Alice-Miranda Takes the Lead (17 page)

Sloane appeared to be on her best behaviour for the rest of the week. She attended her morning lessons with Miss Grimm and, despite looking like she'd sucked on a lemon, didn't complain at all – well, not to the other girls or teachers. She saved it all for her mother who decided that her plan to bring Fayle unstuck was not only brilliant, it would also save her darling daughter from the clutches of the evil Miss Grimm.

During rehearsals, Sloane spent as much time with Lucas as she could.

‘You're a brilliant Woodcutter,' she complimented him.

‘Thanks.' Lucas didn't quite know what to make of his room mate's sister. Sep said that she was shallower than a kiddie wading pool, but she seemed okay.

‘So, have you had a lot of tests lately?' she asked.

‘We have a Maths test every Tuesday. And there was a Science exam yesterday,' Lucas explained.

Sloane's brain was ticking. She needed to get her hands on a set of test papers.

‘What's your Maths teacher like?' She batted her eyes at Lucas.

‘Really smart,' Lucas replied, ‘but mad as a hatter. He's always forgetting things and bringing the wrong books, and I think last week he couldn't find our test papers.'

‘Oh really? He does sound a bit crazy,' she smiled. ‘So on Tuesdays you have a test? That means you had it this morning.'

‘Yes,' Lucas nodded. ‘I probably should be doing my homework between scenes. Sorry, it's just that we have quite a few assignments.'

‘I've got a much better idea.' Sloane grinned like a fox in a henhouse. ‘Why don't you show me around
a bit? Miss Reedy said that we won't be needed for at least another thirty minutes.'

‘I really should stay here and go over some grammar.' Lucas picked up a textbook from the bag at his feet.

‘Oh, but I'd really love to have a look around and Sep won't take me,' Sloane pouted.

Lucas didn't want to leave the auditorium at all. But he'd also heard about Sloane's legendary tantrums and the thought of her causing a scene was worse. ‘Okay, but it has to be quick,' he agreed.

‘Fine by me. Why don't you show me your classrooms?' Sloane purred.

Jacinta looked up from her position on the stage to see Sloane loop her arm through Lucas's, and the pair head out of the theatre. Her heart felt like a pounding lump of rock in her chest. The blinding lights didn't allow her to see that just as quickly as Sloane had grabbed him, Lucas had managed to pull his arm away, pretending he had an itchy nose.

Lucas showed Sloane around the classrooms in the main building. She seemed particularly keen to see where they had Maths and Science, which he thought a little strange, given that Septimus said she was not keen on academic studies at all.

Sloane lingered outside one of the rooms. ‘Can we go in?'

‘I don't think we should.' Lucas was keen to get back to the drama theatre.

‘Is there an alarm or something?' Sloane peered through the glass at the top of the door.

‘No, it's just that the teachers don't really like us being in there when we don't have lessons,' Lucas replied.

‘All right,' Sloane agreed. ‘Let's go back. This is boring.'

Lucas was relieved. The pair walked along the corridor.

‘Is there a ladies' loo around here anywhere?' Sloane asked.

‘Um, I think it's back there, past the foyer,' Lucas sighed. He didn't particularly want to wait for her.

‘It's okay,' Sloane smiled. ‘Why don't you go back and I'll join you shortly.'

Lucas couldn't help himself and returned her smile. Maybe she wasn't really that painful after all.

‘I'll see you in a bit,' said Lucas.

Sloane turned and walked back towards the foyer. She waited until Lucas disappeared around the corner before rushing to the room where he'd
said they had their Maths lessons. The door was unlocked.

On the teacher's desk at the front of the room, atop a towering pile of papers, Sloane found exactly what she was after. ‘The Weekly Quiz'. Trouble was, she didn't have time to sit and change the papers now. She'd have to do that later in the privacy of her own room – perhaps when Jacinta was at gym training. She leafed through the stack and gathered up the tests from today. Fortunately, the professor was every bit as disorganised as she had hoped – his desk looked like an explosion in a paper factory. Sloane spent a couple of minutes rearranging papers from one side to the other – hopefully, by the time she had made the changes and returned the tests, the silly old man would be none the wiser. Sloane stuffed the papers into her backpack.

She smiled smugly. This was as easy as falling off a log.

On Friday morning, Septimus Sykes and Lucas Nixon headed off to their Maths lesson. Their teacher, Professor Pluss, welcomed the class with a smile that stretched from one side of his red face to the other. The boys couldn't remember ever seeing him look so happy.

‘Greetings and salutations, lads.' The Professor moved to the front of the room. He walked over to his desk where he put his hand on top of the pile of papers. ‘Today is a momentous day in the history of this fine school,' he began.

‘What's he talking about?' Lucas turned and whispered to Sep.

‘Beats me,' Sep replied.

‘Today you have made me the proudest old prof on the planet. You see, boys, for the first time, certainly since I have been the Mathematics master at this outstanding institution, which is over twenty years, every single member of this class has scored one hundred per cent on the weekly quiz.'

The boys smiled and laughed and congratulated themselves and one another.

‘Quiet down, please. You must have all thought long and hard about your answers. By gosh, there was a good deal of crossing out, but even you, old Figgy –' Professor Pluss grinned at the oafish lad in the back row – ‘you must have been listening all that time I thought you were gazing longingly at the football pitch.'

Lucas was puzzled. Figgy hadn't scored above fifty per cent in the past four tests. And there were a couple of really tricky problems he was sure he'd messed up too.

Professor Pluss handed the papers back, then turned to the board where he began to explain, in great detail and without time for any questions, how to find the circumference of a circle.

Sep put his paper to the side of his desk. Lucas leafed through his. It looked like his writing, but there was an answer he couldn't remember filling in. In fact, now that he was looking at it again, he was fairly certain he'd left that section blank.

‘Excuse me, sir?' Lucas put up his hand and waited for the old man to turn around.

‘What is it, Nixon?' The professor peered over the round spectacles perched on the end of his nose.

‘Sir, I don't think this is all my work.' Lucas held the test paper aloft.

Some of the other boys began to make similar noises.

‘Nonsense, Nixon, you're not giving yourself enough credit there.' The professor turned back to the board.

‘But sir, I'm pretty sure I left this answer blank,' Lucas offered.

‘Is there an answer there now?' The professor spoke with his back turned to the boys.

‘Well, yes, sir,' Lucas tried again.

‘So you didn't leave it blank. Tell me, Nixon,' the professor spun back around to face the group, ‘tell me, what did you do at eleven minutes past two yesterday afternoon?'

Lucas thought for a moment and wondered if this was some kind of trick question. ‘I was in Science class,' he replied.

‘Yes, but what
exactly
were you doing at eleven minutes past two? Were you listening or speaking or marvelling at the laws of gravity or the fact that we live on a spinning lump of rock in the middle of the universe?' the professor continued.

‘I can't remember, sir.' Lucas wasn't sure where this was heading.

‘There you have it. Proof.' The professor turned back to the board.

‘I'm sorry, sir. Proof of what, exactly?' Lucas was feeling more and more confused by the second.

‘My dear boy. Proof that you could well have written an answer on that page.' He marched towards Lucas and picked up his paper. ‘And you probably forgot. We all forget things. In fact, we will forget far more than we ever remember. Did you know that statistically …' The professor was about to start one of his long lectures.

Lucas decided it was better to be quiet and leave things alone. But something wasn't right. The boys at Fayle didn't need to cheat. By and large, they were a smart enough bunch. They studied pretty hard too –
it was just the way things were there. So why would anyone want to cheat just so the whole class scored one hundred per cent?

‘Why would anyone cheat for us?' Lucas asked Sep when they were on their way to English class.

‘I don't know.' Sep shook his head. ‘Make the old prof feel like a hero?'

‘Yeah, maybe.' The boys reached the entrance foyer. The classrooms in McGlintock Manor ran east and west with Science and Maths on the west and English, History and Geography on the eastern side. A magnificent staircase stood in the centre of the building's entrance hall, rising in one flight before splitting left and right. On the right-hand wall were portraits of Frederick Erasmus Fayle, the school's founder, and his successors. There were two more Fayles, and another man, before the picture of the current headmaster, Professor Winterbottom, whose portrait must have been painted early in his tenure, as his beaming face was wrinkle free. On the opposite wall in a large gilt frame, the Fayle School Charter was in full view for all to see.

‘Oh blast.' Sep grimaced, as they were about to climb the stairs.

‘What's the matter?' Lucas asked.

‘I forgot my assignment. It's in my locker. Will you wait? I won't be a minute.' Sep handed Lucas his pile of books and sprinted back down the corridor.

Lucas set the tower of texts down on a high-backed chair that resembled a throne. He walked over to the charter and read from the top. He smiled at the school's motto – it was pretty funny, after all, to name a school Fayle. But it wasn't until he reached the bottom, clauses twenty-nine and thirty, that alarm bells began to ring. Lucas had an uncomfortable feeling that perhaps cheating had been happening for quite a while – but, this time, the culprit had got rather carried away with themselves.

Sep returned and the two lads had to run to get to class before the bell. Lucas would have to wait to share his suspicions with his friend.

September Sykes could not have been prouder when Sloane told her what she'd done.

‘Oh yes,' she gloated to her mother, ‘it won't be long now before the word gets out that more than twenty-five per cent of boys have failed at Fayle. But it took loads of work, so you'd better thank me for it, Mummy,' she hissed. ‘And I almost got caught taking the papers back.' Sloane was whispering into the telephone. Although she thought she was alone in the common room, she never knew when
someone might come in and overhear her conversation. ‘How's Granny?'

September attempted to sound sad. ‘Not doing too well, I'm afraid. I went to see her yesterday afternoon and she looked rather peaky indeed. She seemed quite upset, poor old dear. But she did sign some very important documents for me. Have you heard of something called a power of attorney?'

She neglected to tell Sloane that the reason Henrietta had become so upset was that September had all but revealed her dastardly plan. She had told her about the suitcase, and that it was just so unfortunate that they'd found it but now it was gone again. Vanished out of sight. Puff – like magic. September thought the old bag might up and die right then and there, but her heart held out and it was only when her step-daughter-in-law promised another visit that Henrietta's face reddened and she looked set for another stroke.

‘What shall we do with all that money?' September gloated, rubbing her manicured hands together.

‘For a start, Mummy, I think we should go somewhere sunny – for good.' Sloane smiled at the thought of her and her mother in their matching
bikinis, lying in the sun with a butler attending to their every need.

Howie entered the common room. She frowned at Sloane, who seemed to have that phone perpetually stuck to her ear.

‘Prep,' Mrs Howard ordered.

‘But I've got play practice in ten minutes,' Sloane smirked.

‘Oh no you don't,' Mrs Howard replied. ‘Haven't you read the schedule, young lady? This afternoon, only Alice-Miranda, the Prince and the Woodcutter are needed. Oh, and Millie and Jacinta.'

‘Why does Millie get to go? She's
my
Magic Mirror,' Sloane grouched.

‘I don't know. But it says so on this here piece of paper.' Howie waved the notice under Sloane's nose. She was still on the telephone.

Mrs Howard took the handset from her. ‘Hello Mrs Sykes, it's Mrs Howard. I'm afraid Sloane has to go to prep so I'll tell her you said goodbye, will I?' And with that, Mrs Howard hung up the phone.

‘You've got no right …' Sloane began, steam rising from her nostrils.

Mrs Howard raised her eyebrows. Miss Grimm had asked her to keep a close eye on their newest
student after the incident with Millie. She knew that any cheek, and Sloane would be out of the play. ‘Are you sure you want to say something?'

‘I'm going.' Sloane stalked off to her room.

Alice-Miranda, Jacinta and Millie were required on set for an extended rehearsal that afternoon. The group had walked to Fayle, but Miss Reedy had arranged for Charlie to pick them up in the school bus when they were finished, as it would be dark.

Miss Reedy was keen to get some of the lighting in place and, although the girls knew their parts well, she had decided it was easier to practise some scenes separately so the cast were completely confident. Lucas and Sep were also required to be there. The children had been rehearsing well but, as it was getting close to performance time, things needed to step up a little.

‘Girls, I hope you don't mind, but we'll get started straightaway and then break for tea with the boys later. Then we'll do another hour or so and call it a night.'

‘That's lovely, Miss Reedy. It will give us a chance to catch up properly with Lucas and get to know Sep a bit better too,' Alice-Miranda smiled.

Mr Lipp greeted the group as they entered the auditorium. Today's suit made him look like a bloated canary.

‘Hello girls, Livinia.' He had taken to using Miss Reedy's Christian name, which caused her to frown.

‘Mr Lipp,' Miss Reedy nodded.

‘Ready for some hard work?' Mr Lipp asked.

‘Oh yes, sir,' Alice-Miranda beamed. ‘Where would you like to start?'

‘I thought we'd go from your scene, Alice-Miranda, with the Prince,' Miss Reedy directed.

And so the rehearsal began.

An hour later, the group trooped off to the dining room. The children sat together, while Mr Lipp invited Miss Reedy to sit on the head table with Professor Winterbottom and his wife.

‘I think old Hairy's got a thing for your Miss Reedy,' Sep grinned.

‘Really?' Millie screwed up her nose. ‘Well, that's gross. Anyway, she has a thing for our Science teacher, Mr Plumpton. You should see the two of them – he looks like a little beach ball and she's a
string of spaghetti but it's quite plain they adore one another.'

‘Perhaps they'll get married,' Jacinta beamed. ‘I do love a wedding.'

‘Well, I imagine the next one you'll attend is my father's and Charlotte's,' Lucas offered.

‘Will I get invited?' Jacinta asked, wide-eyed.

‘I should imagine so,' Lucas grinned. And there it was again. Jacinta's heart fluttered in her chest.

‘So, how are you all getting on with my sister?' Sep asked the group.

‘Let's just say that she and I are hardly best friends,' Millie replied.

‘I think Sloane's a bit complicated,' said Alice-Miranda. ‘I'm sure she has a heart of gold.'

‘You're kidding, Alice-Miranda,' Jacinta snorted. ‘Sorry, Sep, but your sister isn't my favourite person either.'

Septimus Sykes looked concerned. ‘Has she actually done anything wrong over there?'

‘Well, she tipped her dessert on my head last week,' Millie explained. ‘But I probably deserved it.'

‘And I caught her and your mother going through my things on the day she arrived,' Jacinta added. ‘But they were probably just unpacking.'

‘I think you're both being far too kind.' Sep shook his head. ‘You don't know her like I do.'

‘But she's your sister, Sep, you should stick up for her,' Alice-Miranda said.

‘I wish I could,' Sep began. ‘She should be more grateful. The only reason either of us is at boarding school is because of our step-grandmother Henrietta. She's paying for the lot. She's the sweetest lady and my mother and father and sister treat her like garbage. I just wish I could see her.'

‘Where does she live?' Alice-Miranda asked.

‘Well, that's the thing. She was meant to be able to stay in the flat over Grandpa's old grocery shop, here in the village, for as long as she wanted. But Mum and Dad sold it and then she had a terrible stroke and now she lives in a retirement home called Golden Gates.'

‘But do you write to her?' Alice-Miranda asked.

‘Yes, but she can't write back because of the stroke,' Sep explained. ‘My sister is so hateful to her. But Grandpa adored her and so do I.'

Alice-Miranda's brain was already in overdrive. She would call her parents as soon as she could and arrange for Sep to visit his granny. ‘Don't worry, Sep, I'm sure you'll get to see her very soon,' she smiled.

Septimus Sykes had never met a girl like Alice-Miranda. She was so small, but seemed incredibly kind and smart too. He wished that
she
was his sister.

Millie changed the subject. ‘And how are you getting on with all the work, Lucas?'

‘Good,' Lucas grinned at Sep, who raised his eyebrows. ‘I scored one hundred per cent on a Maths test this week.'

‘Well done!' said Alice-Miranda.

‘Problem was, so did everyone else,' Lucas continued.

‘What?' Mille wrinkled her nose. ‘The whole class got full marks?'

‘Was it an easy test?' Jacinta asked.

‘No, that's just the point,' Lucas answered. ‘There were some tricky questions.'

‘Was it multiple choice?' asked Millie.

Sep rejoined the conversation. ‘No. Lucas tried to tell Professor Pluss that the tests had been tampered with, but he would have none of it.'

‘Tampered with?' Alice-Miranda gasped. ‘Do you mean that someone changed the answers – they cheated?'

‘Yes, someone cheated and we all got one hundred per cent,' Lucas confirmed.

‘But why?' Millie asked.

‘Well, Lucas and I have a bit of a theory,' Sep frowned. ‘And it's probably been happening for years.'

‘Really?' Alice-Miranda's eyes were wide.

The children leaned in close. Lucas explained about the Fayle School Charter. He and Sep had come to the conclusion that the teachers must be cheating to make sure that the school stayed open. Maybe this time, Professor Pluss just got carried away with himself and didn't realise that he'd changed all the papers.

‘I asked Miss Reedy how Fayle came to be named and she told me all about the charter. That would be awfully sad, if what you say is true,' Alice-Miranda spoke.

‘I'd bet poor old Mr Fayle would be turning in his grave,' Millie added.

But Alice-Miranda found it hard to believe that a school like Fayle, with its wonderful teachers and high standards, would allow such a thing. It would mean that the teachers were plotting together, and she simply didn't believe this to be possible. Goodness, all the teachers she knew were honest and responsible. There had to be something else going on. They just needed to find out what it was.