Millie nudged Alice-Miranda as they headed for the servery. ‘That doesn’t look good.’
Unsure what to do about the note she’d found in the garden, Alice-Miranda had safely tucked it away in her desk drawer, but the girl had resolved to see Miss Reedy tomorrow, after the festival. This wasn’t the school she knew and loved and the last thing she wanted was a staff coup.
Millie heaped a pile of pancakes onto her plate and drizzled them with maple syrup.
Mrs Jennings leaned across the counter, clearly chuffed. ‘Mrs Smith’s recipe.’
‘They look delicious,’ Alice-Miranda said, smiling at the woman, although she’d seemed to have lost her appetite after witnessing the upset among the teachers.
‘Wow, you two!’ Chessie grinned at Alice-Miranda and Millie as they slid along the bench seats.
‘Courtesy of our Norwegian friend, Britt Fox,’ Millie said, striking a pose.
‘She’s awesome,’ Sloane said. ‘You both look fantastic.’
‘You aren’t too shabby yourselves,’ Millie said, admiring the girls’ cute maxi dresses paired with denim jackets. Chessie’s mother had sent some outfits and so had September Sykes. Between the two of them, the girls had come up with looks they loved. Actually, September was so excited about the event that she’d gone to the trouble of putting together a portfolio with suggestions tagged. She’d talked the girls through it over the telephone, raving on about how much she missed going to festivals herself. She’d even popped a crimping iron in the post.
Jacinta looked incredible too, but that was to be expected given her mother’s fashion experience. The girl was dressed in a floaty green boho dress with ankle boots and a flower crown nestled atop her blonde locks.
‘Has anyone seen Caprice?’ Alice-Miranda asked, glancing around the room.
She was met with shaking heads as the girls were heavily invested in their surprisingly delicious pancakes and had their mouths full. Alice-Miranda checked the time and hopped up to speak to the teachers before she walked over to the microphone. Mr Trout turned down the music.
‘Good morning, everyone,’ Alice-Miranda began. ‘I hope you’re as excited about the festival as I am. I just wanted to say a huge thank you for your hard work and for all that is still to come. I love that you’ve gone to so much trouble to dress up and get into the right mood for music.’ There was a loud cheer from the girls. ‘On to more mundane things, if anyone needs an extra running sheet, there’s a pile at the front of the dining room. Most of all, have a great day and let’s get out there and raise enough money to see the Abbouds back home.’
The dining room erupted again.
Shelby Shore raced into the room, huffing and puffing. ‘There are cars outside for miles!’ she announced, gasping for breath. ‘Charlie says they’re already queuing through the village and on the Downsfordvale road. He’s going to open the gates early as we don’t want any accidents.’
‘I’d better get to the ticket booth,’ Millie said, and quickly shovelled in another generous mouthful of pancake.
‘Has anyone seen Caprice?’ Alice-Miranda asked again. She was beginning to worry, as it wasn’t like the girl to miss the action, especially when she’d been so excited about the festival. Not to mention the fact she was managing the program on the main stage while Chessie and Sloane were in charge of Stages Two and Three.
‘Here I am,’ a voice sang out from the doorway.
All eyes turned to see who it belonged to. Millie almost choked on her pancake while Sloane spat her milk across the table.
‘What is she wearing?’ Jacinta blurted.
That was just the reaction Caprice had been hoping for. She simpered in a sparkling pink floor-length gown with her copper-coloured hair piled high on top of her head. She had a face full of make-up too and looked decades older than her peers. ‘Mummy had it sent from Italy.’
‘No, I didn’t,’ a voice rang out from behind her. ‘I had Mrs Evans make it for you, as usual, and why you’re swanning about in it now I have no idea.’ Venetia marched into the room, looking less than impressed. She had popped over to the boarding house to see if Mrs Jennings had some more mixing bowls as she seemed to be running short and had already scarpered Mrs Smith’s stash. The woman was dressed for action in jeans and a white linen shirt with a Sweet Things apron over the top. ‘That dress is for performances only and you’re not scheduled to appear until early this evening. You’re not wearing it all day while you’re managing the main stage, and what is on your face? It’s called stage make-up for a reason, Caprice, not running-around-doing-your-job make-up. I don’t know if you realise, but you will be racing about like a scalded cat and you’re not doing it in that dress, looking twenty-five years old.’
‘I hate you, Mummy!’ Caprice screeched. She turned on her high heels so fast that she almost lost her footing.
Venetia pushed up her sleeves and ignored the impending tantrum. ‘No, you don’t, sweetheart. But I’d suggest you change quick smart, wipe your face and get to work – today is a team effort and there’s no “I” in “team”.’
Millie chortled and took another bite of her pancake. ‘Gosh, I love that woman,’ she said, before scampering off to the ticket booth.
Alice-Miranda wished she had wings as she visited each site, making sure that everything was running smoothly. She was constantly checking the time too as the Winchester-Fayle singers were due on the main stage in thirty minutes and she didn’t want to miss out.
She passed Miss Reedy and Mr Plumpton, who were a little less rock-and-roll than their colleagues but had dressed more casually than usual for the day. Alice-Miranda couldn’t remember seeing Miss Reedy in jeans before and Mr Plumpton was baring his lily-white legs in long navy shorts and a white T-shirt with an unbuttoned checked shirt over the top. It was a pity he’d worn socks with his sandals as he looked quite trendy from the knees up. Livinia was beaming and, together with her husband, was greeting the locals and visitors alike, who were all praising the merits of the event.
‘Fabulous day, Alice-Miranda,’ Livinia called with a smile. ‘Well done.’
Alice-Miranda smiled back and waved, then continued on her way. It seemed strange that Miss Reedy was so happy while the rest of the teachers were whispering in corners and pointing fingers. It was as if she was completely oblivious as to what she was doing – either that or she didn’t care, which Alice-Miranda found hard to believe.
The oval was a sea of colour with people dotted everywhere on picnic rugs and lawn chairs. The three stages were working perfectly with the second and third areas far enough away that they weren’t competing for an audience or interfering with each other’s sound. Stage Two featured child-friendly acts, from singers dressed as fairies to magicians and a puppet show, while Stage Three had a roster of folk musicians and the amateur musical society belting out show tunes. As predicted, the main stage had been the most popular with the Downsfordvale Concert Band having just finished their set of movie scores with a resounding crash of cymbals.
On the western boundary there was face painting, craft tents, story time, a fire twirler and even a fortune teller. On the other side, the food trucks were doing a roaring trade, helped by a gentle breeze that was sending their tantalising smells wafting over the crowd. Ada Abboud couldn’t believe her luck to be working alongside the famed Venetia Baldini, who had focused on a range of Middle Eastern sweet treats to complement Ada’s cooking. Zahra was there too, making falafels. She was glad to be busy as that gave her less time to worry about what was to come. Hatice and Esma were in Mrs Howard’s care, enjoying the festival while the twins were being looked after by a local lass called Claire, who had worked as a casual waitress in their restaurant.
Lucas Nixon had been wandering the grounds, searching for Jacinta all morning to no avail. He considered the slightly wilted bunch of daisies in his hand. If he didn’t find her soon, he’d have to toss them and buy some more. Jacinta didn’t deserve shabby flowers, just like she didn’t deserv
e a deadbeat dad, but it wasn’t up to him to tell her what to think. Neville was her father and parents were complicated. Lucas knew that as well as anyone. He just couldn’t bear the thought of her being hurt yet that’s exactly what he’d done when he’d interfered.
‘Lucas!’ he heard someone call out. Alice-Miranda ran towards the lad, dodging through the crowd. He was surprised to receive a hug.
‘Hi,’ he said glumly.
She nodded at the flowers and grinned. ‘Jacinta will love them.’
‘Do you think so? She’s still not talking to me,’ the boy replied. ‘I shouldn’t have told her what I overheard.’
Alice-Miranda frowned. ‘What happened?’
Lucas sighed. ‘I came to talk to you last Saturday, but you weren’t around. Then I ran into Jacinta and froze. I didn’t tell her anything. It was only when she came to the school on Sunday that I couldn’t keep it a secret any longer and opened my big mouth. She’s been mad at me ever since.’
Alice-Miranda guessed this must have been what he’d started to tell Millie the other day. ‘What did you hear exactly?’
Lucas explained everything. ‘I just don’t understand why Neville would stand to get money if he and Ambrosia were back together. That bit doesn’t make any sense at all.’
Alice-Miranda could only agree. ‘Poor Jacinta. She’s been talking about all the plans her father’s been making and she’s so excited. He did come through with the fire twirler, but now I know why she was in a strange mood with you.’
‘Maybe I got it wrong,’ Lucas said with a shrug.
Alice-Miranda reached out and touched the boy’s arm. ‘Let’s hope so – for everyone’s sake. Sorry to leave you like this, Lucas, but I’ve got to check on the fortune-teller tent. There have been a couple of complaints.’
‘You do know why that is, don’t you?’ Lucas chuckled. ‘It’s Figgy – he’s dressed up as a gypsy with a wig and make-up. Apparently, Professor Pluss had been rostered to do it but decided there was no way he was playing with people’s futures. When Mr Winterbottom called for volunteers, Figgy jumped at the chance.’
Alice-Miranda giggled. ‘Well, that all makes perfect sense now. Our fraudulent fortune teller told Mr Munz he was going to leave the shop and become a movie star. Then he told Mrs Munz she was going to lose her husband. The poor woman was in floods of tears.’
‘Good luck,’ Lucas said, and gave his cousin a wave.
Alice-Miranda smiled. ‘You too.’
Ophelia Grimm was feeling vastly improved since her husband and daughter had arrived home the previous evening. The three of them were sprawled on a rug in front of Stage Two with Aggie swaying in time to the music and beating her hands on the ground.
‘This is pretty amazing.’ Aldous Grump was sitting next to his wife and kissed her on the forehead. ‘And I am so glad you’re better. You had me very worried, darling.’
Ophelia smiled. She had to admit he was right about the festival, though last night she’d spent some time reading through the litany of complaints the staff were making about Livinia and her unreasonable demands. She wasn’t going to spoil the day for everyone, but tomorrow they would have a serious discussion about the woman’s future. Doreen was right in saying she’d turned into a tyrant and then some. Perhaps it was time for Livinia to think about a career move. People got stale and, though she didn’t like the thought of going anywhere herself, maybe Livinia needed her own school.
Alice-Miranda was on her way to the main stage, having just ejected Figgy from the fortunetelling tent, when she caught sight of Jacinta standing head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd. She was dressed as a butterfly on stilts and juggling three balls in the air. Alice-Miranda cupped a hand to her mouth and called to the girl, waving with her other hand.
Jacinta waved back. She was flanked by a young lad kitted out as a unicorn and a girl who was a bumblebee. ‘I’ve been trying to find Mummy and Daddy,’ Jacinta said, then immediately spotted them walking towards her. Her mother looked stunning in a white linen pants suit with a striking silk scarf wrapped around her neck while Neville was the epitome of rural chic in his jeans and checked shirt with a fedora on his head.
‘Hello Ambrosia, Mr Headlington-Bear,’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘Are you having a good time?’
‘Apart from the crowds and all those ghastly smells.’ Neville grinned tightly. ‘I had no idea it would be this busy.’
‘But that’s a good thing, Daddy,’ Jacinta said. ‘Remember? It’s all for a very important cause.’
‘Yes, of course. All for a good cause,’ he echoed, and sighed when his phone rang.
Jacinta frowned. ‘Are you still being hounded by work? Surely you can tell them to leave you alone. It’s your company, after all, and it is Sunday.’
‘I’m beginning to think that Jamie must have a crush on you, darling,’ Ambrosia said.
‘Don’t be so silly,’ Neville said. He muttered something about finding the loo, and stalked away.
Ambrosia looked at him in surprise. Despite his attentions the past couple of weeks, the man was still a mystery in so many ways. The woman turned back to the girls and smiled. ‘I love your outfit. Did you put that together yourself?’
Alice-Miranda explained about Britt Fox, her fashionista friend, who Ambrosia remembered from the leadership camp.
‘That gives me a great idea for a story,’ Ambrosia said, tapping her chin with a perfectly manicured finger. ‘Perhaps a trip to Norway is on the cards.’
Alice-Miranda grinned. ‘I’m sure Britt would love that. Maybe Jacinta and I could join you – and Millie and Chessie. I think Mummy would be up for it too.’
Ambrosia nodded. She’d like that very much and had been wondering about her next assignments. Since Neville had returned, she’d been completely distracted. He’d been badgering her to spend time with him in the city, and whenever she told him she had work to do, he pouted like a three-year-old. To say she was feeling mixed up was the understatement of the century, especially when he began talking about all the parties and social events he was planning. That was her old life and, while she realised that she still had feelings for Neville in spite of what he’d done, there was no thought of going back to how things were before.
Tabitha Crowley was making her way through the field, looking for her singers who were due to assemble at the side of the stage in fifteen minutes. She’d spied Millie in the distance and was trying to get the girl’s attention when she bumped into someone else. ‘Oops, sorry,’ she said, spinning around. ‘Oh, hello Alice-Miranda.’
Ambrosia studied the woman curiously. ‘You must be Miss Crowley,’ she said, holding out her hand. ‘I can see why Alice-Miranda thinks you and Jacinta could be sisters. You two have quite the uncanny resemblance.’
‘Yes, I suppose we do,’ Tabitha said as she shook the woman’s outstretched hand and tried not to stare. ‘Your ring. It’s beautiful.’
Ambrosia smiled, covering it self-consciously. ‘Yes, it’s stunning, isn’t it? It was a gift from my ex-husband.’
‘May I have a closer look?’ Tabitha asked. She was surprised when Ambrosia took it off and passed it to her. Tabitha turned it over in her hand and gasped when she read the inscription. ‘Where did you say you got this?’
‘Neville, Jacinta’s father.’ Ambrosia tilted her head to the side. ‘Why do you ask?’
Tabitha’s mind was racing. When she’d said Jacinta’s star necklace reminded her of one her great-aunt used to wear, she’d thought nothing of it – but now this. It had to be more than a mere coincidence.
‘Is everything all right, Miss Crowley?’ Alice-Miranda noticed the peculiar look on the woman’s face and that she was still holding Ambrosia’s ring.
‘My great-aunt used to have a ring just like this one,’ the teacher replied, passing the jewel back to its owner. ‘I wondered what had become of it. She wasn’t wearing it the last time I saw her, which was strange given I hadn’t ever seen her without it …’ Tabitha frowne
d, lost deep in thought. A crash of the cymbals brought her back to reality. ‘Sorry,’ she said, shaking her head, ‘I’d best get going. Girls, please don’t be late.’
Alice-Miranda had solved enough mysteries in her short life to know that something was up and she had a sinking feeling it was to do with Neville Headlington-Bear’s surprise return to the family fold. She said goodbye to the group and set off to find Millie, who, last time she’d checked, was with Mrs Clinch in the cashier’s tent. She spotted Neville up ahead and decided that now was as good a time as any to have a quick word with him. Alice-Miranda was just about to say something when a statuesque brunette woman in skinny jeans and sky-high heels pushed in front of her and tapped the man on the shoulder.
Neville turned around and gasped. ‘Jamie, what are you doing here?’
‘I decided to come and find you, seeing that you’ve barely taken my calls for weeks. What’s going on, Neville?’ the woman spat. ‘I thought we were engaged.’
Alice-Miranda’s eyes widened.
The man gulped. ‘You need to go, Jamie. Now. We’ll talk soon – everything’s fine. I just have some urgent business to attend to.’
‘But, Neville, I’m so lonely back in the city,’ the woman whined. ‘And what’s all this business, anyway? You come home for a night and then you’re gone again. I can’t live like this – and my credit card’s maxed out and you said you’d fix it and you haven’t.’ The woman began to cry big, racking sobs. Neville guided her around the corner between two tents. He offered her his handkerchief, which she noisily blew her nose into.
Alice-Miranda followed him. This was worse than she’d imagined but she had to know for sure. ‘Excuse me, Mr Crowley,’ she said with a beaming smile.
‘Ye–’ Neville flinched and turned around. ‘What did you just call me?’
Alice-Miranda Keeps the Beat Page 18