Alice-Miranda At School (10 page)

‘When do you have to take that wretched test?' Millie asked, looking up from her poetry books. Alice-Miranda was busily studying long division.

‘I don't know really. I suppose Miss Grimm will decide. Perhaps I should go over and ask her?'

‘I think you should stay right away from her. She wasn't exactly pleased to see you last Sunday. Maybe that's why she decided that you have to do all those horrid things.' Millie ruled a line in thick red pen under her heading. ‘It's so unfair. I mean, she hasn't
even told you what's going to be in the test. What if it's something really hard that you've never even heard of before?'

‘I'll just do my best. That's all she can ask of me. She knows I'm only seven and one-quarter and I've only had seven and one-quarter years to learn whatever it is that I've learned.' Alice-Miranda finished her calculations and moved on to her grammar homework.

Millie smiled to herself. For someone who had only been around for seven and one-quarter years, Alice-Miranda seemed so much older. Millie had never met anyone like her. Usually she would have complained loudly about being stuck in a room with one of the youngest girls – especially now that she had been at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale for over two years – but there was something about Alice-Miranda that was hard to resist.

‘Hello little girls.' A snarly voice floated through the open doorway, followed by its equally vicious owner.

‘Hello Alethea,' said Alice-Miranda, looking up.

‘Hello Alethea,' Millie echoed less enthusiastically.

Alethea walked into the room and immediately
plonked onto Alice-Miranda's bed. She snatched up Brummel Bear and pinched his nose.

Alice-Miranda glanced around and then continued with her homework. ‘That's Brummel Bear. He's very pleased to meet you.'

‘You're such a baby.' Alethea threw the bear back onto the bed and laughed in disgust. ‘Are these your parents?' She picked up a silver-framed photograph from a pair on Alice-Miranda's bedside table.

‘Yes, that's Mummy.' Alice-Miranda stopped what she was doing and walked over to Alethea. She picked up the other frame and showed it to her. ‘And that's my darling daddy.'

‘I've seen them before somewhere. Are they famous? My daddy's famous. He owns an oil company. But I suppose you knew that already?' It wasn't really a question.

‘Really? Good on him. That must be very exciting. I imagine he flies all over the world visiting different countries and giving jobs to thousands of very poor people,' Alice-Miranda replied.

‘More like stealing from third-world countries and making people work for next to nothing in the most hideous circumstances,' Millie said under her breath. A recent geography lesson on oil
mining had left her with no false impressions about exactly how Addison Goldsworthy had made his fortune.

‘What was that, Freckles?' Alethea's tongue flicked like an asp's.

‘Nothing, Alethea. I was just thinking how lovely it must be to have a daddy who can buy you everything you would ever want.' Millie rolled her eyes, keeping her head firmly in her books.

‘Yes, it is wonderful. I mean, I wouldn't know what it's like to be poor. Fancy having to be here on a –' Alethea gulped as though the words were stuck in the back of her throat – ‘a scholarship.'

‘Well, I think it's wonderful that we have girls here on scholarships,' Alice-Miranda replied. ‘Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale has so many things to offer – it would be terrible if you could only come here because your parents were rich.'

‘You have a lot to learn, little one.' Alethea pulled Alice-Miranda's ponytail.

‘Ow,' Alice-Miranda couldn't help but squeal.

Millie looked around, wondering about Alethea's next move. This wasn't a social visit. They never were. Alethea had something on her mind and Millie feared that they were about to find out what it was.

‘Did you enjoy your mineral water?' Alice-Miranda asked innocently.

‘It was horrid, actually. Don't know how you drink the stuff.' That seemed to remind Alethea about the reason for her visit. ‘So, I've decided that tomorrow morning you're going to wash my hair with it instead. Then you're going to wash Lizzy's and Danika's and even Shelby's nasty mop. By the way, I think she has lice, but I'm sure that you'll manage to comb them out first.' Alethea smiled thinly.

Millie protested. ‘You can't make Alice-Miranda wash your hair. That's disgraceful. Howie will have something to say about that.'

Alethea lay back onto Alice-Miranda's bed.

‘Howie is off this weekend. It's her son's wedding or some other vile family event. Shaker's on, so, my dear little girls, this weekend you are both mine.' Alethea twisted a strand of blonde hair menacingly around her forefinger much the same way she planned to twist Alice-Miranda and Millie.

Millie looked crushed.

Alethea jumped up off the bed and turned on her heel.

‘See you tomorrow, little slaves,' she said and flounced down the corridor.

‘That's gross,' Millie sighed. ‘I don't want to touch her hair.'

‘It could be worse,' said Alice-Miranda. ‘So who's Shaker?'

‘She comes when Howie's not here, which thankfully is hardly ever. She's about ninety and she's as deaf as a beetle and her eyesight is failing too. She thinks Alethea is a darling and now that she's Head Prefect it will only be worse. There's no use complaining to her because she really wouldn't know what to do anyway.'

‘Surely it's not that bad.' Alice-Miranda tried to sound positive. She began to laugh. ‘Anyway, Alethea might regret that decision.'

‘What do you mean?' Millie looked puzzled.

‘Well, my mineral water from Switzerland is delicious. But it's not very good at all for washing hair. When I went with Mummy and Daddy to visit their old friend the Baron last year, Mummy commented how simply splendid it would be to have water as beautiful as this to wash her hair in. The Baroness did not agree. Apparently she had tried it and found that the water was far too hard. Her hair lost all its shine for a month. It was terribly dull and flat,' Alice-Miranda explained. ‘I really should warn Alethea.'

Millie giggled. ‘No, that's perfect. Alethea needs to learn that she has no right at all to order you about. She loves her hair. She spends half the day preening those delicious blonde locks. If it means that she's about to go from golden-haired Barbie to flat and dull Bertha, I won't mind one bit.'

On Saturday morning at breakfast Miss Reedy made her usual round of announcements. She directed girls to their various games and read a list of activities that were available over the weekend. But it was her final point that caused a buzz.

‘Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones, you must go immediately after breakfast to see Miss Higgins.' She peered over her glasses at Alice-Miranda from the dining room lectern.

The room was suddenly alive with gossip. The
usual staccato chinking of spoons on bowls and light thuds as cups were set back down on tables was overrun by loudly whispered speculation.

‘She's getting kicked out already,' Lizzy gloated.

‘No, she probably has to do that test.' Danika leaned her head forward around Alethea to meet Lizzy's gaze.

‘She'd better not be going today. It's hair-washing day,' Alethea hissed, loudly enough to be heard by the girls sitting with Alice-Miranda at the next table.

‘Oh, she's so awful,' Ashima whispered and shook her head. ‘Don't worry, Alice-Miranda, it's probably nothing at all.' She crossed her fingers under the table.

‘It's all right. I'm not worried. Perhaps Miss Grimm wants to talk to me about my letter. I wrote to her earlier in the week to ask if she would reconsider her decision about Jacinta and the championships. It's probably that.' Alice-Miranda went back to munching daintily on her cornflakes.

‘I'll have to wash all that hair on my own,' Millie groaned, pointing over her shoulder towards Alethea's table.

‘No you won't,' Madeline chimed in. ‘The four of us agreed that we'd help. Then it will all be over
in less than an hour and we can go off for some games.'

Ashima, Ivory and Susannah nodded in agreement.

‘You guys are the best,' Millie smiled.

‘And don't worry, I'll be back soon,' said Alice-Miranda. She hopped up and gathered her dish and spoon. She deposited them on the servery and asked Miss Reedy if she might be excused.

‘Certainly, Alice-Miranda. And if it's about that test,' she lowered her voice, ‘well, I'm rather hoping that you might have some time to study. Perhaps you would like to come and see me this afternoon and we can go over a few things?'

‘That would be lovely, thank you, Miss Reedy,' Alice-Miranda smiled. She couldn't believe some of the things the girls had said about her. Miss Reedy didn't seem the least bit like a fire-breathing dragon with a toothache.

Alice-Miranda left the dining room and started out across the flagstones.

‘Morning, Miss Alice-Miranda,' Charlie called from the other side of the courtyard. He tipped his hat and smiled.

‘Good morning, Mr Charles,' she called back.

He grinned widely. There was something about that child, he thought and smiled to himself, before picking up the arms of his wheelbarrow and trundling towards the greenhouse.

Alice-Miranda knocked loudly on the office door.

‘Come in,' Miss Higgins called.

‘Hello Miss Higgins,' Alice-Miranda beamed. ‘Is Miss Grimm in?' She looked towards the oak doors that lead to the study.

‘I'm afraid she's very busy this morning.' Miss Higgins was flicking through some pages on her desk. ‘But she did ask me to give you this.' She passed Alice-Miranda a large envelope with her name on the front.

‘Oh, I hope she's changed her mind about Jacinta. Has she?' Alice-Miranda asked, clutching the envelope to her chest.

‘Please don't get your hopes up, Alice-Miranda. I haven't known Miss Grimm to change her mind – about anything really.' Miss Higgins looked doleful.

Alice-Miranda carefully opened the envelope. It held a very official looking letter on the school letterhead.

Alice-Miranda's shoulders slumped. ‘But that's so unfair.' She put the letter on the edge of Miss Higgins's desk.

‘I gather it's not good news.' Miss Higgins looked at the piece of paper.

‘Go on; please read it for yourself, Miss Higgins,' sighed Alice-Miranda. ‘I don't mind at all about the first part. If I have to prove that I belong here then I know I can do that. It's the last part. It's so awful. Poor Jacinta will be heartbroken. Do you know how good she is? I've seen some pretty fantastic gymnasts but she's amazing.'

‘Well, you did your best, Alice-Miranda. You tried and that's more than any of the other girls would do for Jacinta. She's not exactly the easiest person to get along with.' Miss Higgins gently touched Alice-Miranda's cheek.

‘I know. Goodness, when I met her last weekend she was having the most fabulous tantrum. But when she calmed down, you know, she was really quite reasonable. I think she's lonely. Her parents didn't even take her home for the holidays. I can't imagine Mummy and Daddy not coming to pick me up – no matter how busy they are.'

‘I suppose her life is rather complicated,' Miss Higgins replied. She stared at the papers on her desk, deep in thought, then looked up and smiled. ‘However did you get to be so wise, young lady?'