Alice-Miranda Takes the Lead (6 page)

Millie, Alice-Miranda and Susannah were already in the stables when Sloane appeared. She looked the part in her borrowed gear and the girls all commented on her beautiful riding jacket. Sloane didn't tell them it was actually Jacinta's – she couldn't see the point.

Wally Whitstable had been busy helping the girls saddle their mounts. Bonaparte was now standing beside Chops, flicking the older pony with his tail. They'd already had a mighty squabble that ended with Bonaparte giving Chops a nasty nip on the neck.

‘He seems to be in a bit of a mood, miss.' Wally gave Bonaparte a friendly pat on the backside and was nearly kicked for his trouble.

‘I don't know what's gotten into him.' Alice-Miranda shook her head. She looked her pony in the eye. ‘Bonaparte Napoleon Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones, you stop that behaviour at once or there will be no treats and no ride.'

At the mention of treats, Bony whinnied loudly.

‘No, I said,
no treats
– you need to understand the difference,' Alice-Miranda tutted.

‘Hurry up, Sloane,' Millie directed. ‘That's Stumps in there. You'll need to put his bridle on.'

Sloane entered the stall. Stumps was already saddled with his lead rope tied loosely to a hook on the wall. There was a bridle hanging on the back of the stall door. Sloane grabbed it and tried to work out what went where.

‘Okay, let's put this on,' she muttered under her breath. Sloane approached the pony and began to force the bridle over his head. Unfortunately she hadn't yet undone the straps and it was proving more than a little difficult.

Wally had just finished helping Susannah with her pony Buttercup, when he spotted Sloane.

‘Would you like some help there, miss?' he asked.

‘Yes, you should have done it already.' Sloane let go of the bridle and it fell to the ground. ‘I haven't got time to be fussing around with that silly thing.'

‘Well, if you want to go riding then I think
that silly thing
is rather important.' Wally retrieved the bridle from the floor and undid the throat lash. ‘Would you like to give me a hand?'

‘No, not especially. Isn't that what
you
get paid for?' Sloane sneered at the lad.

Alice-Miranda walked over to Stumps's stable. ‘If you're nervous, Sloane, that's perfectly all right. My daddy says that it's good to be wary around horses no matter how well you know them. Bonaparte always keeps me on my toes.'

‘I'm not nervous. Don't be ridiculous. It's just that stupid silver thing – it's not the same as the one I have at home.' Sloane pouted.

Millie and Susannah joined them.

‘You mean the bit, is that what you're talking about?' Millie's suspicions that Sloane wasn't a rider were beginning to ring true.

‘Yes, of course I meant the bit – what else would I be talking about?' Sloane's eyes drilled into Millie.

Wally finished bridling Stumps and led the pony out into the passageway. ‘Well, he's all yours, miss.' He handed the reins to Sloane.

‘This is going to be such fun.' Alice-Miranda pulled a stool up beside Bonaparte and nimbly hopped onto his back with the expertise of someone who had been riding most of her life. Millie didn't bother with the stool and easily hauled herself onto Chops's back. Susannah's much larger horse, Buttercup, swayed lazily as she put her foot into the stirrup and swung gently into the saddle. This left Sloane marooned beside Stumps.

‘Would you like a leg-up, miss?' Wally offered.

Sloane shook her head and pulled a stool up next to the pony.

‘Excuse me, miss,' Wally began. ‘You're not going to get on from there are you?'

‘Why?' Sloane looked around. The other girls were sitting atop their mounts waiting for her.

‘Because that's the far side of the horse and you never get on that side. Usually scares them.'

Sloane gulped loudly. ‘Well, at my riding school, we always get on from this side. My riding teacher went to the Olympics and he rode the Spanish dancing horses too.'

‘Gosh, that's amazing,' Alice-Miranda gasped.

‘Weird, more like it,' Millie added. ‘I've never heard of anyone who's been in the Olympics
and
with the Spanish dancing horses.'

‘Well, it's true,' Sloane snapped. ‘And if you don't believe me, I won't bother coming.'

‘Of course we believe you, Sloane,' Alice-Miranda soothed. But Alice-Miranda had a strange feeling that something wasn't quite right – and if there was one thing she was usually right about, it was her strange feelings.

Stumps began to snort. As Sloane attempted to throw her leg over his back, he spun around and butted her bottom with his head. She fell to the ground with a thud, right in the middle of a freshly steaming pile of manure deposited moments ago by Bonaparte.

‘Ahh,' she cried. ‘You little beast. Look at me!'

Sloane's white riding breeches now resembled the patchy hide of a Guernsey cow.

‘There, there, miss.' Wally grabbed the pony's reins and wheeled him back around. ‘I think the poor fellow just got a bit nervous. Perhaps if you try getting on the usual way? An old bloke like Stumps is not used to fancy Spanish riding habits.'

Sloane picked herself off the floor. She was sorely tempted to tell the other girls she wasn't feeling well.

‘Are you all right, Sloane?' Millie asked. ‘You know, you don't have to come if you don't want to.'

But Sloane took Millie's comment as a challenge and she was determined to prove the little brat wrong.

‘I'm fine,' she spat and this time, standing on the near side of the pony, she swung herself into the saddle. Stumps stood perfectly still – not even an ear twitched.

‘Well, come on then everyone, let's go!' Alice-Miranda clicked her tongue and the group moved off into the bright sunshine.

Millie and Chops led the group as they made their way down the lane into the woods. Sloane spent most of the time watching how the other girls managed their ponies. She'd been on a horse only once before, at the local show on a lead rope. But no one needed to know that now and besides, she seemed to be doing quite well.

The group walked and then trotted for a while. When Millie called out that they were going to canter, Sloane yelled back that she thought Stumps was tired
and they could go on without her if they wanted.

‘Of course we won't race off.' Alice-Miranda slowed down and rode alongside her.

Millie rolled her eyes. She was bursting to take Chops for a proper gallop. As if reading her mind, Alice-Miranda suggested that Millie and Susannah have a race to Gertrude's Grove. She and Sloane would meet them there in a little while.

Millie didn't need any more encouragement.

‘Thanks, Alice-Miranda,' she called. ‘See you there!'

Chops and Buttercup hit their strides within seconds, leaving Alice-Miranda and Sloane doddling along together.

‘Bonaparte's tired too,' Alice-Miranda smiled. ‘Do you have any brothers or sisters, Sloane?'

‘I have a stinky brother who's a year older than me,' she replied.

‘That's lovely,' Alice-Miranda nodded. ‘Not that he's stinky, but that you have a brother. I'd love to have a brother or sister but Mummy says that it wasn't to be. So there's just me and Mummy and Daddy at home. Oh and Mrs Oliver and Shilly, and Max and Cyril and the Greenings and Lily and Heinrich and Jasper and Poppy and Daisy and, of course, Granny Bert.'

‘Do they
all
live with you?' Sloane asked in astonishment.

‘Oh no, not at all. Daisy and Granny live at Rose Cottage and the Bauers live down the lane and the Greenings live in the gatehouse. Max and Cyril have a flat over the stables so only Mrs Oliver and Shilly live in the Hall with Mummy and Daddy and me.'

‘Where do you live?' Sloane asked.

‘Near a lovely little village called Highton Mill. It's terribly pretty. Our house is called Highton Hall,' Alice-Miranda replied.

‘Is it very big?' Sloane continued.

‘It's certainly not as big as some of our friends' houses but there's plenty of room. Tell me about your brother. What's his name?'

‘Septimus,' Sloane smirked. ‘He's foul.'

‘I'm sure he can't be that bad,' Alice-Miranda smiled. ‘Does he go to school close by?'

‘He's at Fayle,' Sloane replied, then giggled. ‘He'll probably fail at Fayle.'

‘I don't think so,' Alice-Miranda said. ‘It's against the school charter. It's such a funny name for a school, isn't it? I asked Miss Reedy however it came to be called that and she told me that the man who started the school was Mr Frederick Erasmus
Fayle and he wrote a strict charter, which is sort of like a set of rules, I think, about the importance of academic standards. Do you know, the school motto is “
Nomine defectus non autem natura
”, which means “Fail by name, not by nature”. That's terribly clever, don't you think? If more than twenty-five per cent of boys fail any test, the school has to close immediately and whoever is next in line in the Fayle family can do with it whatever they choose. Wouldn't that be a terrible shame? A grand school like that closed down. Mr Fayle must have been a very proud man to make that rule. Anyway, Millie, Jacinta and I have a friend who we hope might be starting there soon. His name's Lucas, and his father is going to marry my Aunt Charlotte. Maybe he and your brother will become friends?'

‘Whatever.' Sloane stared off into the distance. ‘Do you think we could trot for a while? I'm hungry.'

‘Of course,' Alice-Miranda clicked her tongue and Bonaparte picked up the pace. She rose and fell with the trot. Sloane just bounced along on top of Stumps.

When the girls finally reached Gertrude's Grove, Wally had already met Millie and Susannah with a
basket and picnic rug and driven away again. Sloane threw her right leg forward over Stumps's neck and slid off the pony, hitting the ground with a thud.

‘That was a fancy dismount,' Alice-Miranda admired. Sloane raised her nose in the air and did her best attempt at stalking off towards the picnic. Trouble was, she could barely stand, let alone walk gracefully.

‘Do you want some help with Stumps?' Alice-Miranda offered.

‘Yes, you can tie him up for me, can't you?' Sloane didn't even look back. Alice-Miranda grabbed Stumps's reins and looped them over the nearby gate. She made sure Bonaparte was far enough away that he couldn't get up to any mischief. It was never a good idea to tether him within reach of another pony.

‘You took your time,' Millie called, as she looked up from where she was rummaging through the wicker basket. ‘We've been here for ages but Wally just arrived with the food a few minutes ago.'

‘There's a lovely stream over there beyond the willows,' Susannah added. ‘We had a competition skimming stones.'

‘And I won.' Millie smiled.

Sloane hobbled over and gingerly lowered herself down onto the edge of the picnic rug. Her grimace said it all.

‘Sore backside, hey?' Millie queried. ‘Usually happens when you haven't been on a horse for a while.'

‘I'm fine,' Sloane retorted. ‘And who said I hadn't been on a horse for a while?'

‘Well, it's dead obvious –' Millie began.

‘And what's that supposed to mean?' Sloane snapped, a crimson rash rising up her neck.

Alice-Miranda arrived just in time to survey the delicious-looking spread that would be their lunch. ‘Ohh, look at that!' she gasped, interrupting Millie and Sloane's exchange.

Susannah had unwrapped a stack of sandwiches; there was egg and lettuce, ham, cheese and tomato, turkey, brie and cranberry, not to mention roast beef with a touch of horseradish. From the bottom of the basket, Susannah retrieved four plump scones, a pot of jam and another of cream, and four large slices of devil's food cake. There were two thermos flasks, one filled with tea and the other hot chocolate.

Sloane reached forward and helped herself to a slice of cake.

‘Would you like to have a sandwich first?' Alice-Miranda offered.

‘No, I hate sandwiches. Unless they're fully organic and I can't tell so I'd rather not have any,' Sloane replied.

Millie raised her eyebrows. ‘But it's all right to have a huge piece of chocolate cake?'

‘What's it to you?' Sloane bit into the cake.

It seemed that the school's newest student didn't have the easiest nature, but Alice-Miranda was determined to make her feel part of the group, and hurriedly changed the subject.

‘You know, I came through here when I was on my hike last term,' she commented. ‘And then I headed over the stream and up into the mountains. It was so lovely.'

‘I still can't believe you had to do it.' Susannah smiled. ‘I would have been so scared.'

‘Well, I was a little bit nervous but I knew that there was nothing out here to hurt me,' said Alice-Miranda.

‘Except the witch,' Susannah lowered her voice and widened her eyes.

‘A witch. As if!' Sloane scoffed. ‘You're such a baby. I'm not going hiking. Ever!'

‘Miss Grimm will have something to say about that,' Millie replied.

‘Really? I don't think so. Mummy says hikes are for tomboys and I'm hardly that, am I now?' Sloane spat.

‘Would you like something else to eat Millie?' Alice-Miranda hurriedly handed her friend a jam-smothered scone.

‘Thanks.' Millie rolled her eyes at Sloane, who fortunately was looking elsewhere.

The scrumptious lunch had a soothing effect and the girls had a lovely time eating and lying about in the warm sunshine. The ponies were behaving themselves too, with barely a snort or grunt out of any of them. Amid the chirping of birds, the only other sound was the tearing of clumps of grass as Bony and his friends enjoyed the sweet tastes of the meadow.

‘I'm so full!' Millie patted her hand on her stomach and lay back with her head in Alice-Miranda's lap.

‘Me too,' wailed Susannah.

The girls had all but demolished Mrs Smith's feast, leaving only a couple of half-sandwiches and one lonely scone.

‘Look.' Alice-Miranda pointed at the gate. ‘There's Wally.'

The clattering of the old school Land Rover filled
the air and Wally Whitstable pulled up beside them. The engine shuddered to a halt and he hopped out of the vehicle.

Wally eyed the remains of the picnic. ‘Goodness, you lot must have been famished.'

‘Yes, but now we're all as full as ticks,' Alice-Miranda sighed.

‘Not me.' Sloane turned up her nose. ‘Some of us watch how much we eat.'

Millie sat up and offered Wally a leftover sandwich.

‘Thanks, miss,' he said. ‘I'm a bit hungry myself. It's been a busy morning. I've been giving some riding lessons to a couple of the girls who aren't very confident. Perhaps you'd like to join them next time, Miss Sloane?'

‘Why?' bit Sloane. ‘I don't need lessons with beginners.'

‘Well, the offer's there.' Wally wolfed down the roast beef sandwich.

Alice-Miranda and Susannah set to, packing the thermos flasks and other bits and pieces into the picnic basket. Millie picked up the rug and tried to fold it but she couldn't quite get the two ends lined up. Sloane ignored her.

Millie let out a shuddering sigh. ‘Do you think you could give me hand?'

‘Oh, all right,' Sloane replied, grabbing at the other end of the rug. Anyone would have thought she'd been asked to scrub a toilet with a toothbrush.

‘Here, Miss Millie, I'll do that,' Wally said.

‘It's all right, Wally. Sloane's helping me,' said Millie with narrowed eyes.

‘Then let me carry that basket to the car,' he offered, as Alice-Miranda and Susannah struggled with the enormous wicker hamper.

When the rug was finally folded and stowed in the four-wheel drive, Wally said, ‘I'd best be off, girls. Are you heading straight back?'

‘Yes, I think so,' Millie replied. ‘We need to learn our lines for the auditions next week.'

‘Well, be careful.' Wally hopped into the driver's seat. ‘Oh, and by the way, Miss Sloane, just watch Stumps – I've heard he can be a bit of a bolter on the inbound run, but I'm sure an experienced rider like you won't have any trouble with him. Just don't mention the “h” word.' Wally winked at Millie, who smothered a smile.

‘What do you mean, the “h” word?' Sloane called
out over the clattering engine of the four-wheel drive. But Wally was halfway up the hill.

‘You just have to make sure you keep a tight rein on him, that's all,' said Alice-Miranda. ‘Don't worry. I'll ride with you the whole way. If the other girls want to race, that's fine. I won't leave you.'

Susannah and Millie walked off to get Chops and Buttercup from where they were tied up further down the fence line. Alice-Miranda hauled herself up onto Bonaparte and watched as Sloane attempted three times to get onto Stumps. Thankfully, he really was a dozy old fellow and didn't even flinch when, on the fourth attempt, she landed a thumping blow to the side of his ribs with her right boot. Alice-Miranda wasn't concerned about Stumps's alleged habit of bolting for home. Whenever she rode him last term, he was the gentlest chap she'd ever met.

Millie and Susannah joined Alice-Miranda and Sloane. The four of them were standing abreast when Sloane leaned forward and asked, ‘Well, are we heading straight
home
or what?'

With the mere mention of the word, Stumps let out an ear-piercing whinny. He threw his head back and forth, pawed at the ground and then took off, from zero to gallop in barely a second.

‘Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!' Sloane screamed as she leaned forward and clutched Stumps's shaggy mane. Millie, Alice-Miranda and Susannah knew they had to catch up – and fast.

‘Hold on, Sloane, we're coming,' Alice-Miranda called as she dug her heels into Bony's side and urged him after the runaway horse.

Stumps flew across the open meadow, through the stream and towards the woods. Sloane continued screeching as the girls raced to catch up. Millie and Chops were the fastest – his little legs pumped as Millie sat glued to the saddle.

As they neared the woods, Susannah yelled, ‘Keep your head down, Sloane.'

Sloane ducked just in time as a branch grazed the top of her riding helmet. The ponies were flying through the undergrowth, snorting and puffing.

Up ahead, Sloane could just make out the shape of a fallen tree. She realised that Stumps was not about to stop and braced herself as the pony flew through the air and cleared the trunk with no trouble. Surprisingly, she was still on his back when he landed. Millie and Chops easily managed the jump with Susannah and Alice-Miranda close behind. The ponies raced on. Stumps was increasing
his lead. Who would have thought the old boy had it in him?

The woodland gave way to a clearer path, lined on either side by thick undergrowth. Sloane's screams echoed through the forest. The trail narrowed and then, without warning, split into two paths. Sloane and Stumps were nowhere to be seen. Chops and Buttercup headed left and, despite Alice-Miranda's best efforts to follow them, Bonaparte veered to the right. Alice-Miranda jerked the reins as hard as she could. She ordered Bony to stop, but a small child of seven and a half is no match for a pony on a mission. As Chops and Buttercup thundered on in the other direction, with Sloane's shrieks fading in the distance, Alice-Miranda was aware of Bonaparte sniffing the air around him. In spite of his pace, he was lifting his head and inhaling wildly. Alice-Miranda knew this could only mean one thing – cabbages!