Alice-Miranda Shines Bright 8 (17 page)

Stan Frost bit his lip. ‘There's got to be a way to save Wood End.'

Alice-Miranda was thinking.

Millie glanced at the kitchen clock. It was after five and the girls had promised to be back before dinner. ‘We have to get going, Alice-Miranda.'

The child nodded. ‘Mr Frost, you said that you wouldn't tell anyone about the gold even if you'd discovered it.' She looked at him expectantly.

Stan nodded.

‘Do you have any children?' Alice-Miranda asked.

Stan Frost looked at Reg. His eyes filled with tears. ‘I had a son and a daughter. But they're gone now.' He ran a hand over his face.

‘I'm so sorry to hear that, Mr Frost.' Alice-Miranda reached across and patted the old man on the forearm. ‘Have you thought about what you're going to do with Wood End in the future?'

Stan frowned. ‘The future?'

‘When you retire. Were you planning to sell up and travel the world, perhaps?'

‘Heavens, no. I've already retired and I was planning to spend the rest of my life right here, tending my garden and looking after the animals. I have no desire to be anywhere but here for the rest of my days,' the old man replied.

Alice-Miranda nodded. ‘Well, that's wonderful.'

‘I don't see how it's wonderful if some rotten woman is going to turn my farm into a ruddy great goldmine,' said Stan.

‘What are you thinking?' Millie asked.

‘I don't really know yet,' Alice-Miranda replied. But she had an idea. It was just a matter of finding out whether or not there was a chance it could work.

The girls bade farewell to Mr Frost and Mr Parker, vowing to be back as soon as they could with any news.

It didn't take long to entice Bony and Chops to the fence with a couple of fat carrots. Sadly, they were both too slow and Cynthia managed to snatch both of the juicy vegetables before they took a bite. She hee-hawed loudly, then took off at a speedy trot around the field with Cherry and Pickles in hot pursuit.

‘She's a character,' Alice-Miranda laughed. She gave Bony a pat while Mr Frost walked over to the vegetable patch and pulled some more carrots for the ponies.

‘She's a hairy monster,' said Stan. He thrust the carrot in Bony's direction. The pony quickly demolished it in two bites.

Reginald Parker was standing nearby, fidgeting. ‘Now, promise you won't tell Myrtle where I am.'

‘Of course, Mr Parker, if that's what you really want,' Alice-Miranda reassured him.

‘I'd appreciate it.' The old man's face creased into gentle folds as he smiled at the two girls. ‘I'm not saying I never want to see her again. I'm just not ready yet.'

‘Hopefully soon,' Millie said. ‘Mrs Parker's been very upset, especially when she thought you'd run off with Nurse Raylene.'

‘Run off with the nurse?' Reginald's brow wrinkled.

‘I'm afraid so,' Millie nodded.

‘She's lost her marbles for sure. Only woman I've ever loved is Myrtle. I just need a few days.'

The two girls mounted their ponies. Dark clouds had gathered while they'd been inside and it had now started to rain.

‘Goodbye Mr Frost,' Alice-Miranda called. ‘Good­bye Mr Parker. It really is wonderful to finally meet you.'

Millie said goodbye and waved at the gentlemen as the ponies began to trot down the driveway towards the stream.

‘What lovely little girls,' Stan said as he led Reg back inside the house. He felt a pang of regret, like a punch to his stomach.

‘That Alice-Miranda's a real card, you know,' Reg replied. ‘That story she was reading . . .' He stopped and stared at Stan. ‘How did I remember that?'

‘I don't know but I think we'd better get you to that doctor sooner rather than later,' Stan replied.

 

 

A
lice-Miranda and Millie cantered towards the school, eager to get back before dinner. The black sky had made good its promise and the girls and their ponies were now soaked to the skin. They arrived at the stables sodden and completely out of breath.

‘We're never going to make it in time,' Millie puffed as she looked up at the stable clock. ‘We'll have to get changed before dinner too. Miss Reedy will murder us.'

Elsa, the new stablehand, appeared from inside one of the boxes.

‘Hello girls – oh, look at you two. I was wondering how much longer you'd be out,' she said with a smile.

‘Hello Elsa,' said Alice-Miranda. She removed her helmet and began to unbuckle Bony's girth straps. ‘We hadn't planned to be quite so long but we met some friends and got a little bit sidetracked.'

‘You'll both catch a death of cold in those wet clothes! I can put these two away,' Elsa offered.

‘Thanks, Elsa, that's fab,' said Millie.

‘Be a good boy for Elsa,' whispered Alice-Miranda to Bony. She blew gently into his nostrils. The little pony snorted and Alice-Miranda wiped a small amount of slime from her forehead. ‘What will I do with you?' she giggled.

Millie gave Chops a quick pat too.

‘You'd better get moving,' said Elsa. ‘Susannah was up here earlier and she said that Miss Reedy was on the warpath down there.'

‘Thanks, Elsa. I promise we don't usually do this,' Alice-Miranda called as she and Millie charged out into the pouring rain and down the driveway towards the boarding house.

They almost bumped into Miss Reedy, who was hiding under a large umbrella on her way to dinner.

‘Girls, look at you. I thought you'd be back at least half an hour ago,' she scolded them. Miss Reedy was surprised to see the girls and realised that she'd failed to make sure that everyone had returned to the house before dinner. She wasn't enjoying her dual role and couldn't wait for Mrs Howard to get back.

‘Miss Reedy, we have some wonderful news,' Alice-Miranda blurted.

The teacher frowned. ‘It had better be good. You'll need to get out of those clothes before dinner.' She turned and walked back up the path and opened the door to Grimthorpe House. Once inside, Miss Reedy went ahead and found a couple of towels that Mrs Howard always left in a little cupboard in the sitting room in case of such emergencies.

The teacher wrapped a towel around Millie and then Alice-Miranda.

‘We found Mr Parker,' Millie blurted, unable to wait any longer.

‘And he's absolutely fine,' Alice-Miranda added.

‘Goodness, really?' Miss Reedy's eyes were wide. ‘That's wonderful news. Where is he?'

Alice-Miranda and Millie told her all about meeting Ursula and Mr Frost and then finding Mr Parker.

No one had noticed Jacinta standing in the hallway. She'd been in her room and wondered why the house had fallen silent when she realised that she was late for dinner. Not that she felt like eating. She was still churned up about the meeting with Mrs Jelly and the news that none of the girls would be attending Sainsbury Palace because of her. She'd expected Miss Grimm to be furious, but she wasn't – at least, not about what happened at the orientation. Jacinta had still been in trouble for her late-night escape to the stables and had received a solid telling-off for her moody behaviour, but that was hardly anything really.

She'd been about to head off to the dining room when she heard voices and realised that Miss Reedy was in the back sitting room with Alice-Miranda and Millie.

Jacinta couldn't believe her ears. Mr Parker had been found! He was alive and well and this was her chance to do something good. She'd telephone her mother right away. Mrs Parker would be so grateful.

Jacinta poked her head around the doorway and spied the telephone sitting in its cradle just inside the room. She reached around and picked it up, then sped silently to her bedroom and quietly closed the door.

‘Mummy,' she whispered down the line. ‘I have some wonderful news. You must tell Mrs Parker right away.'

Back in the sitting room, the girls and Miss Reedy were discussing what to do next.

‘We have to call Mrs Parker at once,' Miss Reedy said. ‘She'll be so relieved.'

‘That's what we said, but I'm afraid you can't,' said Alice-Miranda.

‘I don't understand,' Miss Reedy said. ‘Of course we have to let the poor woman know.'

‘Mr Parker made us promise that we wouldn't tell her where he is. He said that he's not ready to go home yet,' Alice-Miranda explained.

‘Poor man.' Miss Reedy shook her head. ‘It sounds like he's in shock. I don't think he knows what's good for him at all.'

Miss Reedy stood up. ‘I'll call Constable Derby and he can decide what's best.' She walked towards the telephone and was surprised to see it missing. She pursed her lips. ‘That's strange. I could have sworn it was right there a moment ago.'

She walked into Mrs Howard's office, wondering if she'd put the handset down in there and forgotten about it. A quick scan revealed nothing.

‘One of the girls must have taken the phone to her room,' she murmured as she walked back into the sitting room. ‘I've told them before that's not on. You two run along and get changed and I'll keep looking for the phone.'

The two girls raced down the hall. Jacinta heard the footsteps and told her mother that she had to go.

Miss Reedy strode from room to room checking for the missing telephone. She was stunned when she opened Jacinta's bedroom door to find the girl lying on her bed, headphones in and reading a book.

‘What are you doing here?' Miss Reedy shouted.

Jacinta pulled out the earphones and frowned at the teacher.

‘Is it dinner?' she asked innocently.

‘Yes, fifteen minutes ago.'

‘I didn't hear the bell,' Jacinta replied with a shrug.

‘Well, you can get going over there right now,' the teacher said. ‘And have you seen the house phone?'

Jacinta shook her head.

Miss Reedy spun around and caught sight of the handset poking out from under a pile of papers on Sloane's desk.

‘I've told Sloane Sykes before that she doesn't have sole rights to the telephone!' Miss Reedy snatched it up and stalked out of the room.

Jacinta shuffled off her bed and slipped on her loafers before following Miss Reedy down the corridor.

Back in the office, Miss Reedy telephoned Constable Derby, who was relieved and amazed to hear her news.

 

 

 

A
mbrosia Headlington-Bear had been busy trying to finish her article outlining clothing and packing tips for an island holiday when Jacinta called. She'd been hoping to get it finished that evening – it shouldn't have been difficult, given she'd been on so many tropical getaways over the past few years. But those days were gone – there was no money for research at the moment. Ambrosia wondered how Myrtle Parker would react to the good news. She pulled on her boots, threw on a coat and snatched up an umbrella.

Across the road, she could see a light on in Myrtle's sitting room. She skipped up the porch stairs and rang the bell.

Inside, Myrtle Parker was in the middle of dusting. She'd spent all day looking for Reginald, driving up and down the lanes and searching the sheds at the showground. But there had been no sign. She was quite convinced that he had relapsed somewhere in a field. Silly man, whatever had possessed him to get up and leave? And where on earth did he think he was going? At least he'd had the wherewithal to put on some clothes, which Myrtle had discovered when she'd found his blue striped pyjamas in the load of washing Alice-Miranda had put on the day before.

The old woman looked up at Newton the gnome, who was sitting quietly on the mantelpiece taking it all in.

‘Did he say anything to you?' she asked the concrete creature. ‘Suppose not.' Myrtle flicked the duster over the gnome's head and sighed. The sound of the doorbell startled her and she almost sent the little fellow flying. He wobbled and then thudded back into position.

‘What is it now?' Myrtle huffed under her breath. She bustled to the door and wrenched it open.

‘Hello Myrtle,' said Ambrosia. ‘I have some news.' She closed her umbrella and forced her way inside the front hall.

Myrtle tutted. She hadn't even invited the woman in.

‘I think you should sit down,' Ambrosia instructed and ushered Myrtle into the sitting room.

The old woman pursed her lips. ‘And I think you should take that wet coat off. I don't need you drip­ping all over my lovely floors.'

Ambrosia did her best not to roll her eyes, and tugged at the sleeves on her coat.

The old woman lowered herself onto the sofa. She felt a twinge in her stomach.

‘Well, what is it? I haven't got all night, you know. Some of us have work to do.' She flicked the feather duster into the air.

Ambrosia reached out and placed her hand onto Myrtle's. ‘I've just got off the phone with Jacinta and she said that she knows where Reginald is.'

Myrtle Parker swallowed and looked at the woman. ‘Well, where is he? And how does she know? Did she see him?'

Ambrosia shook her head. ‘No, I don't believe so.'

‘You're not going to tell me some gobbledegook about the child having telepathic powers are you?' Myrtle said dubiously. The past few days had been like riding a roller-coaster and she didn't think she could stand another free fall.

‘He's with some fellow called Stan out in the woods, at a place called Wood End,' Ambrosia replied.

Myrtle said nothing but her face turned a horrible shade of grey.

‘Are you all right?' Ambrosia asked. ‘Isn't it wonderful news? Mr Parker will be home with you in no time.'

‘I should have known,' Myrtle whispered.

‘Why should you have known?' Ambrosia asked. ‘Who is this Stan fellow?'

Myrtle Parker stood up. She strode into the kitchen and gathered up her handbag and car keys. She then disappeared into the bedroom and jammed her pillbox hat onto her head, then stopped at the hall mirror to check that it was straight.

‘Are you coming?' she called to Ambrosia, who was wondering if Myrtle was having some kind of breakdown. Her behaviour was often curious but this was strange, even for her.

Ambrosia scurried to the front hall. ‘Are you going to find him?'

‘Yes. If it's the last thing I do,' Myrtle replied. ‘Now, are you coming with me or do I have to undertake this mission alone?'

There was no way Ambrosia was going to let Myrtle Parker out on her own. Not in her current state and in this weather.

‘Of course,' Ambrosia replied. For the second time in two days, she found herself heading out with her neighbour. At least this time they knew where they were going.

‘Well hurry up. We haven't got all night.'

‘Mr Parker will be so glad to see you,' Ambrosia said as the two women hopped into Myrtle's little hatchback.

But Myrtle didn't reply. She was thinking about what she would say to Reginald when she found him.