Alice-Miranda at Camp 10 (19 page)

Alice-Miranda was awake and dressed before dawn. She'd hardly slept thinking about what was going on at Pelham Park and wondering how her father and Uncle Ed were.

‘Good morning, everyone,' cried Mr Lipp as the children traipsed into the dining room for breakfast.

Figgy shielded his face and took a step back. ‘My eyes, my eyes!'

‘What's the matter, Figworth?' asked Mr Lipp.

‘Your suit, sir. It's blinding me.'

Harry Lipp had outdone himself this morning in a silky lime green ensemble with a bright pink shirt and a blue spotted tie.

He glared at the lad. ‘One day, Figworth, I hope you will appreciate high fashion.'

‘Loud fashion did you say, sir?' the boy called before scuttling away to the servery.

Just before the children left for Pelham Park, Miss Reedy announced the group points tally. Sure enough, another of the groups that hadn't previously won anything was now in the lead.

‘See, I told you this thing was rigged,' Sloane said. ‘The Barn Owls have to win sometime between now and tomorrow morning, or we are seriously a bunch of losers.'

‘Who are you calling a loser?' Caprice sneered.

‘Us,' said Sloane. ‘We haven't won anything.'

‘
You
might not have …' Caprice said smugly.

Miss Reedy continued her announcements. ‘Quite a number of children have consistently impressed the teachers and are in the running for the Queen's Medal, but there is one stand-out at the moment.'

Caprice was waiting for the teacher to announce the names, certain that her own would be on the list.
But Miss Reedy simply said that she would keep the children guessing.

Miss Reedy had taken a phone call from Miss Grimm late the previous evening. She was stunned when the headmistress announced that she would be visiting the fair with Queen Georgiana and they wanted a full briefing before Her Majesty would announce the recipients of the Blues and the winner of the Medal at exactly 1 pm. Her Majesty had decided that as she'd been invited to the Pelham Park Fair anyway, she might as well kill two birds with one stone.

Kill Miss Reedy was more like it, the teacher thought. She had spent half the night calculating scores and checking which of the children had earned their Blues. To say that the results had surprised her was something of an understatement.

‘All right, everyone. Be on your best behaviour, please. There is still time to earn the extra points some of you need to achieve your Blue,' Miss Reedy explained. She was armed with her clipboard and score sheet and ready for action.

It was just after eight thirty when the children arrived at Pelham Park. The fair was due to commence at nine and there was a lot to do before then.

Matron Bright looked as happy and unflustered as ever and seemed genuinely grateful for the hordes of helpers. The children walked around to the back of the house and found the lawns transformed by rows of stalls, a roped-off area with rides and a jumping castle, and a huge marquee in the middle where someone was testing a PA system.

‘For those of you looking after a resident, wheelchairs will be available. It will be a tiring day for them, so please don't walk too fast, and make sure you stop for regular food and toot breaks,' Matron Bright explained. ‘I've asked the residents to meet us in the Great Hall at nine o'clock. In the meantime, you can help me to finish setting up the tea marquee. The rest of you, please report to your stations.'

The children scattered all over the place.

Alice-Miranda and Millie ran around putting cloths on the tables in the tea marquee. ‘I wish I knew what was happening with Daddy and Uncle Ed,' Alice-Miranda told Millie quietly.

‘Surely they'll be out on bail soon,' Millie said. She'd watched quite a few detective shows with her mother in the holidays. ‘It's not like they're murderers.'

Alice-Miranda frowned. ‘No, just multimillion dollar art thieves, according to Detective Freeman.'

Matron Bright surveyed the tent.

‘Well done, everyone. Figgy and Rufus, your flower arranging is superb,' she said, beaming. ‘I will be passing that on to Miss Reedy.'

The lads grinned. They'd been less than impressed when assigned the task of filling fifty vases with flowers but it turned out that the pair had an eye for floristry.

‘Let's go and round everyone up.' Matron Bright wiped her hands on her apron and set off for the house with the children behind her.

There was much excitement inside among the residents.

‘Hello Millie,' Mrs Von Thripp greeted the child. ‘Did you see any craft stalls out there? I need a new door snake and I thought you might be able to carry it for me – they weigh a tonne with all that sand.'

Figgy and Rufus offered Mr Mobbs and Mr Johnson wheelchairs and were very pleased when the men agreed. The boys grinned – this was going to be much more fun than they'd thought.

‘Matron, do you know where Mr Freeman is?' Alice-Miranda asked, having skirted the foyer and
poked her head into both the reading and games rooms.

‘He must be running late,' the woman said. ‘Why don't you pop up and see if he's home?'

Alice-Miranda dashed up the stairs two at a time. She rang the buzzer on his door and waited. ‘Hello Mr Freeman, are you coming to the fair?' she called.

The door opened and Donald Freeman poked his head outside.

‘I'm supposed to be accompanying you to the fair, Mr Freeman,' the child said. ‘I'm sorry to have upset you yesterday.'

The man stared at her blankly.

‘You were cross because I asked how you and Harry used to come and go to the house unnoticed,' she reminded him.

‘Oh, did you? Is your father back?' he said.

Alice-Miranda wondered how it was that he could remember some things so clearly while others seemed to pass him by. ‘No. He and Uncle Ed are still away,' she explained. ‘I'm sure Mummy must be with them now though.'

‘Then I'd rather not come out,' the man said.

‘Oh, I'm sorry to hear that,' said Alice-Miranda. She'd hoped that if she spent some time with the
man, he might open up a bit. ‘If you change your mind, I'll be outside.'

Donald Freeman closed the door and paced the room. He had to get back downstairs. He'd thought he'd be able to get it done last night but the frames were far too heavy. When he'd come back upstairs to get the knife he'd fallen asleep. He was confused too. There were things that didn't belong. But he was certain that those men shouldn't have to pay for something their father did so long ago.

Alice-Miranda walked around the balcony to the main stairs. She bounced down and across the Great Hall on her way to the back entrance.

Mr Freeman was a complicated fellow. And not well either, she was quite sure of it. She sniffled and pulled a tissue from her jeans pocket. A shiny gold wrapper fluttered to the floor. Alice-Miranda reached down to pick it up. She'd found it in the vault and forgotten that she'd stuffed it in her pocket.

‘Oh!' She clutched her hands to her mouth. ‘I know where that came from.' She turned back towards the stairs and glimpsed someone rounding the corner of the upstairs corridor. They were heading towards the back stairs. Alice-Miranda took off. What was really going on?

Millie could hardly believe the shopping stamina of Mrs Von Thripp. The woman purchased the heaviest door snake she could find – in the shape of a sausage dog – and had also bought herself a new tea cosy, a cover for the toaster and half-a-dozen placemats.

As the pair turned the corner near the second-hand book stall, the old woman's eyes lit up.

‘Look, Millie! Isn't this wonderful? I'd like to buy at least a dozen books,' she chortled. ‘And I don't believe in paperbacks.'

Millie sighed. Her arms still hadn't recovered from the canoeing expedition and now they were just about falling off under the weight of the shopping, without adding a pile of books. She looked about and saw one of the spare wheelchairs. Millie raced off to get it and dumped Mrs Von Thripp's purchases on the seat. She pushed it back to the book stall as fast as she could.

The woman clasped her hands together in delight. ‘What a thoughtful girl you are.'

Millie looked at her in confusion and then heaved another sigh. She picked up the pile and looked for somewhere to attach the bags. Mrs Von Thripp hopped into the contraption and waited for Millie to push her.

‘Now, dear, you'll have to carry my parcels or it will make the chair unstable,' the old woman instructed.

‘Very thoughtful of you, Millie,' said Miss Reedy as she walked past. ‘You might just earn that Blue yet.'

‘Really?' Millie grinned tightly.

‘Have you seen Alice-Miranda and Mr Freeman?' Miss Reedy asked.

Millie shook her head. She'd been keeping an eye out but they were nowhere to be found.

‘Well, enjoy your morning, and don't forget the choir's first performance is at midday.' With that Miss Reedy sauntered over to the book stall to talk to Sloane, Jacinta and Caprice.

Mr Plumpton had been wandering about and observing the children's work too. He spotted Figgy and Rufus, who were both pushing wheelchairs.

He nodded. ‘Very considerate.' Then he realised exactly what the boys were up to.

‘On your marks, get set, GO!' Figgy shouted. The two lads started slowly but were building to a run.

‘Woohoo!' Mr Mobbs shouted and pumped the air with his fist.

Mr Johnson leaned forward in his chair. ‘Come on, boy, let's beat that old buzzard!'

The lads were flying down the driveway towards the overflow car park.

‘Stop!' the teacher shouted. He took off after them as fast as his little legs could carry him. ‘Stop now or you'll kill someone.'

‘We won!' Mr Mobbs clapped loudly. ‘Well done, boy.'

‘I demand a rematch.' Mr Johnson's smile was wider than a whale's.

Mr Plumpton caught up to the foursome, puffing and wheezing. ‘Good heavens, what on earth do you boys think you were doing? You could have killed these two gentlemen.'

‘It was their idea,' Figgy retorted.

‘Surely not,' Mr Plumpton replied. ‘You lads should know better.'

Mr Mobbs and Mr Johnson glared at the teacher. ‘Leave those lads alone,' Mr Mobbs demanded. ‘That's the most fun I've had in years. Come on, then. Let's do it again.'

‘But, gentlemen, I must insist …' Mr Plumpton began.

‘There's more chance of you having a heart attack, tubby, than of those boys doing us an injury,' Mr Johnson quipped.

‘Suit yourselves. But don't come running to me when there's blood.' Mr Plumpton took a deep breath and stalked off towards the tea marquee. He could do with a brew and a cheese scone.

‘Would you like a cup of tea, Mrs Von Thripp?' Millie asked. She was hoping to leave her in the tent for a few minutes and look for Alice-Miranda.

‘Oh yes, dear, that would be marvellous.'

Millie pushed her into the tea marquee, where
Mr Lipp and Mr Trout were busy setting up the stage for the choir's performance.

Millie found a table and quickly organised some tea and scones.

‘I've, uh … just got to go to the toilet,' the child fibbed. She ran out of the marquee and looked down towards the summer house. There were several large trucks parked close to it, obscuring her view.

What Millie saw next set her eyes agog. It was a man carrying a painting. He disappeared into the back of one of the trucks.

She had to find Alice-Miranda. It was today. Jezza and Nigel were clearing out the cellar
today
. In broad daylight, in the middle of the fair. The hide of them.

Millie raced back towards the marquee. She almost bumped into Jacinta and Sloane, who were taking a quick break.

‘What's the matter?' Jacinta said. ‘You look as if you've seen a ghost.'

‘I need to find Alice-Miranda,' Millie gasped.

‘Why? What's wrong?' Sloane demanded.

Sep and Lucas had been relieved of their post at the jumping castle for a few minutes and saw the girls together.

‘Having fun?' Sep asked.

Millie ignored him and glanced back towards the lake. What if she couldn't find Alice-Miranda before the crooks left?

‘What's wrong with you, Millie?' asked Lucas.

‘We need to do something,' she said. She hoped that Alice-Miranda hadn't seen the criminals first, and tried to go after them on her own.

‘What are you talking about?' Sloane huffed.

‘I think Alice-Miranda might be in trouble,' said Millie. ‘Her father and uncle have been arrested.'

‘What?' The kids were incredulous.

‘When and how?' Lucas asked. ‘And why didn't we know about this?'

Before Millie could explain, there was a burst of crackle from the PA system.

‘Good morning, everyone. What a fine day it is,' blared Mr Lipp's voice.

‘Turn it down, sunshine, we're not deaf, you know,' an elderly gentleman in the tent complained, rubbing his finger in his ear.

Mr Lipp cleared his throat. ‘Huhhrmm. I wanted to remind everyone that in just over half an hour's time the Winchester-Fayle Singers, for whom I am the choirmaster, will be performing a medley of songs right here in the tea marquee. That's also a reminder
to the students that I will be expecting them for a little warm-up in ten minutes' time.'

‘Ten minutes,' Millie said. ‘We can't wait until after we sing. The thieves will be gone by then and there'll be no proof that it wasn't Hugh and Ed who masterminded the whole thing.'

‘What should we do?' Lucas asked.

‘We've got to catch them in the act,' Millie said defiantly.

‘Okay,' said Sep. ‘Let's go down there and see what we can find out.'

Caprice walked into the marquee just as the five friends were heading towards the lake. ‘Where are they going?' she mumbled to herself.

‘Excuse me, dear? Have you seen Millie?' Mrs Von Thripp asked.

Caprice noticed Mr Plumpton sitting at a table nearby.

‘Oh, I'm sorry but I think she's gone to play with her friends,' Caprice said loudly. ‘But I can help you.' She smiled sweetly at the old woman.

Mr Plumpton wondered what Caprice was talking about. Millie knew that she was to remain with her resident. This wasn't meant to be a day off.