Alice-Miranda Shows the Way (6 page)

‘I'
m starving,' Millie complained as the girls trotted down the drive. She looked around for the satchel containing their picnic feast.

‘It's gone,' Millie groaned.

‘What's gone?' Alice-Miranda asked.

‘The satchel,' Millie replied. ‘I thought I'd done it up properly but that dodgy buckle must have broken.'

‘We could ask Miss Hephzibah for something to eat,' Alice-Miranda suggested, as they hadn't yet reached the bottom of the drive.

Millie shook her head. ‘No, let's go back to school. I couldn't stand listening to any more of Nosey Parker.'

‘She certainly does know a lot about people,' Alice-Miranda agreed, ‘but I'm sure she has good intentions.'

‘Good intentions! Pah.' Millie tightened the reins on Chops and dug her heels into his belly. He started to canter and she almost slipped off. ‘Hey, what did you do that for?'

‘You asked him to,' Alice-Miranda called out.

‘Yes, but you know Chops isn't the most obedient pony,' Millie replied. ‘It usually takes at least three or four kicks to get him to move.'

‘Well, I think he's been an angel today. Did you put some molasses in his dinner last night?'

‘No, but I did whisper in his ear that if he didn't start to behave better we might take a visit to the dog food factory,' Millie replied.

‘Oh, Millie, that's horrible. Poor Chops.' Alice-Miranda turned her attention to the shaggy pony. ‘You know she'd never do it and if she tried, I'd take you home to the Hall and you could play with Shergar and Phinnie and darling Boo.' She was referring to the other horses who spent their
days grazing on the emerald fields at her home, Highton Hall.

Chops whinnied as if to agree with her and threw his head back and forth.

The girls arrived at the stables and decided to turn Bony and Chops out into the paddock for half an hour while they visited Mrs Smith.

On seeing Alice-Miranda with a bandaid on her forehead, Doreen Smith was positively overcome.

‘Oh, my dear girl, what happened to you?' she fussed.

For the second time that day Alice-Miranda explained about their adventure at Gertrude's Grove and for the second time Millie took great joy in adding extra details and then admitted that somewhere she'd lost their lovely picnic lunch too.

‘You sit down right there.' Mrs Smith pointed at the stool beside the bench. ‘I'll make you both some roast beef sandwiches and then, when they've cooled down –' she opened the oven and pulled out a tray of her signature chocolate brownies – ‘you can have one of these.'

Millie's stomach grumbled on cue. ‘Yum, they smell delicious.'

‘I'll have to tell Charlie about those carnival
folk,' Mrs Smith said as she opened the fridge and pulled out some butter and a slab of roast beef. ‘It's a nervous time of year.'

‘Why do you say that, Mrs Smith?' Alice-Miranda asked.

‘Last year there was a spate of thefts around the village. They were only silly things like garden ornaments and porch furniture but we all had our suspicions.'

‘Did Constable Derby find out who did it?' Alice-Miranda asked.

‘No, but Mrs Parker's most treasured gnome – I think she called him Newton – began turning up on postcards sent from all around the country.'

Millie burst out laughing. ‘That's hilarious. If I was Newton I'd have escaped too.'

Mrs Smith grinned. ‘I shouldn't say so, but I think you're quite right about that.'

‘I don't see why the carnival people should be blamed for things just because they're in town. I mean, it makes a perfect cover for anyone who wanted to get up to no good. They could just blame the travellers,' Alice-Miranda said decisively.

‘I hear what you're saying, dear, but to be on the safe side, you just stay away and let them get on with
preparing the village show,' Mrs Smith said sternly. ‘Millie, would you like to come and get the sandwiches while I make you some cordial?'

The girls ate their lunch and chatted with Mrs Smith about her plans for the next week's dinner menu.

‘Now, what are you two doing this afternoon?' the cook asked as she cut two large brownies from the slab.

‘We're going to see Mr Walt over at Chesterfield Downs,' Alice-Miranda replied.

‘I'm heading over there later myself. I've got a lovely sponge and these brownies are for the lads' afternoon tea,' Mrs Smith explained. ‘Then I might pop over to the hospital and see Evelyn for a while.'

‘Could you take the card I've written for her, please?' Alice-Miranda asked. ‘I feel awful. I wrote it on Monday evening and thought I'd put it into the post but then I saw it this morning underneath some papers on my desk. It must be old age – who knew that turning eight would have such an effect on my memory?'

Mrs Smith and Millie laughed.

‘There's no hope for me then, is there?' Millie said. ‘I'm almost eleven!'

‘And what about me, dear – I shouldn't have any memory left at all given my positively ancient age.' The woman shook her head. ‘Of course I'll take it for you, Alice-Miranda. I just hope I remember to give it to her.' She winked at Millie.

‘I'll go and get it from the house. And thanks for lunch.' Alice-Miranda hopped down from her seat.

‘I'll go get Chops and Bony,' Millie offered. ‘Oh yeah, thanks for lunch,' she added before the two girls flew out the kitchen door.

Millie walked back up the hill towards the stables. She called out to Bony and Chops, who were happily grazing in the small holding paddock nearby. Bony's ears pricked up and he walked over to greet her. Much to her surprise, Chops also did as he was told.

‘Hello boy.' Millie scratched his ear. ‘You know I'd never really send you to the dog food factory, but let's just keep that between us.'

‘He'd make a good few cans,' a voice spoke from behind her.

Millie jumped and spun around.

‘Oh, Mr Boots,' she said. ‘I didn't hear you come over.'

‘What would you get for him?' the young man asked.

‘Sorry, what do you mean?' Millie frowned.

‘At the dog food factory?' he said. ‘How much?'

‘Oh, that was just a joke, to get him to behave a bit better,' Millie grinned.

‘Reckon they'd give you a few quid.' Billy Boots stared at Chops, then turned his attention to Bonaparte. He ran his hand along the pony's sleek rump. ‘Reckon you'd be worth a whole lot more, though.'

Bony jerked his head around and bared his teeth, then licked Billy's arm.

‘Not again,' Billy slapped Bonaparte on the bottom and laughed. He led Bony and Chops through the gate.

‘I'd better get going,' she said.

‘Where to?' Billy asked.

‘We're going over to Chesterfield Downs.'

‘Chesterfield Downs?' Billy repeated. ‘That's where Wally's gone, isn't it? He said it's a pretty nice place.'

‘I've heard that too. But I've never been before. I just hope Wally hasn't had too many close encounters with Rockstar yet,' Millie grinned.

‘Rockstar? You mean the champion racehorse? Does he live there?'

‘Oh yes, he's the star of the stable,' Millie nodded.

‘I bet he's worth a flipping fortune,' Billy exhaled.

‘I suppose so. But he'll be worth a lot more when he wins the Queen's Cup,' said Millie. ‘Aunty Gee hasn't ever won her own cup.'

‘Who's Aunty Gee when she's at home?' Billy asked.

‘That's Queen Georgiana, but she said that I could call her Aunty Gee,' Millie explained.

‘How the heck do you know the Queen?' Billy scoffed. ‘If you do, that is.'

‘I really do. She's Alice-Miranda's mother's godmother and I've met her a few times now.'

‘So Queen Georgiana owns Rockstar and
he
lives here in the village,' Billy said. He frowned and bit his lip.

‘Yes, but his trainer Miss Pepper is laid up in hospital with a broken hip. I've never met Rockstar but everyone says that he and Miss Pepper have a special bond and he's completely mean to everyone else. I hope it doesn't affect his chances of winning. Anyway, I have to go,' Millie said. She'd just spotted
Alice-Miranda in the distance. The red-haired child led the two ponies away.

Something about Billy Boots gave Millie a strange feeling that she couldn't work out. She wondered if she'd been hanging around Alice-Miranda too long. He seemed nice enough and even Bonaparte liked him but he asked odd questions. Millie decided to talk to Alice-Miranda about her uneasiness as soon as possible.

O
n the way to Chesterfield Downs, Millie told Alice-Miranda about her chat with Billy.

‘There's just something about him. I really don't know what it is,' she finished, frowning.

Alice-Miranda nodded. ‘I know a lot about strange feelings, Millie. Maybe you've caught it from me. I've found that there's usually an explanation for these things. Perhaps Mr Boots just needs someone to give him a chance.'

Millie nodded but she wasn't convinced.

‘Come on.' Alice-Miranda clicked her tongue and Bonaparte began to canter. ‘Or Mr Walt will think we're not coming.'

Miles and miles of hedgerows shielded much of Chesterfield Downs from view. The lane was bordered on the low side by a grove of alders, ash and beech trees, their leaves creating a pretty palette of green. Dappled sunlight lit the girls' way until they came to a pair of ancient limestone gateposts.

On the left a brass nameplate announced the property and on the right a small coat of arms and the letters HRH indicated that the farm was indeed owned by Her Royal Highness, Aunty Gee. An imposing set of iron gates stood open.

The brick-edged driveway seemed to go on forever, with emerald paddocks dotted with oak trees on either side and several horses grazing on the lush meadow grass.

As the girls rounded a bend in the road, a magnificent Georgian house came into view. It was three storeys through the centre with identical octagonal double-storey wings on either end. In the front of the property was a perfectly formed lake and a magnificent formal rose garden.

‘Wow!' Millie exclaimed. ‘What a beautiful house.'

‘And garden. It's lovely,' Alice-Miranda agreed. ‘I can't imagine why Aunty Gee doesn't come down here more often.'

‘She probably has about ten houses just like this one,' Millie scoffed.

‘I suppose so,' said Alice-Miranda. ‘It does seem a little more than anyone needs. I wonder if she's ever thought to allow people who are down on their luck to stay here while they get back on their feet?'

‘Are you thinking of Billy Boots?' Millie asked with a grin. ‘Really? Aunty Gee is good fun but I can't imagine this place full of hobos.'

The girls spent another couple of minutes studying the house, and spotted a sign marked ‘Stables' pointing towards the rear. They rode on and at the crest of the hill both girls gasped. The land flattened out and to the right an enormous stable complex dominated the landscape. It had a small clock tower in the centre and a row of dormer windows in the roof. A vast pair of timber doors stood open at the end. There was a small holding yard beside the building, and beyond yet another hedge was a full-sized racetrack. A whitewashed cottage sat amid a pretty garden just below the stables.

Millie's eyes were on stalks as she took it all in. ‘What an amazing place.'

Alice-Miranda dismounted and pulled the reins over Bony's head. Millie did the same and then the two girls walked towards a hitching rail beside the stables and tied the ponies up side by side.

‘Now, you two behave yourselves,' Alice-Miranda instructed.

There didn't seem to be anyone around. The girls walked towards the stables and peered inside.

Through the double row of stalls, at least a dozen down either side, the girls could just make out a group of people huddled at the other end of the building.

‘Hello,' Alice-Miranda called out. ‘May we come in?' She squinted as her eyes adjusted to the low light.

The group turned and looked at her.

‘Hello Miss Alice-Miranda, Miss Millie,' Wally Whitstable called, beckoning them to enter.

The girls could hear a low murmuring as Wally explained to the others that these were the visitors he was expecting from Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale.

As she and Millie approached the group, Alice-Miranda noticed that they were all staring at something in the end stall.

‘Good afternoon, ladies. I'd like to introduce you to Dick Wigglesworth, my boss,' said Wally.

A stocky man with thick grey caterpillar eyebrows turned and nodded at the girls. Alice-Miranda held out her hand, which the older fellow shook gently.

‘It's lovely to meet you, Mr Wigglesworth. My name is Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-KenningtonJones,' she said with a smile.

Millie offered her hand too. ‘And I'm Millie,' she said.

‘Good afternoon, girls, and welcome to Chesterfield Downs,' Dick Wigglesworth replied.

Wally introduced the rest of the group. There were four lads in total, all of whom Alice-Miranda insisted on greeting in the usual way.

‘Well, you'd better get back to work, boys,' Dick Wigglesworth instructed. ‘I don't think there's anything else for it.'

‘Is that Rockstar in there?' Alice-Miranda asked, pointing at the stall behind the group.

‘It certainly is. But at the moment he's anything but a rock star,' Dick replied.

The tiny child could barely see over the stable door. She looked around and saw a milk crate, which
she collected and placed in front of it and then jumped up to get a better look.

‘What's the matter with him?' Alice-Miranda asked as she hung over the door.

‘Depressed, we think,' Dick replied. ‘Ever since Evelyn went off to hospital.'

Millie jumped up beside Alice-Miranda. ‘What about when he's outside?' she asked.

‘That's part of the problem,' Dick informed her. ‘No one's been able to
get
him outside.'

Alice-Miranda whispered to the stallion, ‘Hello boy. Aren't you a handsome lad?'

The black beast ignored her. With his head in the corner and his rump turned out towards the onlookers, he responded by lifting his tail to blow some foul-smelling wind in their general direction.

‘Pooh!' said Millie. ‘That's disgusting.'

Alice-Miranda waved her hand in front of her nose. She turned to Dick and Wally. ‘He doesn't look scary.'

‘You don't want to open that door, Miss,' Wally said with a shudder. ‘I made that mistake this morning and he almost took my head off. Makes your Bonaparte look like a kitten.'

‘Does that mean he's not going to run in the Queen's Cup?' Millie asked.

Dick shook his head. ‘He hasn't done track work for days. Unless there's a miracle soon, we're going to have to scratch him. I suppose there's always next year.'

Outside there was an explosion of whinnying. Rockstar's ears went back and he shifted his weight.

‘Oh dear, it sounds like Chops and Bony are having a disagreement,' said Alice-Miranda. She jumped off the crate.

The whinnying escalated. Rockstar replied, softly at first but soon he was making as much noise as Bonaparte. The black stallion wheeled around and charged towards the stall door. Millie leapt down just as he threw his head over.

‘I'd better see what's wrong with Bony,' said Alice-Miranda, and began to walk quickly towards the stable's entrance. She didn't run, as she knew that it might upset the other horses inside.

Suddenly the clip-clop of hooves on cobbles echoed through the building and Bonaparte appeared, running towards her.

His reins were dragging on the ground. Alice-Miranda tried in vain to grab them as he sped past her but she missed and he almost tripped himself up.

‘How did you escape? Bonaparte Napoleon Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones, you are the naughtiest pony I have ever known,' the girl called as she scurried after him.

The other horses in the stables all perked up, threw their heads over the stall doors and watched the pony's escapades.

By now Rockstar was pawing at the ground and whinnying at the top of his lungs. Bonaparte continued to reply.

Wally and Millie also grabbed at Bonaparte but he dodged both of them and ran straight for Rockstar's stall. He skidded to a halt and thrust his head up towards the door.

What happened next was completely unexpected.

Rockstar stopped his whinnying and so did Bony. The black stallion sniffed his small visitor. Bonaparte sniffed him back. Then Rockstar started rubbing his chin against Bony's nose.

‘What's this then?' Dick Wigglesworth asked.

Alice-Miranda had rejoined the group and they all watched as Bonaparte and Rockstar engaged in some kind of equine conversation. There were neighs and whinnies and snorts and grunts.

‘That's the strangest thing I've ever seen,' Dick whispered. ‘He's never been one to get on with the other horses but he's completely taken by that fella of yours.'

Wally reached around and grabbed Bony's reins. ‘Right, I think we'd better get you back outside and this time I'll put you in the holding yard.'

As Wally attempted to wheel Bonaparte around, the solid pony stood his ground and Rockstar reached out and nipped at the young lad's hair.

‘Oi! You little monster,' he snapped, glaring at Bony.

‘It wasn't him,' Millie said. ‘It was him.' She pointed at Rockstar, who was grinding his teeth.

Wally made a second attempt at moving Bonaparte but the pony locked his knees and refused to budge. Alice-Miranda reached out and gave him a pat on the neck.

‘Come along, Bonaparte, you can't stay here. Rockstar needs to rest,' she whispered in his ear before taking the reins from Wally.

In his stall, the champion began to paw at the ground.

‘Mr Wigglesworth, do you think we could try something?' Wally asked.

‘What are you thinking, lad?'

‘I wondered if we might take them outside together,' Wally said.

‘Oh no,' Dick replied. ‘That doesn't sound like a good idea at all.'

‘I reckon Miss Pepper would be well pleased if we could at least get him out of the stables. And she'd be over the moon if we could get him to run,' a lanky lad called Freddy piped up.

‘So now you're an expert, are you, Freddy?' Dick challenged.

In his stall, Rockstar reared up. He looked as though he meant to break through the door.

‘No, sir, but I think there's a good chance he could injure himself in there,' Freddy replied.

Dick Wigglesworth eyed the stallion. ‘Steady on there, son,' he cooed.

‘He's going to hurt himself, Mr Wigglesworth,' said Wally. His face was pale; he hated the thought of something happening to the horse.

‘All right. Since you fellas know everything. Freddy, get his gear, will you?' Dick Wigglesworth instructed.

The boy looked at him and was motionless for a few seconds.

‘Today, son, if it's not too much of a bother,' Dick huffed.

Freddy rushed off towards the tack room.

‘But who's going to ride him?' Alice-Miranda asked, looking around the stables.

Freddy appeared, holding a bridle and tiny
saddle, which he handed to Dick.

‘Okay then, Wally, show us what you're made of.' The old man passed the bridle to Wally, who looked as if he'd swallowed a whale.

‘I . . . I'm not going in there,' Wally quavered. ‘You know him better than anyone.'

‘You told me you wanted to work with racehorses. So here's your chance,' said Dick.

‘Would you like me to bring Bonaparte in there with you while you get Rockstar ready?' Alice-Miranda asked Wally.

‘What? And have two maniacs in together?' Wally gulped.

Dick Wigglesworth winked at her. ‘Now you're thinking, young lady.'

‘You shouldn't go in there, Miss Alice-Miranda,' Wally protested. ‘It's not safe.'

‘But you're going in there,' Alice-Miranda reasoned.

Wally's frown deepened. ‘Exactly.'

Dick Wigglesworth opened the stall door and Alice-Miranda led Bonaparte into the box. The two horses stood nose to nose sniffing each other, before Rockstar began again to rub his face on Bonaparte's neck. It was the most extraordinary sight.

Wally edged his way inside and was surprised at how quickly and easily he got the bridle and saddle on Rockstar.

‘Now, Alice-Miranda, I need you to lead Bonaparte back outside. Don't move too far away from this fellow,' Dick instructed.

Alice-Miranda did as she was asked and the two horses, Rockstar the seventeen-hand giant and Bonaparte the fourteen-hand pony, stood side by side – an odd couple indeed.

‘You know they could almost be twins,' said Millie, laughing as she looked at the black pair. ‘Except that Rockstar is gorgeous and Bonaparte is short and fat.'

‘Get a helmet for Wally,' Dick barked at Freddy.

Wally shook his head. ‘Oh, no! I'm not riding him, sir.'

‘Well, then, we'll just have to put him away again,' Dick said. ‘I can't do it. I've got a bad back and Freddy can't stay upright on a fence rail.'

The lad in question returned with a helmet, which he passed to Wally.

By now Rockstar was behaving like a perfect gentleman. Bony was too. Wally hesitated, then jammed the helmet on his head. Dick gave Wally a leg-up and he sat atop the giant beast.

‘You too, miss,' said Dick, indicating that Alice-Miranda should mount Bony. ‘I think you should go down to the track together and see what happens. But I don't imagine it will be much.'