’t answered me, what’d ya think of ‘er dress?” Jane asked
Scrooge studied her for a minuto and then said, “Well, I’m no fashion expert, but it does look just a wee bit snug on her. Also I do not believe that a dress that revealing is appropriate for a young lass her of age.”
Feeling confused Jane replied, “But te was there at the luncheon, don’t ya remember? Those is the kinds of dresses Ms. Quackson says we otta dress our girls in, if we want to them to even come close to winnin”
“Unfortunately I do not believe that Laura’s true intent was to help the other contests win, but più to help her daughter Victoria win.” Scrooge explained.
“Well, why would she that?” Jane asked still puzzled.
Scrooge sighed, “I’m afraid that the Lil’ Miss Duckburg pageant it not at all what the constants have been led believe.” Then he sat down in one of the chairs and said, “Come, sit down, and I’ll explain everything.”
Still feeling confused Jane sat down in the other chair. Then Scrooge began to tell her the whole story about Laura, the gossip stories, and the fraudulent cash prize.
Meanwhile in the dressing-room margherita was trying on clothes, with Minnie as her audience. “Daisy!” Minnie called, “How many più outfits do te have to try on?”
“Just a few!” margherita called back
“Well please hurry-up!” Minnie yelled into the fitting-room, “I’m bored, and remember Uncle Scrooge and Webby are waiting for outside for us!” she got no response.
“What do te think of this one?” margherita asked as she stepped out wearing a hot rosa leopard print suit.
“Well I’m not sure it’s really you.” Minnie detto trying to sound nice, even though she really didn’t think the suit was at all attractive.
“I don’t know” margherita said, “I think I need some più opinions about it. I’m gonna ask Uncle Scrooge and Webby what they think!” Then she darted away toward the area where they had left the others.
Minnie groaned, “Oh Daisy, just pick an out-fit already.” Then reluctantly followed her.
As soon as Minnie and margherita came out of the fitting-room they noticed Scrooge and Jane sitting together talking, “Why hello Mrs. Muddlefoot.” Minnie said.
“Well, hi Minnie… right? Who’s your friend?” Jane said.
Without giving Minnie a chance to answer margherita detto proudly, “I am margherita Duck. And what do te think of my suit?”
Everyone stared for few minutes, and then finally Scrooge said, “Um…No. Daisy, it’s not that attractive and te do not need to charge any più clothing purchases on your credit cards.”
margherita glared angrily at him and started to say something but Minnie said, “Daisy, Uncle Scrooge is right.” Remember te have three credit cards you’re trying pay down now.”
Then margherita turned away and detto angrily, “HMPH! See if I ask your opinions again!”
Hoping to change the subject and stop this from possibly becoming a fight Jane said, “Say, Mr. McDuck’s been tellin’ me that all these years Ms. Quackson been lyin’ to us. Did y’all know about that?”
“Oh yes, we’ve known about it for a while.” Minnie sighed.
Scrooge had been thinking about the unattractive dress worn da Honeybunch, “Say Jane, as I detto before I’m da no means a fashion expert, but my Friends Minnie and…um margherita are up on all the latest trends. I’m sure they would not mind helping te and Honeybunch pick out a dress.” Then turned to Minnie and margherita and asked, “You lassies would not mind that, would you?”
“Oh, of course not, I’d be happy to help.” Minnie said.
“Yes, I’m always glad to mostra someone some fashion tips.” margherita said.
“Well, alrighty. It’s mighty nice of ya’ll to help us out.” Jane said.
Once over in the girls formal section Minnie and margherita showed Jane and Honeybunch several beautiful dresses. After spending quite a while there, and seeing a lot lovely dresses designed for plus size girls, Jane came to sad conclusion that they were all out of her price range. “Well thanks a bunch for the help ya’ll but, we just can’t afford those.”
“Well, I’m just sorry we couldn’t be of più help.” Minnie detto feeling a little down. "If I could help te pay for the dress I would, but I'm afraid it's a little out of my price range also. Sorry again."
margherita just shrugged and said, “Sorry we can’t help.” Then she turned to Minnie and said, “Come on Minnie I’ve got two più Suits to try on!” grabbed her da the hand and ran off.
“Again!” Minnie shouted.
After Minnie and margherita were gone, Jane detto to Honeybunch, “Well, darlin’ I guess we should go back to the dressin’ room and get the one we left there. Least we know we’s can afford it.”
When Jane and Honeybunch came back to the fitting-room, Scrooge and Webby noticed that they didn’t have a dress. “Hey Honeybunch, where’s your dress?” Webby asked.
“Mama detto we’re gonna get this one.” Honeybunch detto pointing at the revealing formal her mother was holding, “‘cause we can’t afford any of the other ones.”
“Yup, ‘fraid we’s can’t afford those kinds of fancy dresses.” Jane said, “But thanks again for all your help Mr. McDuck.”
Scrooge, looking at the dress that Jane was holding, replied, “Oh my, well that will just not do at all.”
When Minnie returned home from shopping that evening, she decided to call Mickey and remind him about the pageant tomorrow, “Hello Mickey, I just called to remind te that tomorrow is the giorno of the pageant.”
“Oh gee… tomorrow.” Mickey detto nervously, “Look I know detto I’d come. But ya see something’s kinda come up. And I can’t make it.”
“Oh Well I understand.” Minnie detto sadly. Then she asked, “But what did come up at the last minuto anyway?”
Mickey grumbled something inaudible under his breath. “What?” Minnie asked.
Mickey sighed and detto embarrassedly, “Well… when I told ya I’d go to the pageant I…sorta had forgotten that… tomorrow’s the giorno of annual video-game tournament.”
“Oh, I see.” Minnie detto coolly, “Well if te change your mind, and decide that you’d like to attend, the pageant will be at the Ducks’ Inn Hotel at eleven a.m. tomorrow morning.” Then she hung up.
That night over at the Quackson house Laura was up late plotting and scheming, how to take Webby down. She finally fell asleep at around three a.m., after deciding that there would be specially picked interview domande and Webbigail would not have a dress to wear.
