Alice-Miranda on Vacation (12 page)

“Who does it belong to?” Jacinta demanded.

“I don’t know.” Alice-Miranda kicked off her boots and climbed onto the bed, tucking her knees
underneath her. “I was on my way to see Granny when I spotted it. When I went inside she was sitting in the front room dozing. It was a little odd: she had a steaming cup of tea beside her and she was fast asleep,” Alice-Miranda mused. “And I thought I heard footsteps on the upstairs landing, so I went up to take a look around.”

Jacinta’s eyes widened. “Was someone in the house? Perhaps they were upstairs snooping about and they made Granny Bert a cup of tea with something in it to put her to sleep.”

“I don’t think so.” Alice-Miranda grinned. “I’m sure there was no one there,” she said firmly, trying to convince herself. But the creaking floorboards and slamming door didn’t do anything to support her argument. “I’m sure it was just the old house grumbling and groaning. If you lie here in the quiet for long enough, the Hall will start talking to you too. Oh, and Mr. Pippin was locked in Daisy’s wardrobe.”

“Who’s Mr. Pippin?” Jacinta sat forward.

“Daisy’s funny old dribbly cat,” Alice-Miranda replied. “Anyway, I don’t think Granny and Daisy have anything anyone would want to snoop around for.”

As those words slipped from her mouth, Alice-Miranda remembered the plans. She had assumed that Granny had put them in the crisper by mistake,
but now she wasn’t so sure. And she had put them out on the kitchen table for anyone to see. All at once, she had a very bad feeling.

“You should go back and see what you can find,” Jacinta urged. “I’d love to come, but Mrs. Oliver has called the doctor to see me—in case it’s the flu or something. I hate being sick,” she said with a cough. “It’s so unfair to miss all the fun.”

“Okay. I’ll head over and check on Granny again now.” Alice-Miranda was a little relieved to have an excuse to go and ask about the plans. “Just in case you’re right, which I’m sure you’re not. Who’d want to hurt Granny? And besides, I think she’s very capable of looking after herself.”

“She’d send robbers running for cover just to get away from all that whining.” Jacinta let out a giggle, which dissolved into a cough like the bark of a seal.

Alice-Miranda slid off the side of the bed. “Can I get you anything?” she asked.

“Glass of water,” Jacinta wheezed. Her nose was getting redder by the minute. She took a sip. “Just go and find out who owns that black car.” Jacinta managed a half smile before burrowing down into the mountain of pillows behind her. “And then come back and tell me all about it.”

A
lice-Miranda charged off into the garden, heading for Rose Cottage.

It was quite a long walk, but her legs carried her swiftly through the meadow. All the while she kept an eye out for Jasper and Poppy, and Lucas. Scampering over the stile, she ran down the laneway toward Rose Cottage. There was no sign of the black car.

“Granny, are you there?” she called as she clattered through the side door and into the kitchen.

“Of course I’m here.” Granny Bert was sitting in the very same place she had been before. “I’ve been
trying to have a nap, but with all that noise, I fear I’ll never get any rest,” she grumbled.

“But I came a while ago and you were sound asleep. Right here.” Alice-Miranda plonked onto the armchair beside her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, young lady. I have been wide awake all morning. I’ve not even had a cup of tea, with Daisy up there at the Hall helping your mother.”

Alice-Miranda looked over to the table where she had seen the cup of tea with her own eyes. It was gone. She ran to the kitchen. The cup was nowhere to be seen. And the plans were missing too.

Alice-Miranda sighed. “I must be losing my mind.”

“Do you think you could put the pot on, young lady?” Granny called.

Alice-Miranda was lost in her thoughts. She replayed the events of her previous visit. There
was
a cup of tea on that side table and Granny
was
asleep and she most certainly had left those plans in the middle of the kitchen table.

“Did you hear me?” Granny called again.

Alice-Miranda looked up. “Sorry, what did you say?”

“Are you deaf, dear?” Granny growled. “I asked if
you could possibly make me a cup of tea. I’m rather parched. And I wouldn’t mind some of that lovely lemon cake too if there’s any left.”

“Of course.” Alice-Miranda pulled the footstool over to the kitchen sink and began to fill the kettle. She touched the side of the metal vessel—it was still just slightly warm. She wasn’t going mad at all. Someone had been in the house earlier, and she was determined to find out who it was and what they were doing there.

Alice-Miranda made Granny her tea and cut a very large slice of lemon cake. Although Granny protested loudly that she would never eat that much in a month, she managed to plow through it all and asked if there might be a couple of biscuits she could have by her side—just in case Daisy was late getting home. Alice-Miranda asked Granny if she had had any visitors that morning.

“Visitors, I haven’t had any visitors since you were here yesterday.” Granny pouted. “It’s been a lonely time for an old woman with not even her closest neighbors to call on her. Everyone’s so jolly busy.”

“But Granny, I’ve seen a black car here a couple of times now. Who does it belong to?” Alice-Miranda asked.

“Oh, just a friend,” she replied. “Lovely man. I’ve
been helping him with something—for your parents.” Granny’s lips drew together as though she were sucking on a very sour lemon.

“Was he here this morning?” Alice-Miranda reached out and placed her tiny hand on Granny’s. Her skin was like tissue paper.

“Of course not. I told you before that I haven’t had any visitors since you were here last time. Do you think I’m losing my marbles, young lady?” Granny grouched.

“Of course not,” Alice-Miranda replied. “It’s just that I saw that car when I was here earlier this morning.”

“But you weren’t here earlier this morning. You mustn’t tell tales to make yourself feel better. I know you’ve got more interesting things to do than sit here with me.”

“But Granny, I promise I was here earlier,” Alice-Miranda protested.

“Alice-Miranda, if you had been here I would remember. I think it’s time for you to go home.” Granny withdrew her hand and folded her arms in front of her.

There was no point arguing. Alice-Miranda picked up the teacup and saucer and set them down in the sink. She walked back into the sitting room and
reached up to give Granny a peck on her powdered cheek.

“Goodbye, Granny.” She smiled. “I’ll come and see you again soon, I promise.”

“Goodbye, dear.” Granny stared vacantly at the window. “And I’d rather you didn’t make promises you can’t keep.”

A
lice-Miranda’s mind was racing.
If I’m not going mad
, she thought,
then I think someone
must
have put something in Granny’s tea
. She wondered what sort of medicine made people go to sleep and forget things.

Something else was bothering Alice-Miranda. She needed to find Jasper. She felt awful about what had happened earlier and wanted to make sure that he was all right.

Alice-Miranda left Rose Cottage and ran down the lane to Jasper’s house, where she knocked loudly on the back door. Heinrich was in the kitchen having lunch.

“Hello, Alice-Miranda,” he called. “Come in, come in. How is zat pony of yours?”

“He’s fine,” she replied. “I don’t think he actually ate that much. Is Lily home?” It had just occurred to her that she might have a chance to talk to Lily before seeing Jasper. Hopefully Lily could clear up one of the mysteries.

“No. She’s gone to ze city today.” Heinrich shook his head. “Won’t be back until late.”

“Is Jasper in?”

“He’s upstairs—in a bit of a mood, I zink. Poppy’s gone to play wiz a little friend in ze village. I ’ave to pick her up later. Better not forget or I’ll be in trouble wiz her mother.” He winked. “Why don’t you go up and see Jas—might make ’im feel better.”

Alice-Miranda bounded upstairs, eager to put things right with her friend. He was in the room under the eaves, playing with his models.

“Hello, Jasper,” she said from the doorway. “I’ve come to apologize.”

“For what?” He didn’t look up.

“You know—for before … with Lucas. I didn’t mean for him to wreck your model. I was only trying to help,” Alice-Miranda explained.

Jasper stood up and walked around to the other
side of the table. He picked up two soldiers and moved them to another part of the battlefield.

“I’m sorry,” Alice-Miranda tried again. “I was hoping we could spend some time together. Jacinta’s not feeling well, so she’s gone to bed, and Bonaparte’s in trouble,” she began. “I’ve really missed you.”

Jasper brushed a hand across his eye. “Why did you have to go away to that stupid school?” He looked up at her.

“But I love school,” Alice-Miranda replied, “and I’ll be home every couple of months.”

“It’s not the same,” said Jasper. “And now that he’s here, he’s wrecked everything.”

“Who?” Alice-Miranda asked.

“Who do you think?” Jasper stood up and faced her.

“Oh,” Alice-Miranda whispered.

Jasper looked as though he might cry.

“Why is he here, Jasper?” she asked.

He didn’t reply.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” Alice-Miranda suggested. Jasper nodded his head ever so slightly. “Come on then.”

She walked downstairs with Jasper two steps behind her.

“Bye, kids—go and have zum fun now,” Heinrich said as the children walked through the kitchen.

“Goodbye, Heinrich,” Alice-Miranda called. Jasper raised his hand to wave at his father.

A
lice-Miranda and Jasper headed off into the long meadow toward the stream. Before Alice-Miranda had left for school, she and Jasper—with lots of direction from Poppy—had built a hidden cubby beneath the branches of an enormous fir tree. For weeks they had spent every afternoon there.

The towering trunk soared into the sky, and the branches had grown so long and heavy that they hung down to the ground to form a natural shelter. Once the children were inside no one would ever have known they were there.

Alice-Miranda lifted the branch that guarded the entrance. The cubby was cavernous, and it was just
as she had left it—even the teacups and saucers were still sitting on the table.

Jasper finally spoke. “We haven’t been here at all since you left.”

“Why not?” Alice-Miranda asked as she poked around examining the various bits and pieces.

“Because it wasn’t the same without you. I told Poppy that it had been taken over by witches so she wouldn’t want to come anymore,” he explained.

“Poor Poppy—she’s terrified of witches. I’ll have to tell her that they’ve moved out. This place needs a bit of a tidy-up.” Alice-Miranda set forth stacking the china plates and emptying the grungy water from the teacups. She found an old straw broom and began sweeping the dead pine needles into a pile in one corner. She moved the gaudy green armchairs to face each other and picked up a battered accordion from the ground. It wheezed a very flat C as she placed it on the pine dresser.