Alice-Miranda in China

by Jacqueline Harvey

  Ophelia giggled as Shauna sat down beside her. ‘You’re dreadful, you know,’ she said. ‘Figgy’s going to have nightmares about his trip to the Wall for months.’

  ‘Oh well, no doubt he’ll be on his best behaviour for the trip home.’ Shauna grinned. ‘I don’t imagine he’ll try to smuggle a stray cat in his luggage.’

  The bus came to a stop outside a large entrance gate across from several buildings including a visitors’ centre and museum and, further beyond, rows of shops and market stalls.

  ‘This is unexpected,’ Lawrence Ridley said. Dotted throughout the market was a smattering of Western fast-food outlets. ‘Is that a doughnut stand over there?’

  ‘Dad,’ Lucas chided. ‘You can’t be hungry already.’

  The man had eaten two packets of prawn crackers and half a bag of chocolate frogs on the drive up.

  September craned her neck to see past Ambrosia, who was glad to have reached their destination, having had the woman talk at her the whole way. ‘I can see shoes,’ September whispered excitedly.

  ‘We’ve got about forty-five minutes until we head off, so you can wander about, but please stick with your buddies and make sure you can see a teacher or parent,’ Shauna advised.

  The children spilled off the bus and quickly divided into their groups.

  Lawrence spotted his niece and wandered over to say hello. ‘Did you have a good night, sweetheart?’

  Alice-Miranda spun around, launching herself at his middle.

  Lawrence hugged her back. ‘To what do I owe such grand affection?’ he asked.

  ‘I just thought you looked like you could do with a hug,’ she said. Though the truth was, so could she.

  ‘I’ve been missing my cuddles with the twins, that’s for sure,’ he said, and gave Alice-Miranda an extra squeeze.

  ‘What did you do last night, Uncle Lawrence?’ Alice-Miranda asked, determined to keep her mind off her own worries.

  ‘Venetia arranged the most fabulous cooking class, then Ambrosia took us to a shopping district where I bought way too many presents for your cousins and maybe one or two for you as well,’ he said with a grin. ‘September was in her element. I don’t know how she’s going to fit everything in her luggage for the plane trip home, but thankfully she seemed to enjoy herself. She did find the most spectacular pair of high-heeled trainers to replace the ones she lost.’

  Alice-Miranda grimaced. ‘I’m sure Sloane will be very impressed.’

  ‘They’re so shiny I think September could use them as a make-up mirror,’ Lawrence laughed.

  The groups set off for the museum first before wandering through the avenues of shops. Alice-Miranda consulted the list she’d made about who she still needed to buy gifts for when she suddenly remembered that she’d have to get something for Shilly and Dolly to replace what she’d lost. She picked up some silk scarves and promptly paid for them.

  ‘Who are those for?’ Millie asked.

  ‘Shilly and Dolly,’ the girl replied, without thinking.

  ‘But you already bought them those chicken cups in Shanghai,’ Millie said.

  ‘Oh, that’s okay,’ Alice-Miranda said, recovering quickly. ‘I can give these to Mrs Greening and Daisy instead.’

  Half an hour later, they were riding the cable cars to the Wall. It was another short but steep climb to get onto the structure.

  ‘Whoa! Look at this thing!’ Rufus shouted. The party of adults and children stared at the Great Wall, which traversed the contours of the land as far as the eye could see. It rose steeply in some parts and dipped like a roller-coaster in others.

  ‘It’s magnificent,’ Jacinta said. ‘Don’t you just want to walk along the edge there?’

  Coco nodded. ‘I think Miss O’Reilly would have a heart attack, though, and I don’t want to be responsible for killing our headmistress. We love her,’ she said with a grin.

  Millie pulled out her camera and began snapping pictures as soon as they reached the Wall. Jacinta and Coco were walking up ahead, investigating every nook and cranny while Sloane explored with her brother and Lucas. Alice-Miranda found herself wandering along beside Caprice.

  ‘Have you had fun with Felicity?’ the child asked.

  ‘Let’s just say it’s been an experience I’ll never forget,’ Caprice replied.

  Alice-Miranda was impressed that the girl was being rather uncharacteristically diplomatic. ‘Why? What happened?’ she asked.

  ‘Her family is nuts,’ Caprice whispered, knowing the girl was right behind them.

  ‘What did you say?’ Felicity demanded. It seemed bionic hearing was another of the girl’s many talents.

  ‘The truth,’ Caprice replied hotly. She had just about had enough of the little princess. After dinner the night before, Felicity and her mother had disappeared again, leaving her and Susannah on their own until bedtime.

  Felicity’s eyes narrowed and little flecks of spittle began to pool in the corners of her lips. ‘Well, you are the rudest guest we have ever had!’

  ‘Well, you’re the rudest host I’ve ever met. And seriously, who flies their French tutor from Paris every week and has a manicurist and chiropractor and masseuse? That’s ridiculous!’ Caprice shouted.

  ‘You forgot my ballet teacher and hair stylist and acupuncturist and life coach and all the others! Idiot!’ Felicity was furious.

  ‘You know what you really need is an etiquette instructor – that’s someone to teach manners, just in case you weren’t familiar with the word,’ Caprice said, and stamped her foot for effect.

  ‘It’s French, you imbecile – of course I know what it means!’ Felicity retaliated.

  Mr Plumpton and Miss Reedy were busy taking pictures of themselves by the first watchtower when they heard the awful screeching. They looked to the others who were ahead of them, but everything seemed peaceful. When they checked the opposite direction, they spotted Caprice and Felicity staring each other down like two bulls in a ring.

  ‘You haven’t played with us or made us feel welcome at all,’ Caprice continued. ‘If your guard hadn’t realised where I was yesterday afternoon I probably would have died down there!’ Caprice’s desire to reach out and shove the spoilt brat off the Wall was rising at a steady pace.

  ‘Calm down, both of you,’ Alice-Miranda ordered. She could only see this ending badly.

  ‘You think you are so clever because your mother cooks on television. My mother runs the biggest motor corporation in China!’ Felicity shouted, and pushed Caprice against the edge of the Wall.

  ‘How dare you? My mother is a genius and she’s loved all over the world. Your mother just loves herself! And as for that ridiculous museum – your father could be feeding half the starving nations of the world with what that stuff must be worth. Who has a whole collection of cups covered in silly chickens, anyway?’

  Alice-Miranda’s eyes widened. ‘What cups?’

  ‘Like that one in the Shanghai Museum you loved so much,’ Caprice said.

  ‘You promised not to tell anyone!’ Felicity charged at Caprice, but Alice-Miranda threw herself between the pair just in time.

  ‘Stop it!’ she shouted. ‘Or someone is going to be badly hurt.’

  Mr Plumpton puffed and blew as he reached the girls. He looked at Felicity and then at Caprice. ‘Right, come with me. It’s back to the bus for the two of you.’

  A small group of tourists had begun to take some pictures of the dishevelled pair.

  ‘Please move along,’ Miss Reedy said, steering them away. ‘There’s nothing to see here. Nothing at all.’

  Alice-Miranda’s heart was racing and her mind was churning. She needed to find a telephone – and fast.

  Felicity and Caprice sat next to their respective headmistresses on the trip back to school. Both of them were in a terrible sulk and it hadn’t helped that Venetia Baldini, upon hearing about the ruckus, had given Caprice a solid scolding, warning her that she should apologise to Felicity or she would never go anywhere with the school a
gain. Miss Grimm had been most impressed by the woman’s fervour and it was a relief to see that she was under no illusions about her daughter. Although, perhaps if they’d had time to hear the whole story, including what had transpired the night before, they might not have been so harsh on the girl.

  As the bus neared the turn-off to Bright Star, Miss Grimm and Miss O’Reilly stood up. ‘Why don’t you girls sit together for a moment?’ said the headmistress of Bright Star.

  Caprice really didn’t feel like apologising to the brat, but the fact that she had broken a promise niggled at her. Seriously, she must have been getting soft in her old age.

  Caprice looked at Felicity, who was staring out the window. She took a deep breath and readied herself to eat humble pie. ‘Sorry about what I said up there,’ she mumbled.

  ‘What was that?’ Felicity’s head swivelled faster than a cobra about to attack.

  ‘I said that I’m sorry,’ Caprice repeated. ‘I don’t want to fight with you.’

  Felicity glared. It seemed like she wasn’t the apologising type either.

  Susannah peered at them through the tiny gap between the seats. ‘I’m sure Caprice didn’t mean it,’ she offered.

  ‘Did you?’ Felicity spat.

  ‘What?’ Caprice didn’t know what she was asking.

  ‘Mean it? What you said up there?’ the girl demanded.

  Caprice thrust her hands under her thighs and crossed her fingers. She knew it was a lie but she didn’t feel like being in any more trouble today. Besides, they had the acrobatic show tonight and it wouldn’t be any fun if she was still in a fight. ‘No, I lost my temper and I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I shouldn’t have said all those things.’

  Susannah smiled with relief. ‘See?’

  Felicity exhaled loudly. ‘All right, I forgive you. But if you say another word about my family, I won’t let you off again.’ She held out her hand and Caprice reluctantly shook it. ‘Now, move,’ Felicity ordered. ‘I want Susannah to sit with me, and this afternoon we’re going to decide what we play and you may or may not be invited to join us.’

  Caprice stood up. ‘Fine,’ she said. In all honesty, she didn’t give two hoots what happened. Tomorrow they were going home and she’d never have to see Felicity Fang or her scary mother ever again.

  Deng Rou walked out of the equipment room with a smug grin on her wrinkled lips. Soon Lucille would be handing over a month’s pay for her trouble. A shadow crossed her path and she almost jumped out of her skin. ‘Oh, hello. I didn’t see you there. Is everything all right?’ Rou asked.

  ‘One day you think you know where you are heading and the next, things are not so clear,’ the old man said, half to himself. It suddenly dawned on him how foolish he sounded. ‘But of course you know that better than most people.’

  She snorted. ‘That is true. But what is it that’s troubling you?’

  Lionel sighed. ‘Our plans are lain to waste.’

  ‘What plans?’ Rou asked, feigning ignorance.

  ‘There is no need to pretend,’ he said with a wry smile. ‘I am well aware of your love of listening in keyholes.’

  Rou smiled. ‘What will happen to me?’ she asked.

  ‘Nothing, because we are not going through with it,’ he said.

  Rou swallowed hard. ‘What do you mean? Have you changed your mind?’

  Lionel stroked his beard. ‘Let’s just say that all was not what it seemed.’

  ‘But …’ Rou began to huff and blow.

  ‘I thought you would be happy to hear the news,’ Lionel said.

  Behind her, several of the acrobats had begun laying out the equipment for the evening’s performance. Rou jiggled up and down on the spot and bit her lip.

  ‘I must go and supervise,’ the old man said. ‘And there is food to prepare. We are hosting a reception after the show for Sunny and Coco’s school group.’

  ‘And your VIP guest?’ Rou frowned.

  ‘He will be here,’ Lionel said, ‘but perhaps not for long.’

  Now the woman was completely confused. If the VIP guest was still coming, then why wasn’t the sale going ahead? She had to get back to the equipment room before it was too late.

  ‘Rou, what are you doing out here?’ Winnie screeched from the doorway. ‘I need you upstairs helping with the food. Now!’

  Rou gulped and hurried to her duties. She could feel the trickle of perspiration on her forehead and the unfamiliar grumbling of guilt in her belly.

  Alice-Miranda sat in the back of the dressing-room as Coco put the finishing touches to Jacinta’s make-up.

  The girl leapt from her chair and spun around in her fabulous red catsuit that sparkled every which way she turned. ‘How do I look?’ she asked.

  Alice-Miranda was jolted back to reality. She’d been lost in thought about how the night’s events would unfold, knowing that the audience was to be peppered with police and government agents, ready at any moment to make their move. She had managed to borrow Uncle Lawrence’s phone earlier and had called Superintendent Lu as soon as Caprice had blurted out what she’d seen of Felicity’s father’s antiquities collection. It was no wonder the name had been niggling at her, but Fang was a very common surname in China. Alice-Miranda had confirmed with Miss O’Reilly that the Fangs were indeed attending the performance. And now the trap was set.

  Alice-Miranda smiled. ‘You look beautiful. I can’t believe you’re going to be out there tonight.’

  ‘I can’t either, and I didn’t tell Mummy,’ the girl said, ‘so please make sure that she doesn’t have a heart attack when she realises it’s me.’

  Alice-Miranda chuckled. ‘I’ll do my best.’

  ‘I love your dress,’ Jacinta said, admiring the cheongsam the Wongs had given Alice-Miranda. Just before they’d left for the theatre they had all exchanged presents, and Alice-Miranda’s favourite among them was the intricate Chinese knot that Coco had made for her. Jacinta had received her outfit for the performance and the boys had been given sets of magic tricks. Coco had loved the gold bracelet the children had given her and Sunny didn’t want to leave his video game. The adults had vowed to open their gifts when they returned home.

  There was a sharp rap on the door. ‘Fifteen minutes to showtime!’ a voice boomed.

  ‘We need to go and warm up,’ Coco said.

  Jacinta rushed over and gave Alice-Miranda a hug. ‘Wish me luck.’

  ‘Wish us all luck,’ Coco said with a grin. ‘We’re debuting our crazy family act tonight, remember.’

  ‘You’ll be brilliant,’ Alice-Miranda said, and the two girls hurried out the door and down the hall. She waited until the horde of gymnasts had gone past before stepping out into the corridor herself. She spotted Lucille standing over Rou and it didn’t look as if they were exchanging pleasantries of the day.

  Lucille hissed a few last words and then ran past the doorway to join the rest of the troupe. The dressing-room door opposite opened and Cherry poked her head outside.

  The child looked at her. ‘All set?’

  ‘Yes, we are ready. Winnie has told Lionel,’ Cherry said.

  Alice-Miranda hugged the woman. ‘Good luck.’

  ‘You too.’ Cherry smiled, then raced off to join her fellow troupe members.

  Alice-Miranda scanned the growing crowd from the side of the stage. The students had been allocated excellent seats in the centre, a few rows from the front. She could see Miss Grimm and Mr Grump already in place. Figgy and Rufus were there with their host, Hero, and his parents. She gave Millie a wave as the girl trotted down the steps to take her seat beside Sloane and Selina, with September Sykes and Selina’s parents too. Uncle Lawrence and Ambrosia had just walked down together and taken their seats beside Mr Plumpton and Miss Reedy. It seemed most of the group was there but as yet there was no sign of Caprice and Susannah. Alice-Miranda allowed herself a small smile as she realised that the teachers and mothers were wearing their cheongsams just as they had promised to do on the last night, although Sept
ember had teamed hers with her new silver platform trainers, which was something of a unique look.

  Alice-Miranda’s heart pounded as she saw Lionel Wong guiding Mr Choo to his seat. There was much shaking of hands and patting of backs and Mr Wong was doing a wonderful job of keeping up the pretence. Unlike the first time Alice-Miranda had met him, Mr Choo didn’t look to have any bodyguards in tow. Lucas and Sep were sitting at the other end of the front row and Alice-Miranda’s vacant seat was right beside Mr Choo.

  Lucille was watching from the other side of the stage. ‘So, Mr Choo, are you really sure that you want to buy the clumsiest acrobatic troupe in the world?’ she hissed under her breath, and hurried away to her position. The lights dimmed and the slow beat of drums began to sound. It was two minutes to showtime according to Alice-Miranda’s watch. She walked to her seat, beside the film producer. ‘Hello Mr Choo,’ she said to the man, who was fidgeting with his tie and clinging tightly to his briefcase.

  ‘Oh, what are you doing here?’ he said, taken aback. ‘Is your uncle here too?’

  ‘Yes.’ She nodded and pointed towards Lawrence. ‘Would you like me to have someone check your bag?’ Alice-Miranda asked.

  Benny gripped it more firmly. ‘No, thank you. That will not be necessary.’

  A spotlight shone onto the middle of the ceiling, where Coco was wrapped tightly in a glowing purple ribbon. An eerie tune began to play as she swayed back and forth before the ribbon around her suddenly started to unravel at a great pace. She stopped with her face just centimetres from the floor. The crowd erupted and the show began.

  Unlike the Circus of Golden Destiny, the Eternity troupe’s performance didn’t really weave a narrative. Instead, it consisted of a series of incredible feats, each one even more impressive than the last. There were jugglers and tightrope walkers, crazy convoys of cyclists, the tumbling Wheel of Death and human towers ten men high and, of course, the noisy and smelly motorcycle globe with its buzzing riders zipping dangerously close as they sped around and around and up and down.