Alice-Miranda at Camp 10 (5 page)

Somehow, in less than twenty-four hours, bags had been packed, parents informed and now the girls were waiting to board their transport to camp. A fleet of buses lined the driveway outside Winchesterfield Manor. The campers were still completely unaware of their destination, as Miss Grimm had decided it was more fun to leave things as a surprise.

‘Right.' Miss Reedy stalked along the path armed with a clipboard and a whistle. She was dressed in khaki trousers and a white shirt with hiking boots
and a straw hat. ‘Alice-Miranda, Millie, Caprice, Sloane and Jacinta, you're on the last bus. Take your things. Off you go.'

‘What about the boys?' Jacinta asked the teacher. ‘Are they coming on the same buses as us?'

‘You just want to see your boyfriend,' Sloane teased.

‘I do not,' Jacinta retorted, but of course that was exactly what she had in mind. Except that Jacinta wasn't even sure that Lucas was attending the camp. Things had happened so quickly she hadn't been able to find out anything.

‘How come we're on a minibus when everyone else has a coach?' Caprice grumbled as the girls made their way to the last vehicle in the line.

She hadn't heard Miss Reedy's footsteps behind them.

‘Just lucky I guess, Caprice. Given the swiftness of the arrangements you're fortunate not to be walking,' the teacher quipped.

‘Oh, you misunderstood me, Miss Reedy. I love minibuses,' the child said sweetly.

‘I am sorry, Caprice. I've heard a lot of whining this morning,' the teacher apologised.

‘That's all right, Miss Reedy. Is there anything I can do to help?' Caprice asked.

‘No, everything's under control but thank you so much for asking.' Miss Reedy walked away to check on the other girls.

Millie couldn't believe the cheek of the girl.

The group hopped on board and were surprised to find Mr Plumpton in the driver's seat.

‘Good afternoon, ladies,' he said cheerily. ‘Welcome aboard the Plumpton Express.'

Alice-Miranda grinned. ‘Hello Mr Plumpton. I didn't realise you could drive a minibus.'

‘It's not often my skills are called upon but today there was no alternative. Charlie's taken the school bus to be fixed, and Mrs Derby could only get three coaches at such short notice, so it was fortunate I could take the wheel.' He noticed the new student and nodded at her. ‘You must be Caprice. My name's Mr Plumpton. I'll be teaching your science lessons, when I'm not driving a bus.'

Millie was keen to hear Caprice's response, after the girl had mocked the man so horribly at dinner the night before.

‘I love science,' Caprice said warmly. ‘I was reading
Scientific American
last month. Did you see that article about the Higgs boson?

‘Oh yes, fascinating,' Mr Plumpton replied, clearly enchanted by the girl.

‘I'm sure that it will change the world of physics,' Caprice said.

‘Do you often read about science?' Mr Plumpton asked.

‘Mmm, sometimes. I like medical journals too.'

Millie rolled her eyes.

Mr Plumpton's grin grew wider. Apart from Alice-Miranda he didn't really have any students he considered prodigies. Perhaps that was about to change.

The girls sat down, Millie and Alice-Miranda on one side and Jacinta and Sloane on the other. Caprice sat on her own in front of the older girls.

Millie leaned forward and called out to Mr Plumpton, ‘Who else is coming with us?'

Just as she did, Miss Reedy hopped on board. ‘Only the five of you,' she said.

‘A whole minibus for us?' Sloane said. ‘Couldn't we have just taken a couple of cars instead?'

‘We could have but then we wouldn't fit the Fayle boys and Mr Lipp in, would we?' Miss Reedy replied. ‘Buckle up, girls.'

Jacinta's face exploded into a grin.

‘Look at you!' Sloane laughed.

‘What?' Jacinta tried to stop smiling. ‘Well, I haven't seen Lucas for weeks and we're just good friends, that's all.'

‘For now maybe,' Sloane said.

Jacinta nodded. ‘Until we're old enough to get married.'

Caprice looked over her shoulder at the pair. ‘Is he cute?'

‘He's gorgeous,' Jacinta replied.

Sloane whispered, ‘
And
his father's a movie star.'

‘Oh really?' Caprice sounded dubious. ‘Who is he?'

‘Lawrence Ridley,' Sloane said casually.

‘I've met him,' Caprice replied. ‘He came to one of Mummy's parties.'

Millie was listening from the other side of the aisle. As if, she thought to herself, but kept quiet.

‘Does Lucas look like his father?' Caprice asked.

‘Yes,' Jacinta replied.

‘Maybe I'll save him a seat.' Caprice grinned like a fox and turned back to the front.

Jacinta's forehead wrinkled. ‘Did you hear that?' she whispered to Sloane. ‘You have to move. Go and sit next to her.'

Sloane shook her head. ‘Why?'

‘Are you kidding? Haven't you noticed how pretty she is? No, not pretty. She's perfect.'

Caprice looked back around. ‘Do you think I can't hear you? And don't worry, Jacinta, I have no interest in stealing your little boyfriend. I'm sure that Lucas has a mind of his own.' She smiled her megawatt smile.

Jacinta didn't know whether to be relieved or not.

Soon the little diesel bus clattered into the driveway at the Fayle School. About twenty boys were standing on the path, laden with backpacks and sleeping bags. Mr Lipp was wearing a beige safari suit and marching about barking orders at the boys.

‘Who's that?' Caprice snorted. ‘And seriously, what is he wearing?'

‘That's Mr Lipp,' Alice-Miranda said. ‘He's a fashionista.'

‘That's one word for him,' Sloane said. ‘Let's just say that he doesn't like to blend in.'

The boys loaded their bags into the small boot at the back of the bus then clambered on board with their day packs.

‘Back seat's mine,' George ‘Figgy' Figworth yelled as he charged down the aisle.

‘Hello George,' Alice-Miranda called as he sped past.

George grinned. ‘Morning, pipsqueak. Didn't realise we were sharing the bus with you girls.'

Rufus Pemberley followed his friend and the two lads stretched out across the back seat.

‘What a lovely surprise, little sister.' Sep Sykes's voice dripped with sarcasm as he and Lucas walked past the girls and slid into the seats behind them.

‘Don't blame me,' said Sloane, rolling her eyes. ‘I'd rather not see you either.'

The twenty Fayle boys quickly filled the spare seats. Miss Reedy sat behind Mr Plumpton and Mr Lipp was directly across the aisle.

‘Well, this is an unexpected pleasure,' Harold Lipp told Miss Reedy.

From his spot in the driver's seat, Mr Plumpton was on high alert. Harry Lipp had no shame. But in the end it was he who had taken Livinia out in Paris and it was Josiah Plumpton who had continued to court her over the term break. Their romance was still under wraps for now. Alice-Miranda was the only one who knew and she was a most trustworthy child.

‘I'm sorry, Mr Lipp, but what are you talking about?' Miss Reedy asked stiffly.

‘This. An expedition and so early in the term. We were stunned when the Professor gave the go ahead. I mean, we'd only been at school a day and the old boy's usually so strict about outings in the first month. Queen Georgiana must have promised the Professor something fairly impressive to get him to agree.'

‘Oh, I'm sure she can be very persuasive,' Miss Reedy replied.

‘Have you read all this bumf about the camp?' Mr Lipp asked, holding up his folder.

‘Yes, of course.' Miss Reedy nodded. ‘Have you?'

‘All this?' He scoffed and waved it in the air. ‘I only received it last night. You can fill me in on the way.'

‘I think you'd better read it for yourself, Mr Lipp,' Miss Reedy said tartly.

‘But I'll be sick. I couldn't possibly.' Harry pouted and did his best impression of puppy-dog eyes.

‘Oh, for heaven's sake. In the interests of making sure that we do everything properly, I'll tell you,' said Miss Reedy. She gave him a withering look.

Hugh Kennington-Jones pulled up outside the arrivals hall and manoeuvred the silver Range Rover into the kerb. An endless stream of vehicles came and went every few seconds.

Cecelia scanned the throng of people spilling out of the building.

‘There he is, darling.' She opened the car door and scurried across the pavement. ‘Ed! Over here!'

A tall, well-dressed man with a thick crop of
salt-and-pepper hair strode out of the airport, pulling a black bag behind him.

‘Cecelia!' Ed enveloped her in a warm embrace.

‘It's wonderful to see you. We're so excited that you agreed to come,' Cecelia enthused. ‘The car's just over here.'

Hugh left the vehicle idling, hopped out and opened the tailgate.

‘Hello little brother.' Ed reached out to shake Hugh's hand.

‘It's so good to have you here,' said Hugh. His eyes twinkled. A year ago he never thought he'd be welcoming his big brother home again.

‘How's that gorgeous little niece of mine?' Ed asked as he climbed into the back seat.

‘She's great. Just started back at school but oddly enough is off to camp today,' Hugh said.

‘That's a bit soon, isn't it?' Ed said. ‘Not that I remember much about school these days.'

Hugh glanced at him in the rear-vision mirror. ‘Apparently Aunty Gee had something to do with it. The school is doing her a huge favour and things are in a bit of a mess at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale with some late-running renovations, so it's worked out well for everyone. And what's even better is that
the kids are going to Bagley Hall and spending some of their time doing service activities at Pelham Park.'

Ed frowned. ‘Back up a moment, little brother. Who's Aunty Gee?'

‘Sorry, Ed. There are so many things I assume you know but of course you don't. Aunty Gee is otherwise known as Queen Georgiana and she's um …'

‘She's Mummy's best friend and my and Charlotte's godmother,' Cecelia finished for him.

‘Wow. That's intimidating,' Ed said with a grin.

‘Not at all, darling. Wait until you meet her. She's a hoot and far more down-to-earth than the press makes her out to be,' Cecelia explained. ‘Mummy's much more terrifying.'

‘Second question. Bagley Hall? Do you mean the enormous old manor next to Pelham Park, where that ogre Mrs Marchant used to live when we were kids?'

Hugh nodded. ‘One and the same.'

‘I thought she was about a hundred when I was a boy. Gosh, she must have seemed like she'd stepped off the Ark to you,' Ed said.

Hugh nodded. ‘She scared the socks off me. When the old bird died her family struggled to keep the place afloat. Her grand-nephew was teaching PE at one of the local schools and hit on the idea of turning the
property into a kids' camp. The camp's been open for about ten years now and it's amazing – won all sorts of awards and has Aunty Gee's royal warrant.'

‘Things have changed, haven't they?' Ed said with a smile. Of course, he thought, it was inevitable after being away for almost forty years.

Cecelia turned around in her seat. ‘We're going home to Highton Hall tonight. I know Mrs Oliver has been baking up a storm and Shilly has the house sparkling from top to bottom. Then tomorrow we'll drive up to Pelham Park so you can assess exactly how big this job will be.'

‘Great.' Ed nodded. ‘I wish I could remember more of what Mother had but I'm afraid it's a bit of a blur. It will be strange to be there again.'

‘Well, let's just hope that you find the place a lot less foreboding than I did when I was young. We made Dad's den into a games room for the oldies, so there are no dead bears or other wildlife on the walls any more. Cee did a great job of brightening the place up. It's quite lovely and the gardens have given the house new life. The old man must be turning in his grave with those masses of flowerbeds everywhere.'

The trio drove along in silence for a few minutes.

‘Was he awful to you, Hugh?' Ed asked quietly.

Hugh Kennington-Jones caught his brother's eye in the rear-view mirror. ‘He never lost his edges, but I suppose we got along because I fell in love with the grocery business, and he was happy to have someone continue the family legacy. I can't agree with everything he did, but I think he was just about the loneliest man alive much of the time. I wonder if he ever had a proper friend.'

Ed nodded. ‘I was angry with him, but as I grew older I felt sad for him too, actually. I got to live my dreams, but I'm not convinced that he did. I guess we'll never know. Anyway, enough of that melancholy. Tell me about Highton Hall.'

A smile spread across Cecelia's face. Hugh caught it. ‘Oh no, Ed, you do realise that Cee won't stop talking between now and home. You'll know the names, birthdates and preferred underpants colour of every single person who lives on the estate,' Hugh teased.

‘Don't be ridiculous, darling.' Cecelia gave him a playful poke in the ribs. ‘Although I did see that Granny Bert had some of the most enormous knickers hanging on the line at the back of Rose Cottage. I wondered if she'd taken up parachuting.'

Hugh and Ed laughed.