Alice-Miranda in China

by Jacqueline Harvey

  Sep grinned. ‘Maybe that’s what I should do when I grow up.’

  ‘What? Steal antiquities and take them back to their owners?’ Lucas teased.

  ‘I think he meant being some sort of human-rights lawyer who returns important things to their countries of origin.’ Millie looked at Alice-Miranda. ‘See, I told you.’

  Sep frowned. ‘Told her what?’

  ‘The other day Millie was making all sorts of grand predictions about what we might do when we grow up, and she said that you’d most likely become a human-rights lawyer,’ Alice-Miranda explained, her eyes twinkling. ‘It seems she was right.’

  ‘What did she say about me?’ Caprice asked, appearing behind them.

  ‘That you’d be a famous singer,’ Alice-Miranda said, smiling.

  Caprice stared at Millie. She felt strangely touched by the revelation and just a tiny bit guilty about her behaviour at breakfast. Both were uncomfortable feelings. ‘Did you really say that?’ she asked.

  ‘Among other things,’ Millie mumbled.

  The group moved on to the sculpture gallery and passed September Sykes on their way.

  ‘Don’t waste your time, kids,’ she said, rolling her eyes. ‘Everything in there is a zillion years old.’

  ‘But that’s the point,’ Sloane said, aghast.

  ‘Well, then I just don’t understand museums. But,’ September said, brightening, ‘I’ve had lots of people following me around and taking photographs of my shoes. They’re a big hit.’

  Sloane and the rest of the group looked over at a gaggle of Chinese schoolgirls who were standing off to the side pointing at September’s feet and giggling behind their hands.

  ‘Would you like to take a picture?’ she asked, holding one foot in the air to offer them a better view. The girls nodded and gathered around her.

  ‘I suspect they think she’s a celebrity,’ Alice-Miranda said.

  ‘Of course they do,’ Sloane replied. ‘No normal person would ever wear shoes like that.’

  Alice-Miranda glanced across the atrium at the entrance to the sculpture exhibit. ‘Jacinta, isn’t that Summer Tan?’ She gestured to a slight girl standing beside a young man.

  Jacinta looked across. ‘Oh my goodness, I think it is. We’ve got to go and say hello!’ she fizzed.

  Alice-Miranda and Jacinta hurried around the circular balcony with the others close behind. ‘Summer!’ Alice-Miranda called.

  The girl spun around, but instead of cheerful recognition, the look on her face seemed to be one of sheer horror. The man grabbed Summer’s arm and steered her away. The girls had almost caught up to them when a mob of students spilled out of the doorway, blocking their view. By the time they pushed past, Summer was gone.

  ‘That’s odd,’ Alice-Miranda said, frowning. ‘Fancy seeing her twice in a couple of days. She must have boundless energy to be sightseeing as well as performing at night.’

  Jacinta’s face fell. ‘I’m so sad we didn’t get to say hello and I wonder why she didn’t look that thrilled to see us.’

  ‘She looked terrified, if you ask me,’ Millie noted.

  Sloane squinted into the distance. ‘Who do you think that guy was?’

  ‘There they are!’ Lucas pointed at the escalator to the floor below.

  ‘Summer!’ Alice-Miranda called again, waving to her. But this time the girl didn’t even look up.

  ‘Maybe she just looks like Summer,’ Jacinta said, though she didn’t sound entirely convinced.

  Alice-Miranda couldn’t shake the strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. That girl was either Summer Tan or her twin, and something told Alice-Miranda there was something seriously amiss.

  The children finished up their tour and slowly made their way back downstairs to the foyer. Iris was there with her red flag, as the children drew around her like bears to a honey pot.

  ‘Did you enjoy the exhibits?’ she asked.

  There were lots of nods.

  ‘Wonderful. Now, you have about fifteen minutes to look in the shop. There are lots of replicas of things you have just seen, but keep in mind that the baggage handlers aren’t always gentle with your luggage on the planes,’ Iris said.

  ‘Yes,’ Miss Grimm agreed. ‘If you purchase anything breakable, you’re going to have to carry it with you in your hand luggage.’

  ‘Do you think they’ll have those bronze helmets from upstairs?’ Rufus asked. ‘They were cool.’

  ‘And weigh about half a tonne,’ Mr Plumpton interjected.

  ‘I could wear it on the plane,’ Rufus said. ‘They don’t weigh us, do they?’

  ‘I don’t think you want to do that, buddy,’ Lawrence said. ‘I had to wear a replica First World War helmet for a movie not long back and, believe me, I was begging to take it off after five minutes. It felt as though I was balancing a brick on my head.’

  Rufus pulled a face.

  Mr Plumpton felt for the boy. It was a pity to dampen his enthusiasm. ‘Perhaps they’ll have a pencil sharpener in the shape of a helmet, or something small like that you can buy instead,’ he suggested as the group made their way into the shop.

  Meanwhile, Jacinta, Sloane and Ambrosia spotted some outfits from the clothing exhibition on the far wall of the shop and walked over to inspect them. Sep and Lucas were busy admiring miniature bronze pots and urns, while Venetia and Caprice were looking at Chinese puzzles which they thought might make good presents for her brothers. September collapsed on a chair in the corner, tired of walking. She couldn’t quite come to terms with the fact that there was nothing she wanted to buy. It was a very strange feeling.

  ‘Look, Millie, it’s a copy of the cup with the hens on it.’ Alice-Miranda picked it up and checked the price, pleasantly surprised. ‘I’m going to get one each for Mrs Oliver and Shilly. I think they’re adorable.’

  ‘I’ll be back in a minute,’ Millie said, and headed off to take a closer look at a scroll she thought her mother might like.

  As Alice-Miranda queued at the counter to pay for her goods, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and was taken aback to see Summer Tan standing before her. ‘Oh, hello!’ Alice-Miranda beamed. ‘We thought it was you on the escalator.’

  Summer smiled nervously.

  ‘Was that your brother you were with again?’ Alice-Miranda asked.

  Summer shrugged, clearly not understanding what the tiny girl was asking.

  ‘I’m buying these for my friends Mrs Oliver and Shilly.’ Alice-Miranda held out her hands to show the girl what she was getting.

  Summer blanched at the sight of the replicas.

  Alice-Miranda bit her lip. ‘Don’t you like them? I thought they were sweet.’

  Summer shook her head, but Alice-Miranda still wasn’t sure whether that meant yes she did like them or no she didn’t. The woman at the counter beckoned for Alice-Miranda to put her purchases forward.

  ‘Excuse me a moment,’ Alice-Miranda said, and turned to pay for the goods, then waited while the woman wrapped them carefully.

  ‘These are popular today,’ the woman said. ‘I think your friend bought one earlier.’

  Alice-Miranda smiled politely, wondering who the cashier was referring to. She rejoined Summer and held up her purchases triumphantly. ‘All done. So what brings you to Shanghai?’

  The same look of terror flashed across the girl’s face. Summer scanned the shop. He’d be back any minute and it would be time to go. She tried to remember what she wanted to say to Alice-Miranda, but the words were like a whirligig inside her mind. All she could think about was how her mother’s life depended on her silence. So why did she believe this girl could help her?

  ‘Summer, are you all right?’ Alice-Miranda asked.

  ‘Yes,’ she said quickly, then leaned forward and embraced her, which caught Alice-Miranda completely off guard. ‘I must go.’ She hesitated for a moment before adding, ‘Look after your buys and do not show the authorities.’

  Summer looked over Alice-Miranda’s shou
lder, which caused the girl to turn too. But she couldn’t work out what she was focused on. When Alice-Miranda turned back, Summer was gone.

  After midday, the group was back on the bus and heading for their next destination.

  ‘I’m starving,’ Lawrence said, a little louder than he’d meant to. Soon, just about the whole group was complaining of hunger pains, although Iris reassured them that they would have lunch very soon.

  ‘I can’t believe you got to talk to Summer and nobody else saw her,’ Millie said. ‘That girl is like a Houdini as well as the world’s best acrobat. Was she okay?’

  ‘I think so,’ Alice-Miranda replied. ‘We didn’t really talk much, so it was hard to tell. I still don’t know why she was there.’

  ‘Maybe the Circus of Golden Destiny is in town,’ Millie said.

  ‘I’m not sure. Perhaps Iris can tell us,’ Alice-Miranda said. Their tour guide was sitting at the front of the bus in the seat ahead of them. ‘Excuse me, Iris,’ Alice-Miranda said, tapping the woman’s arm, ‘do you know if the Circus of Golden Destiny is performing in Shanghai at the moment?’

  ‘I wish, but the government does not allow visiting entertainment like that as we have many troupes of our own,’ Iris explained.

  Alice-Miranda thanked her and sat back in her seat. Perhaps Summer was on a short holiday – it wasn’t unfeasible, yet it still didn’t sit right. Alice-Miranda wished she could work it out. She decided to ask Uncle Lawrence if he could phone Mr Choo again, just in case there was something the matter.

  The rest of their time in Shanghai flew by. Lunch was followed by a trip to the Yuyuan Garden, an ancient compound built in the 1500s by the governor of Sichuan. According to Iris, it was the man’s lifelong dream, and in the end his greatest folly as the expense of maintaining the vast area completely ruined the family. Over the centuries, the gardens had been impinged upon by suburban sprawl and were now surrounded by tourist shops selling all manner of Chinese knick-knacks, from porcelain and pottery to fans and footwear. There were lots of Western fast-food outlets too, which Alice-Miranda thought looked terribly out of place. In the short time they were there, September managed to add to her impressive collection of silks and clothing, although she couldn’t find a single pair of shoes to fit her, no matter how hard she tried to stuff her feet inside. Sloane didn’t help matters when she explained to one of the shopkeepers that fitting her mother was like trying to find shoes for one of Cinderella’s ugly stepsisters.

  In the evening, the group toured the area called the French Concession. It was full of little alleyways and lanes and lots more restaurants and shops. They then took a cruise on the Huangpu River, which wriggled like a dragon’s tail from central China to the sea. They boarded the vessel at one of the docks on the Bund, a beautiful area along the river where tourists gathered to get some of the best views of the city’s architecture. An impressive fireworks display capped off an extremely busy day.

  ‘I’m exhausted,’ Millie said. She laid her head on Alice-Miranda’s shoulder as the bus drove back to the hotel. ‘I can’t wait to start going to school again.’

  Alice-Miranda smiled to herself. ‘Did you really just say that?’

  Millie looked up. ‘I think I did. You know, this tourist thing is tiring. At least we get to sit down for an hour at a time when we’re at school. If any of our lessons are in Mandarin I might have a nap to conserve my energy.’

  ‘According to the schedule, we only have one full day of school anyway,’ Alice-Miranda said.

  There was a screech as Iris activated the PA system. ‘Thank you, everyone, for a very good day,’ she said. ‘We have kept together and I have received many nice comments about the lovely children.’

  ‘Well done, kids,’ Lawrence said, leading the adults in a round of applause.

  ‘What about the grown-ups? Did you get any compliments about us?’ September asked.

  ‘Oh yes, Mrs Sykes, your shoes were a source of constant amazement,’ Iris said.

  September beamed. ‘I’ll make sure I wear them again.’

  ‘Good grief, no,’ Sloane mumbled, and rolled her eyes.

  Millie stared out of the window at the sparkling city lights. ‘Shanghai is exciting but I don’t know if I could live here all the time.’

  ‘Why not?’ Alice-Miranda asked. ‘It’s got such a great buzz. It’s sort of like New York but even bigger and with different smells and arguably much worse traffic.’

  ‘How do people get away from it all? I suppose you wouldn’t ever feel lonely,’ Millie said.

  Alice-Miranda’s thoughts wandered back to Summer. ‘I don’t know – I think a person can still be lonely in the middle of an enormous city.’

  The bus pulled up outside the shiny hotel lobby and the children spilled out onto the driveway. Alice-Miranda hung back and waited for the others to walk out of earshot.

  ‘Uncle Lawrence,’ she said, walking up to the man.

  He looked up and smiled, dusting the crumbs from his pants. ‘Hello, sweetheart.’

  ‘I was wondering if you had managed to get hold of Mr Choo?’ she asked.

  ‘Afraid not, darling. I’ve left a couple of messages for him, but he hasn’t returned my calls. Don’t worry too much. Summer looks like she can take care of herself.’

  ‘You’re probably right,’ the child said. ‘Thanks for trying.’

  ‘Would you mind giving me a hand with something, Lawrence?’ Mr Plumpton asked, and the two of them trotted inside.

  Miss Grimm gathered everyone around to have a quick chat about packing and ensuring that nothing was left behind. She and Miss Reedy planned to inspect the children’s rooms before lights out to check that they were ready to leave swiftly for their flight in the morning.

  ‘We will be going straight from the airport to the Bright Star Academy to meet your billets and start your next big adventure,’ Miss Reedy said. She was looking forward to having some nights off with her husband to explore the city.

  ‘I hope our billet’s nice,’ Susannah said to Caprice.

  ‘They’d better be,’ Caprice snorted, ‘or else I’ll be going to stay with Mummy in the hotel.’

  Susannah gulped. ‘You wouldn’t leave me there on my own, would you?’

  Caprice shrugged. ‘I suppose you could come with us, but you’d have to sleep on a rollaway.’

  ‘I can’t wait to meet Coco,’ Alice-Miranda said.

  ‘Me too,’ Jacinta fizzed. ‘What do you think she’ll be like?’

  ‘They’re probably as scared about meeting us as we are about meeting them,’ Lucas said with a grin.

  The sound of a phone ringing interrupted the group. The bus driver hopped off and held it aloft, then said something to Iris.

  ‘Someone left this on board,’ she announced.

  ‘That’s Uncle Lawrence’s,’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘I’ll give it to him.’

  Iris passed it over, and the girl was thrilled to see the caller was none other than Benny Choo. Knowing that her uncle had gone inside with Mr Plumpton, Alice-Miranda took the call.

  ‘Hello Mr Choo,’ she said. ‘It’s Alice-Miranda speaking. Uncle Lawrence is busy right now.’

  To her surprise, it was a woman who replied. She introduced herself as Mr Choo’s secretary and apologised for missing Lawrence’s calls. Alice-Miranda told her it was not a worry at all and that Lawrence had in fact been calling on her behalf, that she had seen Summer Tan in Shanghai that morning and wanted to check that everything was all right.

  On the other end of the line, Fuchsia Lee faltered. The child had to be mistaken. ‘I’m afraid that is impossible,’ Fuchsia said. ‘Miss Tan is performing this evening in Hong Kong. She cannot be in Shanghai.’

  ‘Oh, I see,’ Alice-Miranda replied, her brow furrowing. ‘Could you ask Mr Choo to call Uncle Lawrence as soon as he can?’

  Miss Lee agreed to do so and hung up the telephone, confused.

  Millie took one look at her friend’s face and knew something was wrong. ‘Is
everything okay?’ she asked.

  ‘I’m not sure,’ Alice-Miranda said with a shake of her head. ‘I’m really not sure at all.’

  Coco was out of bed and dressed before the alarm began to beep.

  Wai Po pushed open the door into the child’s bedroom. ‘Good morning, little one.’

  ‘Hello Wai Po,’ Coco said brightly.

  The old woman smiled. ‘You are in a very fine mood.’

  ‘Jacinta and Alice-Miranda are coming today!’ The girl jumped up and down on the spot as if she were on a pogo stick, except that, unlike most children, she actually jumped so high she could touch the ceiling and executed a perfect split as she did so. ‘Do you like the gifts I have made for them?’ She raced to her desk and lifted up the two Chinese knots she’d made.

  Wai Po’s eyes twinkled. ‘They are perfect, but you must not forget that the boys are coming too.’

  Coco nodded. ‘I told Sunny to make them a gift as well, but he just wants them to play video games with him. I want to show the girls everything.’

  ‘Of course,’ Wai Po said, ‘but you must not expect too much of them. They might be very shy and it will be a completely different experience for them – especially living here in the hutongs with us.’

  ‘I don’t mind. I think it’s exciting to meet someone from far away,’ the child babbled. ‘I can practise my English so that, when I go to America, no one will even be able to tell that I’m from China.’

  ‘Since when do you want to move to America?’ The old woman frowned, her face crumpling like crushed velvet.

  ‘Because I want to star in movies and on television shows,’ the girl said, a dreamy look in her eyes.

  ‘Chinese people can be on the television. You could get a job here on my favourite show, Amazing Detective Di Renjie,’ the woman said.

  Coco scrunched up her nose. ‘That’s a boring old people’s program. I would rather be on Beijing Youth – at least they are young and fun.’

  ‘Well, I don’t know when you are doing all these things. You are already in the most famous acrobatic show in all of China and it is your family tradition,’ Wai Po said. ‘Who would take over the show if you and Sunny left?’