Alice-Miranda At School (18 page)

The next two days dragged for Alice-Miranda. She was so excited about going home. She picked up all the flags and wrote in her diary. She investigated all sorts of places and drew pictures of animals she bumped into along the way. But really her mind was back at school. At first Alice-Miranda had no idea how to ensure that when Mr Grump and Miss Grimm met again, Miss Grimm wouldn't be so upset that she'd hide in her office from him. But the one thing that being alone allowed Alice-Miranda to do was think.
By midday on Friday, as she set off on the last couple of kilometres for home, she had a definite plan. But she needed lots of help. Mummy and Daddy, Miss Higgins, Mrs Smith and Mrs Oliver, Mr Charles, Miss Reedy and Mr Plumpton, Jacinta, Millie and even Alethea. This had to be a team effort. If Miss Grimm was to rediscover the love of her life, then precision planning was required.

As she neared the far paddock gate, Alice-Miranda saw Mr Charles waving furiously. Behind him it looked as though the whole school had come out to greet her. She began running towards them. There was a great shout of ‘Hooray!' as Alice-Miranda ran into Charlie's outstretched arms.

‘Littl'un, you're back and you're safe!' He hugged her tightly.

Alice-Miranda looked around, expecting to see her friend. ‘Where's Millie?'

‘I think she's in the library,' Ivory replied.

Alice-Miranda began to worry. Why hadn't Millie come to meet her? She must have seen Birdy. What if she thought she'd abandoned the hike just like Alethea? Alice-Miranda needed to see her and let her know that she hadn't cheated.

The crowd of girls pushed in around her,
shouting over the top of one another.

‘Was it hard?'

‘We've really missed you.'

‘Even Alethea said something about it not being the same without you.'

Charlie lifted Alice-Miranda onto his shoulders and, surrounded by her friends, they returned in a triumphant parade to the quadrangle.

Miss Grimm was in the wardrobe watching.

‘Oh, good grief. Don't tell me she did it?' she snapped. ‘What am I to do?' That child will be the end of me.'

Miss Higgins, Miss Reedy and all the other teachers were in the courtyard. They marvelled at how well Alice-Miranda looked. She told them it was all because of Mrs Oliver's amazing freeze-dried baked dinners. Mrs Oliver beamed with pride.

While Alice-Miranda had been away, Mrs Smith had decided to try a few new recipes and with Mrs Oliver's help she had already perfected a chicken curry, Mongolian lamb hotpot and a few other more exotic dishes that had never before been seen at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale. Although she'd tried to hide it, Miss Grimm had seemed especially impressed with the curry, which she hadn't had in years.

Alice-Miranda was tired. All she really wanted was a shower, a fresh set of clothes and a cup of tea. After answering loads of questions about how ever she managed to do it, Alice-Miranda was led by Miss Higgins back to the dormitory to freshen up quickly. Mrs Smith had cooked brownies in her honour, so she was wanted back in the dining room as soon as possible. The other girls had been told to wait for her.

‘I'm so proud of you,' Miss Higgins pushed a curl back from Alice-Miranda's face. ‘We're all proud of you,' she smiled.

‘Thank you, Miss Higgins,' said Alice-Miranda. But she was concerned about something else. ‘I need to see Millie. I need to tell her that I didn't cheat.'

‘Of course you didn't cheat,' said Miss Higgins, surprised. ‘Why would she think that?'

‘It's a long story. Could I tell you after my shower?' asked Alice-Miranda, looking serious.

Suddenly there was a crackling sound in the air. Alice-Miranda jumped. Miss Higgins jumped too.

‘Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones, you are to report to the boatshed immediately,' Miss Grimm's voice roared.

‘What?' Alice-Miranda frowned. ‘What's she talking about?'

‘I am talking about the regatta. The third of your challenges. You will compete against Alethea Goldsworthy this afternoon.'

Miss Higgins looked around the room, wondering how Miss Grimm had heard Alice-Miranda's question. She realised then that the technicians who were supposedly fixing the security system must have been doing quite a bit more than that.

The girls and teachers in the dining room were equally stunned.

‘But she doesn't have to race Alethea for another week,' said Miss Reedy, puzzled. ‘Why ever has she brought the race forward? The poor child will be exhausted.'

‘Alethea Goldsworthy, you must also report to the boatshed immediately,' Miss Grimm's voice boomed. ‘The race will commence at 5 pm and may I suggest, Miss Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones, that you begin saying your farewells.'

Millie had heard the announcement in the library. Alice-Miranda was her friend. She didn't deserve this. But what if she had cheated on the hike? Millie
had seen the helicopter with her own eyes. What if Alice-Miranda was just as bad as Alethea? She was so confused. She wanted to support her friend but she couldn't help but wonder if it was all an act – Alice-Miranda's kindness, her sweetness, never saying a bad word about anyone?

Meanwhile, in the dining room, Miss Reedy raised herself to her feet.

‘Quiet, girls. We must head to the lake immediately. I will ask Mrs Oliver and Mrs Smith if they can bring the tea. We must be there to support Alice-Miranda.' She glared at Alethea.

‘Why? Why would you support that little brat? She cheated on the hike, you know. Didn't you see the helicopter on Wednesday afternoon? She's nothing more than an upstart seven-and-a-quarter-year-old cheat!' Alethea screeched.

‘What? Like you?' Danika stood up and glared at Alethea across the table. ‘You cheated last year, Alethea. You called your dear daddy and had him send the helicopter for you, then you spent the rest of the week at the Downsfordvale Manor Spa.'

‘Why you lying –' Alethea reached across the table, as if she was about to strangle Danika. Shelby and Lizzy held her back.

The whole room erupted.

‘I know someone who's definitely out of that group,' Ashima grinned.

‘We're
all
out of the group,' Lizzy called. ‘Come on, Shelby and Danika, let's go. We're sick of being told what to do. We're not your slaves, Alethea.'

‘I'm going to cheer for Alice-Miranda,' said Shelby. She glared at Alethea, who was screaming like a madwoman.

‘Girls, girls, be quiet,' Miss Reedy yelled.

Miss Grimm was watching this outrageous scene from her wardrobe. ‘She cheated. The Head Prefect cheated …' Ophelia's heart sank.

‘Miss Higgins, there is something important I need to tell you.' Alice-Miranda and Miss Higgins were striding towards the lake.

‘Yes of course, what is it?' Miss Higgins was alarmed by the urgency in Alice-Miranda's voice.

‘I know all about Miss Grimm,' she began.

‘What about Miss Grimm?' Miss Higgins's hands began to tremble. She stopped and faced Alice-Miranda.

‘I know all about Amelia Grump and Aldous and
the engagement and why Miss Grimm has a broken heart and why she has locked herself away in the study for all these years,' Alice-Miranda blurted.

Miss Higgins gasped as though she had a bug caught in her throat.

‘Don't be afraid. It's all going to be fine,' Alice-Miranda continued.

‘I'm not so sure. But we haven't got time for that now. It's nearly 5 pm and I can already see Alethea in her boat.' Miss Higgins began to run towards the boatshed, with Alice-Miranda at her side.

Mr Charles was by the water, with the
Emerald
tied up ready for Alice-Miranda to jump straight in. Just as she was about to push off, she noticed three adults walking towards the lake.

She turned to Miss Higgins. ‘There are Mummy and Daddy. And they've brought Mr Grump too.'

Miss Higgins felt faint. ‘Oh, this is going to be bad, very bad.' She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer. ‘There's no time, sweetheart, you need to get out there.'

Miss Higgins gave the
Emerald
a shove and the little boat glided out into the middle of the lake.

Alice-Miranda grabbed the rudder and ducked under the boom as the sail thudded across the boat.

Alice-Miranda caught up to Alethea just before the start line.

‘I'm going to kill you,' Alethea spat. ‘I hate you!'

Charlie had waited as long as he could to make sure Alice-Miranda was almost level with Alethea. He raised the starter gun into the air and fired. The girls were to sail around the island three times.

Miss Grimm was watching the race through the closed-circuit television camera mounted on the boatshed. Alice-Miranda was gaining on Alethea, but Ophelia was confident that the brat wouldn't be able to beat her. Alethea's new skiff had cost thousands and apparently a donkey could have sailed her and won.

‘Go, darling,' Cecelia Highton-Smith shouted from the bank as the boats rounded the island for their first pass. Alice-Miranda was behind and Alethea seemed to be pulling away.

‘Come on, Alice-Miranda, use the wind, use the wind,' her father called.

The whole school was cheering loudly. Mrs Smith and Mrs Oliver had forgotten all about the tea and were jumping up and down as if on pogo sticks.

‘Come on, my girl, you can do it,' Mrs Oliver shouted.

‘Beat that brat,' Mrs Smith screamed over the top.

Alethea was almost five lengths in front as they completed the first lap.

In the meantime, Millie had been unable to concentrate in the library. She ran out of the building and down to the water's edge. She immediately recognised Alice-Miranda's mother from her photograph.

‘Hello Mrs High– Cecelia, I'm Millie,' she smiled.

‘Hello Millie, this is my husband, Hugh, and this is a friend, Aldous. Alice-Miranda met him in the mountains on Wednesday and I rather think she rescued him,' said Cecelia.

‘So she didn't get picked up?' Millie frowned.

‘No, of course not. Birdy and Cyril came for Mr Grump. I wanted to tell you but Alice-Miranda had sworn me to secrecy. She wanted to explain it all herself,' Cecelia smiled.

Millie felt a surge of relief. Alice-Miranda wasn't a cheat. She was her wonderful best friend. She ran to the water's edge just as the
Emerald
passed.

‘Go, Alice-Miranda, go,' she shouted over the top of everyone.

Alice-Miranda looked over and saw Millie waving and cheering. She felt so relieved – her mother must have explained everything. She turned her focus back to the race.

She was catching up with Alethea. As they were about to finish the second lap, Alice-Miranda was only a couple of lengths behind. Alethea's boat seemed to be lying lower in the water and the
Emerald
was gaining all the time. A gust of wind propelled Alice-Miranda forward and she was almost level. Then Alethea reached backwards and hit a switch on the stern of her skiff. Suddenly it took off at a ridiculous pace.

‘She's got a motor,' Danika shouted, pointing at the froth behind Alethea's boat.

‘She's cheating again,' Lizzy called.

Alice-Miranda was now half a lap behind. Her heart began to sink. She didn't want to have to leave Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale. She belonged here.

‘Go, darling, go,' her father urged. ‘Use the wind.'

A huge gust propelled her forward again and she began to make up some ground. Alethea's boat really did look to be sinking. She must have realised it too, because she started bailing the water with her hands.

‘Look!' Millie shouted as the boats came back
into view. ‘The
Emerald
's just nosed ahead.'

The spectators shouted in chorus, ‘Go, Alice-Miranda, go!'

The finish line was only metres away. Alice-Miranda was ahead. Alethea was up to her waist in water but somehow her boat was still moving forward. Just as the girls were about to cross the line, Alice-Miranda surged ahead and Alethea's boat sank like a brick.

The crowd erupted. Alice-Miranda looked behind her to see a waterlogged Alethea clinging to the mast of her skiff.

‘Alethea,' she cried. ‘Swim over here.'

Alethea was crying ferociously. ‘No, go away. I hate you,' she screamed.

Charlie was already motoring towards Alethea in the dinghy.

‘Well done,' he called to Alice-Miranda. ‘Don't worry. I'll get her.' He sped towards the crumpled mess in the middle of the lake.

Alice-Miranda sailed to the jetty where her father lifted her out of the
Emerald
and onto the shore. Everyone was cheering and clapping. Her mother hugged her, then Mr Grump did, and then a long line of girls and teachers took their turns congratulating her.