The trio continued their excursion, looking at all the improvements and renovations that had been made before returning down the back stairs to the kitchen. The screen door opened just as they arrived.
‘Heph, dear, we’re home,’ Henrietta called as she shuffled through the door with a thickset woman following close at heel. ‘Oh, hello there girls,’ Henrietta smiled at Alice-Miranda and Millie. ‘How lovely to see you both. Did you enjoy your visit to New York, Alice-Miranda? You know Mrs Parker, I presume.’
Myrtle Parker wore an extraordinary oldfashioned pillbox hat with a veil across the top of her face and a matching floral dress which enhanced her already generous proportions, making her look a little like an overstuffed couch.
‘Hello Mrs Parker, I don’t believe we have met before. My name is Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones.’ Alice-Miranda held out her hand, which Myrtle took into her gloved grip.
‘I know exactly who you are, my dear. And I can’t imagine for a second how you have managed to avoid me these past months since you arrived, early might I add, at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale. You’ve had quite the adventurous year too, with that lovely cruise on board the Octavia and then your recent sojourn to New York. Did you enjoy Mrs Kimmel’s?’ Mrs Parker asked with a wide smile.
‘Goodness, Mrs Parker, you certainly are well informed,’ said Alice-Miranda. She glanced quickly at Hephzibah, who was frowning, and Millie who had her best ‘I told you so’ face on.
Myrtle Parker turned her attention to the flame-haired girl. ‘Millicent, it’s nice to see you. I hear that your grandfather Ambrose has been keeping very close company with Alice-Miranda’s family cook. Mrs Oliver is indeed a lucky woman to have garnered the affection of that charming man. I didn’t think he’d ever get over the loss of your grandmother. She was a darling woman, although she had a tendency to be a little too concerned with other people’s business.’
Millie’s eyes almost popped out of her head. ‘Excuse me?’
‘I don’t mean to speak ill of the departed, Millicent, but she didn’t even live here in the village and she seemed to know everything about everyone,’ Mrs Parker explained.
Alice-Miranda could sense Millie’s discomfort. ‘Well, it’s been lovely to meet you, Mrs Parker, and you’re looking very well, Miss Henrietta. Sloane said that she would pop over soon to see you. I think we need to get going. We have another visit to make.’
Millie stared at Myrtle Parker, her eyes narrowed.
‘Where are you heading off to, girls?’ Henrietta asked.
‘We’re going to say hello to Mr Walt at Chesterfield Downs,’ Alice-Miranda explained. ‘It’s his first day and he was a little nervous. And I want to meet Rockstar. I hear he’s the most impressive thoroughbred.’
‘Well, that’s a business, isn’t it?’ Myrtle Parker snorted. ‘I’m going to see dear Evelyn Pepper over at the hospital in Downsfordvale this afternoon, but I have to confess that I’m not looking forward to it. That’s where my Reginald was for all those months, God rest his weary soul.’
Hephzibah and Henrietta exchanged puzzled glances. It was the first they’d heard that Mr Parker had passed away. They would have to ask Myrtle more after the girls had gone.
‘Apparently Evelyn fell because the lights were out in the tack room. Mr Wigglesworth was supposed to get the electrician in a week ago,’ said Mrs Parker, raising her eyebrows so high they almost touched her hat. ‘But you didn’t hear that from me, ladies.’
Hephzibah suggested that Henrietta and Mrs Parker sit down and she would make them both some tea and a sandwich.
‘We should be going,’ Alice-Miranda said once more. The tiny child gave Henrietta and Hephzibah farewell hugs. Millie followed suit.
Myrtle Parker stared at the girls, frowning. ‘So where’s mine?’
Alice-Miranda leaned in to embrace the floral-clad woman who smelt of powder and tart perfume.
Myrtle Parker gripped the child tightly to her chest.
When she finally let go, Myrtle pointed at her rouged cheek, which Alice-Miranda dutifully kissed.
Millie watched the scene and knew what was required of her but her feet seemed set in concrete.
‘Millicent, have you got a kiss for Aunty Myrtle?’
Millie gulped. Alice-Miranda gave her a gentle push and she too was taken into the woman’s formidable grip. Millie pecked at Mrs Parker’s cheek like a chicken in a farmyard, then wiped her mouth. ‘And what happened to your face, Alice-Miranda?’ Myrtle asked.
‘It’s nothing, Mrs Parker,’ the child replied.
‘It doesn’t look like nothing. There must be a story behind it,’ the woman insisted. ‘You might like to tell me, Millicent.’ She stared at Millie, who kept her mouth clamped shut.
Hephzibah moved her head ever so slightly from side to side, then said, ‘Well, girls, off you go now, or poor Wally will think you’ve abandoned him.’
Hephzibah ushered them out of the kitchen and onto the back veranda. ‘I think I’m beginning to understand what you mean about Mrs Parker, Millie,’ the old woman whispered to the girls as she glanced back inside.
‘I don’t think it would do any good at all to have Mrs Parker worrying about the carnival people,’ said Alice-Miranda.
Hephzibah nodded. ‘On that, my dear, I completely agree.’
‘I’m starving,’ Millie complained as the girls trotted down the drive. She looked around for the satchel containing their picnic feast.
‘It’s gone,’ Millie groaned.
‘What’s gone?’ Alice-Miranda asked.
‘The satchel,’ Millie replied. ‘I thought I’d done it up properly but that dodgy buckle must have broken.’
‘We could ask Miss Hephzibah for something to eat,’ Alice-Miranda suggested, as they hadn’t yet reached the bottom of the drive.
Millie shook her head. ‘No, let’s go back to school. I couldn’t stand listening to any more of Nosey Parker.’
‘She certainly does know a lot about people,’ Alice-Miranda agreed, ‘but I’m sure she has good intentions.’
‘Good intentions! Pah.’ Millie tightened the reins on Chops and dug her heels into his belly. He started to canter and she almost slipped off. ‘Hey, what did you do that for?’
‘You asked him to,’ Alice-Miranda called out.
‘Yes, but you know Chops isn’t the most obedient pony,’ Millie replied. ‘It usually takes at least three or four kicks to get him to move.’
‘Well, I think he’s been an angel today. Did you put some molasses in his dinner last night?’
‘No, but I did whisper in his ear that if he didn’t start to behave better we might take a visit to the dog food factory,’ Millie replied.
‘Oh, Millie, that’s horrible. Poor Chops.’ Alice-Miranda turned her attention to the shaggy pony. ‘You know she’d never do it and if she tried, I’d take you home to the Hall and you could play with Shergar and Phinnie and darling Boo.’ She was referring to the other horses who spent their days grazing on the emerald fields at her home, Highton Hall.
Chops whinnied as if to agree with her and threw his head back and forth.
The girls arrived at the stables and decided to turn Bony and Chops out into the paddock for half an hour while they visited Mrs Smith.
On seeing Alice-Miranda with a bandaid on her forehead, Doreen Smith was positively overcome.
‘Oh, my dear girl, what happened to you?’ she fussed.
For the second time that day Alice-Miranda explained about their adventure at Gertrude’s Grove and for the second time Millie took great joy in adding extra details and then admitted that somewhere she’d lost their lovely picnic lunch too.
‘You sit down right there.’ Mrs Smith pointed at the stool beside the bench. ‘I’ll make you both some roast beef sandwiches and then
, when they’ve cooled down –’ she opened the oven and pulled out a tray of her signature chocolate brownies – ‘you can have one of these.’
Millie’s stomach grumbled on cue. ‘Yum, they smell delicious.’
‘I’ll have to tell Charlie about those carnival folk,’ Mrs Smith said as she opened the fridge and pulled out some butter and a slab of roast beef. ‘It’s a nervous time of year.’
‘Why do you say that, Mrs Smith?’ Alice-Miranda asked.
‘Last year there was a spate of thefts around the village. They were only silly things like garden ornaments and porch furniture but we all had our suspicions.’
‘Did Constable Derby find out who did it?’ Alice-Miranda asked.
‘No, but Mrs Parker’s most treasured gnome – I think she called him Newton – began turning up on postcards sent from all around the country.’
Millie burst out laughing. ‘That’s hilarious. If I was Newton I’d have escaped too.’
Mrs Smith grinned. ‘I shouldn’t say so, but I think you’re quite right about that.’
‘I don’t see why the carnival people should be blamed for things just because they’re in town. I mean, it makes a perfect cover for anyone who wanted to get up to no good. They could just blame the travellers,’ Alice-Miranda said decisively.
‘I hear what you’re saying, dear, but to be on the safe side, you just stay away and let them get on with preparing the village show,’ Mrs Smith said sternly. ‘Millie, would you like to come and get the sandwiches while I make you some cordial?’
The girls ate their lunch and chatted with Mrs Smith about her plans for the next week’s dinner menu.
‘Now, what are you two doing this afternoon?’ the cook asked as she cut two large brownies from the slab.
‘We’re going to see Mr Walt over at Chesterfield Downs,’ Alice-Miranda replied.
‘I’m heading over there later myself. I’ve got a lovely sponge and these brownies are for the lads’ afternoon tea,’ Mrs Smith explained. ‘Then I might pop over to the hospital and see Evelyn for a while.’
‘Could you take the card I’ve written for her, please?’ Alice-Miranda asked. ‘I feel awful. I wrote it on Monday evening and thought I’d put it into the post but then I saw it this morning underneath some papers on my desk. It must be old age – who knew that turning eight would have such an effect on my memory?’
Mrs Smith and Millie laughed.
‘There’s no hope for me then, is there?’ Millie said. ‘I’m almost eleven!’
‘And what about me, dear – I shouldn’t have any memory left at all given my positively ancient age.’ The woman shook her head. ‘Of course I’ll take it for you, Alice-Miranda. I just hope I remember to give it to her.’ She winked at Millie.
‘I’ll go and get it from the house. And thanks for lunch.’ Alice-Miranda hopped down from her seat.
‘I’ll go get Chops and Bony,’ Millie offered. ‘Oh yeah, thanks for lunch,’ she added before the two girls flew out the kitchen door.
Millie walked back up the hill towards the stables. She called out to Bony and Chops, who were happily grazing in the small holding paddock nearby. Bony’s ears pricked up and he walked over to greet her. Much to her surprise, Chops also did as he was told.
‘Hello boy.’ Millie scratched his ear. ‘You know I’d never really send you to the dog food factory, but let’s just keep that between us.’
‘He’d make a good few cans,’ a voice spoke from behind her.
Millie jumped and spun around.
‘Oh, Mr Boots,’ she said. ‘I didn’t hear you come over.’
‘What would you get for him?’ the young man asked.
‘Sorry, what do you mean?’ Millie frowned.
‘At the dog food factory?’ he said. ‘How much?’
‘Oh, that was just a joke, to get him to behave a bit better,’ Millie grinned.
‘Reckon they’d give you a few quid.’ Billy Boots stared at Chops, then turned his attention to Bonaparte. He ran his hand along the pony’s sleek rump. ‘Reckon you’d be worth a whole lot more, though.’
Bony jerked his head around and bared his teeth, then licked Billy’s arm.
‘Not again,’ Billy slapped Bonaparte on the bottom and laughed. He led Bony and Chops through the gate.
‘I’d better get going,’ she said.
‘Where to?’ Billy asked.
‘We’re going over to Chesterfield Downs.’
‘Chesterfield Downs?’ Billy repeated. ‘That’s where Wally’s gone, isn’t it? He said it’s a pretty nice place.’
‘I’ve heard that too. But I’ve never been before. I just hope Wally hasn’t had too many close encounters with Rockstar yet,’ Millie grinned.
‘Rockstar? You mean the champion racehorse? Does he live there?’
‘Oh yes, he’s the star of the stable,’ Millie nodded.
‘I bet he’s worth a flipping fortune,’ Billy exhaled.
‘I suppose so. But he’ll be worth a lot more when he wins the Queen’s Cup,’ said Millie. ‘Aunty Gee hasn’t ever won her own cup.’
‘Who’s Aunty Gee when she’s at home?’ Billy asked.
‘That’s Queen Georgiana, but she said that I could call her Aunty Gee,’ Millie explained.
‘How the heck do you know the Queen?’ Billy scoffed. ‘If you do, that is.’
‘I really do. She’s Alice-Miranda’s mother’s godmother and I’ve met her a few times now.’
‘So Queen Georgiana owns Rockstar and he lives here in the village,’ Billy said. He frowned and bit his lip.
‘Yes, but his trainer Miss Pepper is laid up in hospital with a broken hip. I’ve never met Rockstar but everyone says that he and Miss Pepper have a special bond and he’s completely mean to everyone else. I hope it doesn’t affect his chances of winning. Anyway, I have to go,’ Millie said. She’d just spotted Alice-Miranda in the distance. The red-haired child led the two ponies away.
Something about Billy Boots gave Millie a strange feeling that she couldn’t work out. She wondered if she’d been hanging around Alice-Miranda too long. He seemed nice enough and even Bonaparte liked him but he asked odd questions. Millie decided to talk to Alice-Miranda about her uneasiness as soon as possible.
On the way to Chesterfield Downs, Millie told Alice-Miranda about her chat with Billy.
‘There’s just something about him. I really don’t know what it is,’ she finished, frowning.
Alice-Miranda nodded. ‘I know a lot about strange feelings, Millie. Maybe you’ve caught it from me. I’ve found that there’s usually an explanation for these things. Perhaps Mr Boots just needs someone to give him a chance.’
Millie nodded but she wasn’t convinced.
‘Come on.’ Alice-Miranda clicked her tongue and Bonaparte began to canter. ‘Or Mr Walt will think we’re not coming.’
Miles and miles of hedgerows shielded much of Chesterfield Downs from view. The lane was bordered on the low side by a grove of alders, ash and beech trees, their leaves creating a pretty palette of green. Dappled sunlight lit the girls’ way until they came to a pair of ancient limestone gateposts.
On the left a brass nameplate announced the property and on the right a small coat of arms and the letters HRH indicated that the farm was indeed owned by Her Royal Highness, Aunty Gee. An imposing set of iron gates stood open.
The brick-edged driveway seemed to go on forever, with emerald paddocks dotted with oak trees on either side and several horses grazing on the lush meadow grass.
As the girls rounded a bend in the road, a magnificent Georgian house came into view. It was three storeys through the centre with identical octagonal double-storey wings on either end. In the front of the property was a perfectly formed lake and a magnificent formal rose garden.
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‘Wow!’ Millie exclaimed. ‘What a beautiful house.’
‘And garden. It’s lovely,’ Alice-Miranda agreed. ‘I can’t imagine why Aunty Gee doesn’t come down here more often.’
‘She probably has about ten houses just like this one,’ Millie scoffed.
‘I suppose so,’ said Alice-Miranda. ‘It does seem a little more than anyone needs. I wonder if she’s ever thought to allow people who are down on their luck to stay here while they get back on their feet?’
‘Are you thinking of Billy Boots?’ Millie asked with a grin. ‘Really? Aunty Gee is good fun but I can’t imagine this place full of hobos.’
The girls spent another couple of minutes studying the house, and spotted a sign marked ‘Stables’ pointing towards the rear. They rode on and at the crest of the hill both girls gasped. The land flattened out and to the right an enormous stable complex dominated the landscape. It had a small clock tower in the centre and a row of dormer windows in the roof. A vast pair of timber doors stood open at the end. There was a small holding yard beside the building, and beyond yet another hedge was a full-sized racetrack. A whitewashed cottage sat amid a pretty garden just below the stables.
Millie’s eyes were on stalks as she took it all in. ‘What an amazing place.’
Alice-Miranda dismounted and pulled the reins over Bony’s head. Millie did the same and then the two girls walked towards a hitching rail beside the stables and tied the ponies up side by side.
‘Now, you two behave yourselves,’ Alice-Miranda instructed.
There didn’t seem to be anyone around. The girls walked towards the stables and peered inside.
Through the double row of stalls, at least a dozen down either side, the girls could just make out a group of people huddled at the other end of the building.
‘Hello,’ Alice-Miranda called out. ‘May we come in?’ She squinted as her eyes adjusted to the low light.
The group turned and looked at her.
‘Hello Miss Alice-Miranda, Miss Millie,’ Wally Whitstable called, beckoning them to enter.
The girls could hear a low murmuring as Wally explained to the others that these were the visitors he was expecting from Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale.
Alice-Miranda Shows the Way Page 5