Sloane nodded. ‘Mrs Howard said Miss Reedy sent out a message to all staff saying she was so flat out running the school, and Miss Grimm would be busy interviewing new students for the next couple of weeks at least, that she had no time for face-to-face meetings and that all communication would be via handwritten letters until further notice.’
‘Wouldn’t that take more time than just picking up the telephone or chatting to someone in person?’ Jacinta said, scrunching her nose. ‘I know it would for me.’
Alice-Miranda could only agree. It was very odd indeed. Something wasn’t right and she was determined to find out exactly what was going on.
Ophelia Grimm stood up and offered her hand to the slender girl in front of her and then to her parents. ‘It’s been lovely to meet you, Araminta. I look forward to hearing lots of stories about your Cosmo when you start with us next year. The girls adore Fudge, although he has been known to eat more than his fair share of sports shoes.’
‘Cosmo’s a champion chewer as well,’ the girl’s father quipped.
Araminta grinned. ‘Thank you, Miss Grimm. I’m really excited to be attending Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale and a little bit scared too, if I’m honest.’
‘That’s absolutely normal,’ Ophelia said with a reassuring smile. ‘Remember, everyone who’s starting new is in the same boat, but our girls are very welcoming. In fact, one of our students – Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones – used to go to Ellery Prep. She came quite early, though, and has been a breath of fresh air.’
The girl’s eyes brightened. ‘I know of her and I saw her on the television the other night. She’s very brave.’
Ophelia nodded. ‘She most certainly is.’
The headmistress bid farewell to the family at the study door. She was thrilled to have the daughter of a renowned documentary filmmaker and former prima ballerina starting in the new year. It was by far one her most interesting interviews yet, and thank heavens for that, as she’d had a few that had almost sent her to sleep. Ophelia poked her head out the door and was pleasantly surprised to see that, for the first time in days, there was no one waiting.
‘Mrs Derby, could you come in here once you’ve finished Araminta Hobbs’s paperwork?’ Ophelia walked back into her office and sat down heavily at her desk, before sneezing violently six times. ‘Oh dear, where did that come from?’ She grabbed a handful of tissues from the box beside her. Almost immediately, her head began to spin and it felt as if her brain had been enveloped by a thick fog. Ophelia closed her eyes and had almost dozed off when Mrs Derby entered the room, balancing a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits. There was a notepad tucked under her arm and a pen behind her ear. She placed the refreshments in front of the headmistress and wished she could tell her to go and lie down on the couch for an hour. Unfortunately, that was not about to happen. Ophelia rubbed her neck, which was feeling stiffer by the second. Her throat was sore too and her temples had started throbbing. ‘What’s next?’ she asked.
Louella consulted her notes. ‘Your eleven-o’clock appointment is running late. Poor family had a flat tyre, but they should be here within twenty minutes. Then you have back-to-back interviews until six, I’m afraid. Tomorrow and Friday are no better, but at least you haven’t got anything in your diary for the weekend.’
‘We can’t complain about being popular,’ Ophelia said, rolling her shoulders. ‘I imagine Livinia has everything else under control.’
Louella chewed the end of her pen. ‘Um, well, about that …’
‘For goodness sake, woman, out with it,’ Ophelia snapped. She was dying to drink her tea and eat her biscuits in peace and perhaps snatch five minutes to duck in to say hello to Aldous and Aggie, as she’d hardly seen them all week. It was one thing telling her husband she was planning to return to work, it was another to suddenly start working around the clock.
‘There have been a rather large number of requests for meetings with you from the staff,’ Louella said. She’d been thinking about whether or not to mention it given how busy Miss Grimm currently was, but several teachers had dropped by more than once to threaten that, if they didn’t get an appointment soon, they would burst into one of the woman’s interviews and didn’t care about the consequences.
‘Livinia can deal with them,’ Ophelia said, holding up her hand. ‘She’s technically in charge at the moment, especially as I imagine their issues are about day-to-day affairs.’
Louella picked at the skin around the quick of her thumbnail. ‘That is the problem,’ she said hesitantly. ‘They want to talk to you about Livinia.’
Ophelia sneezed again and reached for a tissue. ‘Well, if that’s the case, have them meet with Benitha and I’ll make a time to chat to her tonight.’ She wondered what Livinia could possibly have done now. Fair enough the two of them hadn’t exactly been seeing eye to eye, but that had been sorted out. Livinia had apologised for her error with the note and, although Ophelia wasn’t about to admit it to her, doing the television show had been good for the school. With a full complement of students, it would make expanding programs so much easier.
Louella nodded and was about to leave when she remembered something else. She pulled the flyer from the middle of her notebook. ‘This is terrific, by the way,’ she said, handing it over with a smile. ‘Everyone’s so looking forward to it.’
Ophelia had just taken a sip of her tea and promptly spat it all over the desk. ‘What on earth? I told Livinia that this was not happening. How dare she!’
Louella swallowed hard. ‘But … she said you’d changed your mind.’
‘I most certainly did not,’ Ophelia said, beginning to shake. ‘I can’t believe she’d try to pull that trick a second time.’
‘Hellooo, is there anyone there?’ a woman’s voice rang out from the room next door. ‘Sorry we’re late.’
Louella reached across to take the flyer, but Ophelia snatched it away and stuffed it into the top drawer. ‘Get a message to Livinia that I need to see her this evening, but I will speak to Benitha first. This has got to stop.’
‘But the Fields Festival is all organised,’ Louella protested. ‘It’s on next Sunday and they have some wonderful acts on the bill. I don’t think it would do the school’s reputation any good to cancel now, especially as it’s a fundraiser for the Abbouds and Tilde McGilvray’s been talking about it on her show. The tickets are selling like hotcakes.’
Ophelia cradled her head in her hands. ‘Fine,’ she seethed. ‘I just don’t understand why Livinia would go against my wishes.’ It finally made sense why several of the parents she’d interviewed had been rabbiting on about some silly old singer with a name she didn’t recognise. The event must have been arranged a week ago yet no one had thought to mention it to her. Louella was right – there was nothing to be done. However, Livinia had to understand this was Ophelia’s school and, while she might be enjoying her time in charge, it would be over very soon. ‘Is it hot in here?’ Ophelia asked, tugging at her collar.
Louella took a cautious step back. ‘I would have said it was a little on the cool side.’
Ophelia was now shaking uncontrollably while beads of perspiration trickled down her temples.
‘Miss Grimm, you don’t look at all well,’ Louella said, taking another backwards step towards the door. The last thing she needed was to catch the flu – that would bring her completely unstuck and she was only just coping as it was. ‘You’re as pale a sheet.’
Ophelia stood up. ‘I need some water, that’s all,’ she said, before fainting to the floor in a crumpled heap.
Alice-Miranda felt as if she’d blinked and it was already the weekend. Between lessons, meetings and rehearsals, she’d barely drawn a breath. She’d tried to catch up with Zahra, but the girl was either at school or visiting her father in hospital. Alice-Miranda wondered if she’d managed to get to her singing lessons at all.
She’d tried to see Miss Reedy too, but the woman had taken over Miss Grimm’s interviews as well as the
running of the school. According to Mrs Clarkson, Miss Grimm had been struck down suddenly with the flu on Wednesday. She was in isolation until she recovered, not wanting to pass the bug to her husband or daughter, who had decamped to the seaside until she was better. Mrs Smith had recently recovered from the same illness herself and decided she was best placed to take care of the woman. Her assistant, Ginny, could hold the fort in the meantime.
On Saturday afternoon, the girls had just finished their committee meeting when Sloane piped up. ‘Did you ever speak with Miss Reedy about her letter-writing spree to the teachers, Alice-Miranda?’ she asked, reaching for the last scone on the tray. Mrs Jennings had brought them round knowing that the girls would likely miss afternoon tea. ‘Because they’re still all getting about, looking as if they were the ones who’d lost everything in the fire. Mr Trout almost bit my head off yesterday when I was delivering him a cupcake.’
‘No, she’s been too busy,’ Alice-Miranda replied, closing her folder. ‘But I was rather hoping things had settled down.’
‘Not from what I’ve heard,’ Ivory said in hushed tones. ‘Reedy’s reign of terror continues. Miss Wall and Mrs Clinch were talking about it yesterday, saying that if they have to do one more weekend duty they’re going to resign.’
‘Is that true, Miss Crowley?’ Alice-Miranda asked.
The woman looked up from where she was sitting in one of the armchairs. ‘Well, I don’t want to speak out of turn, but I would have to agree that some of Miss Reedy’s instructions do seem a little –’ Tabitha paused to choose her words carefully – ‘unusual.’ She clasped her hands and smiled. ‘But we’re going to forge on and have a fabulous festival and I’m certain that, when Miss Grimm is back at the helm, things will even out.’
‘Or there’ll be a revolution,’ Millie said. ‘That could be fun to watch. Imagine Miss Reedy in a Miss Wall headlock – the woman wouldn’t stand a chance!’ She launched herself at Jacinta and the two girls began to mock wrestle on the ground, to the amusement of the others.
‘I’m sure it’s not as bad as all that,’ Alice-Miranda said as the group began to drift from the room.
‘I’ll meet you back here in ten,’ Millie said, jumping to her feet and rushing out the door.
Jacinta executed the most graceful of backwards walkovers and headed off to her room while Sloane ferried the empty scone tray to the kitchen. Chessie followed after her, carrying the dirty cups and glasses. Alice-Miranda found herself alone with Miss Crowley for the first time all week. The woman was skimming her notes and writing a list of jobs she needed to do as soon as possible.
‘Have you thought more about the cottage?’ the child asked.
Miss Crowley nodded bashfully. ‘I snuck off after school on Thursday to have another look and put in an offer.’
‘That’s splendid news,’ the child enthused. ‘It will be lovely to have a proper space of your own.’
‘Actually, I quite like living on campus with lots of people around, but I feel as if I should do something to give myself a bit of security for the future,’ the woman explained. ‘It’s not been a big feature of my life to date.’
Alice-Miranda looked at her quizzically. ‘How so?’
‘Well, my parents died when I was in my last year of school and I was an only child. My father’s latest crazy business venture had just gone bust when the accident happened, so my inheritance was little more than a few pots and pans and my mother’s wedding and engagement rings,’ Tabitha said. She couldn’t understand why she was telling all of this to a ten-year-old, but there was something about Alice-Miranda.
‘Oh, Miss Crowley, I’m so sorry. I can’t begin to imagine how horrible that must have been for you.’ Alice-Miranda perched on the arm of Tabitha’s chair and hugged the woman. The thought was not lost on her that she too was an only child, although she’d never felt like one. She had the most wonderful friends and considered everyone who lived on the estate at Highton Hall to be her family. She also had her cousins, Lucas, Marcus and Imogen, and Millie was as close as a sister.
‘It was pretty hard, I admit,’ Tabitha said, fighting back tears, ‘but I had this spectacular great-aunt who I used to spend the holidays with. She was terribly eccentric and smelt like pine cones, which I later discovered was due to her fondness for gin. I called her Aunty Verve, but her real name was Minerva. She lived in a huge Victorian house filled with all manner of antiquities, including a brown bear named Frank who she’d rescued from a zoo in Albania. He’d lived with her as a pet until his death at the age of forty, which was considered a good innings for his kind, and then she’d had him stuffed and put in the sitting room. I know we would never do such a thing these days, but I suppose taxidermy was considered chic back then.
‘Anyway, she talked to him all the time as if he was a person. He just scared the socks off me. I think, underneath all the fun and bravado, Aunty Verve was lonely and I was too, so we were a good match.’ Tabitha sighed and shrugged her shoulders. ‘Aunty Verve didn’t have any children of her own, so when she passed away recently, I was stunned to learn that she’d named me in her will. So that’s one reason I’m buying the cottage – to make sure I do the responsible thing and don’t fritter away my good fortune. I want to look after her legacy.’
‘That’s a very sensible idea and your Aunty Verve sounds like she was a marvellous lady,’ Alice-Miranda said with a firm nod. ‘What about Frank? Did you inherit him as well?’
Tabitha chuckled. ‘No, I happily did not. I have a cousin who was mentioned in the will too, but I’ve never met him. He’s Aunty Verve’s brother’s child, but he’s a bit of a mystery and considerably older than me. I asked her about him once and she said he was an unusual character and that he’d changed his name and she didn’t think it would do me an ounce of good to meet him. She didn’t think much of him, though he had a daughter she was fond of.’
‘Do you know his name?’ Alice-Miranda’s eyes widened at the prospect of a long-lost relative. ‘Perhaps you could find him. I mean, he is still family, even if your aunt didn’t fully approve of him.’
‘I suppose I could,’ Tabitha said. ‘His name is Gilbert Crowley, but I’m not sure what he goes by these days. There was something strange in the will. It stipulated that, if at the time of Minerva’s death he was no longer married, his share of the inheritance would pass straight to his daughter. There was a long definition of what constituted a marriage too, which included things like living together as a family, him being a provider and so on. It was quite odd, but then again so was Aunty Verve. I’d have expected something just as batty for me – perhaps that I wasn’t to be married or I should have three cats, fourteen chickens and a motor scooter. Thankfully, she didn’t impose any conditions on my inheritance.’
Alice-Miranda grinned. ‘I think eccentricity is a trait to be valued. Life would be dreadfully dull if we were all the same.’
‘I tend to agree, though I’m quite the conformist. Everything in its place, “i”s dotted and “t”s crossed. I suppose it’s my way of trying to control things. It’s silly, really, because if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that life is mostly beyond our control,’ Tabitha said.
Alice-Miranda nodded. ‘I think the most important thing is how we choose to react to whatever comes our way. I’m sure your Aunty Verve would be very proud of what you’re doing.’
‘Thank you, Alice-Miranda, that means a lot,’ the woman said, smiling. She pushed herself up out of the chair, having realised the time. ‘I must get going. I’ve got to meet the estate agent at the house again. He’s bringing a local builder to give me some quotes on a few renovations I might have done before I move in.’
Jacinta poked her head around the doorway. ‘Good, you’re still here,’ she said. She’d just changed out of her gym clothes and was now wearing jeans with a pretty white blouse and ballet flats. ‘I’m going to Fayle to see Lucas and wondered if you might come with me. It would be great to have some back-up.’
; ‘I’ll leave you girls to it,’ Tabitha said. ‘Oh, that’s a gorgeous necklace, Jacinta. Is it an antique?’
‘My father gave it to me,’ Jacinta said proudly.
Tabitha thought for a moment. ‘You know, that looks just like one my great-aunt used to wear. Her name was Verve. That doesn’t ring any bells, does it? Seeing that Alice-Miranda thinks we could be related.’
Jacinta shook her head. ‘No, but I’ll ask Daddy where he got it from.’
The woman said goodbye, leaving Alice-Miranda and Jacinta alone in the sitting room.
‘I’d love to come except that Millie and I are going to see the Parkers and we’re supposed to be there in ten minutes,’ Alice-Miranda said.
‘Fine,’ Jacinta replied, wrinkling her nose. She’d already tried Sloane and Chessie, but they were busy too. ‘I guess I’ll go on my own then.’
‘Sorry, but this is important,’ Alice-Miranda said.
‘Whatever.’ Jacinta shrugged and charged out the door.
‘Jacinta, please don’t be upset,’ Alice-Miranda called after her, but the girl was already gone.
‘Don’t worry, she’ll be fine,’ Millie said, when she arrived a minute later. ‘Although maybe she won’t.’
Alice-Miranda frowned at her friend as they signed themselves out and walked to the front door. ‘What do you mean?’
Millie explained on the way to the village about Lucas’s visit to the school last weekend, his bizarre behaviour and how he’d mentioned Neville Headlington-Bear was up to something but had left it at that. The girls both agreed they’d just have to wait and see what happened. Hopefully Lucas was wrong about Neville, and perhaps, if Lucas did spend a year on exchange, Jacinta could go to Mrs Kimmel’s at the same time. The girls rounded the corner into Rosebud Lane and almost ran straight into Zahra Abboud. She was wearing a pale blue sundress with a butterfly print and a smart pair of silver sandals. Her long, dark hair was tied in a braid over her shoulder.
Alice-Miranda Keeps the Beat Page 16