Jacinta grabbed her torch from the bedside table, held it under her chin and flicked on the switch, doing her best impression of a ghost. ‘Welcome to Grimthorpe Hoooooouse.’ Everyone giggled.
‘So what do we want to talk about?’ Danika asked. Now that she was officially Head Prefect she thought she had better take the lead. ‘What did everyone do in the holidays?’
Ivory, Shelby and Ashima all complained about having to stay at home and being totally bored.
‘Well, I saw Alethea,’ Susannah began. ‘She was walking out of Highton’s in the city with her mother and she almost knocked me over.’
‘Please, can we talk about more pleasant things?’ Lizzy replied as she glanced at Shelby and Danika. The three girls had once been Alethea’s best friends until they realised how incredibly horrid she was.
Alethea Goldsworthy had been Head Prefect at the beginning of the year, until it was revealed that she was a cheat and a liar, and had consequently left the school in a terrible hurry. She had treated Alice-Miranda especially badly.
‘Well, I feel sorry for her,’ said Alice-Miranda.
Millie turned to her. ‘Why? She’s totally evil. And after what she did to you, she deserved everything she got.’
‘I’m sure she’s not mean and awful all the time,’ Alice-Miranda replied.
‘You’re too nice, Alice-Miranda, that’s your problem,’ said Ivory, smiling at her little friend.
‘No, I’m not.’ Alice-Miranda shook her head.
‘No, she’s really not,’ Jacinta agreed. ‘You should have seen what she did to Mr Blu–’ Millie and Alice-Miranda shot Jacinta a stare that would halt a river of lava. ‘Oh, never mind.’
Danika practically pounced on Jacinta. ‘What were you about to say?’
‘Nothing, nothing at all,’ Jacinta lied. ‘Umm, does anyone know where that secret passage is off the Science room?’
The girls shook their heads.
‘Don’t you remember Alethea saying that she’d found a secret passage but she was the only one allowed to go there?’ Jacinta continued.
‘Knowing Alethea, she was probably just showing off,’ Lizzy said. ‘But we should look for it. You never know – maybe she was telling the truth for once in her life.’
‘O-o-o-o-h-a-a-a-h,’ Alice-Miranda yawned and rubbed her eyes. ‘Sorry, I’m really tired. I might go to bed.’
‘No!’ Jacinta wailed. ‘It’s too early. I know, let’s tell ghost stories.’
Millie clasped her hands together. ‘I love ghost stories.’
‘No, not ghost stories,’ said Madeline, shaking her head. ‘I think we should tell Alice-Miranda a true story – about the witch in the woods.’
‘A witch in the woods?’ Alice-Miranda frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I suppose we never got around to telling you about her last term because there were too many other things going on,’ Madeline began. ‘But now you need to know.’
‘Definitely … yes … for sure,’ the other girls chorused, nodding their heads.
‘But I don’t believe in witches,’ Alice-Miranda smiled. ‘They’re only in fairy stories.’
‘Well, you should believe this – because it’s absolutely true.’ Susannah wriggled forward to the edge of the bed. ‘Come and sit up here next to me.’ She patted the bedspread.
The youngest child stood up and moved in beside Susannah and Ashima on the bed. Millie stayed on the floor looking up at the storyteller.
‘All right, you’d better start at the beginning,’ Alice-Miranda directed.
‘Well.’ Susannah lowered her voice. ‘In the woods not far from here, there’s a witch. She lives on her own in a gigantic house, overgrown with vines and hidden by the forest. There’s no one there except her and about a hundred cats, all meowing and calling and scratching and fighting.’
The girls began to shift uncomfortably. Alice-Miranda’s brown eyes were wide.
‘Have you seen her?’ Alice-Miranda asked. ‘I mean, anyone could make that up. Some of the children who live at Highton Mill, the village near our place, probably tell the same stories about Granny Bert – and she’s not scary at all.’
‘I disagree! She’s mad,’ Jacinta disputed.
Madeline leaned over and took the torch from Jacinta, and held it under her chin. ‘This witch is tall, possibly the tallest woman you’ll ever meet and she has enormous hands like a man and she wears the same black clothes every day and her teeth, well the ones she has, are rotten and crooked and there’s a fang …’
The girls were now on the edge of the bed leaning in towards the storyteller.
‘But the worst thing is her face,’ Madeline whispered. ‘It’s …’ Madeline grabbed her cheeks and pulled one up and one down, splaying the flesh between her fingers.
At that same moment, a branch scratched against the window outside and the room erupted into squeals which continued for at least a minute.
‘Quiet everyone, shush,’ Alice-Miranda commanded, trying to quell the fuss. ‘Mrs Howard will –’
Without warning Jacinta’s bedroom door flew open.
‘Mrs Howard will what, young lady?’ The housemistress panted. ‘What a ruckus.’
There in the doorway, in an orange chenille dressing-gown with a floral shower cap perched atop her head, stood Mrs Howard. Her gaze moved from one girl to the next until it came to rest on Jacinta.
‘Jacinta Headlington-Bear, was this your idea?’
Jacinta gulped, looked up and nodded slowly.
‘Well, tomorrow we’ll talk about what you can do to make it up to me. I was about to hop into the bath when I heard such a racket that would wake the dead. I’ve run all the way from the flat upstairs thinking there was a prowler or the like. And it’s just you and your silly “midnight meetings” at nine o’clock. Off to bed, girls, NOW!’
The party began to break up. No one dared to say a word, except Alice-Miranda.
‘Mrs Howard, please don’t blame Jacinta. No one made us come and apparently it’s a bit of a tradition to have a meeting on the first night back. Well, except last term, but that doesn’t matter. Please don’t be cross. I promise we will make it up to you tomorrow. What about we bring you something extra special for your tea? I can ask Mrs Smith if she can make your favourite. It’s apple cinnamon bun, isn’t it? Is that what you’d like?’
Howie did her best to maintain her furrowed brow, but in the end could barely restrain the smile that was spreading across her face.
‘Oh, dear girl, wherever did you come from?’ She shook her head. ‘Now, off to bed quickly. And no more of this, all right?’
The girls nodded in unison and scampered off to their rooms.
Within a very short time, all that could be heard was the sound of Jacinta’s snoring, competing with some rather loud snorts from the flat upstairs.
Alice-Miranda was awake long before Mrs Howard’s clanging bell roused the rest of the house. She was sitting up in bed reading when Millie yawned and rolled over.
‘Good morning,’ Alice-Miranda greeted her friend.
Millie sat up and rubbed her eyes. ‘I wish it was still holidays,’ she grumbled.
‘Oh, I don’t,’ Alice-Miranda replied. ‘I mean, I love being at home but there are so many things going on here and I can hardly wait to hear about Miss Grimm’s plans for the term.’
Millie shook her head. ‘One day, Alice-Miranda, when you’re as old as me, you’ll be completely over school.’
Alice-Miranda giggled. ‘I can’t imagine what it’s like to be as ancient as ten. But I don’t think I’ll ever be over school. I simply love it – and I know you’re only teasing me because secretly you love it too.’
‘Well, just don’t tell anyone,’ Millie smiled, ‘or you’ll ruin my reputation.’
At the opposite end of the corridor, Mrs Howard’s shrill morning call began. ‘Rise and shine, girls, rise and shine. Time to get up, time to sparkle. Chop, chop, choppy chop.’ Her chorus continued along the h
allway, punctuated with loud bursts of bell ringing. She stopped outside the girls’ door and knocked firmly before entering.
‘Good morning, ladies. I trust you slept well after your late night.’ Mrs Howard placed her bell on Alice-Miranda’s desk and set forth retrieving uniforms from the wardrobe.
‘Good morning,’ they replied in unison before Millie yawned loudly.
‘Run along now to your showers, you don’t want to be late for breakfast,’ Mrs Howard instructed.
‘No, that’s for sure.’ Alice-Miranda threw back the covers, leapt out of bed and gathered up her toothbrush and towel. ‘Mrs Smith’s making creamy scrambled eggs with crispy bacon this morning as a welcome back treat. And I’ll ask her for something extra special for your tea this afternoon, Mrs Howard, to make up for last night.’
Mrs Howard shook her head, picked up her bell and followed the pair into the hall. ‘Off you go now,’ she smiled.
The dining room was abuzz with chatter as the students caught up on all the happenings of the holidays. Clattering cutlery was momentarily stilled when Miss Grimm arrived to take up her seat at the head table alongside Miss Reedy and Mr Plumpton. Although things had changed remarkably in the past term, the girls were still only getting used to seeing their headmistress on a daily basis. This morning, dressed in a stylish pale pink suit and with her hair pulled back into a low ponytail, Miss Grimm looked much younger than her thirty-seven years. On the way through the dining room, she greeted the students and grinned broadly.
‘So what do you think Miss Grimm has in store for us this term?’ Jacinta asked as she loaded her fork with another mouthful of scrambled eggs.
‘I hope it’s something fun, like a trip away, or maybe a school fair or a carnival,’ Millie replied. ‘We’ve never had anything like that since I’ve been here.’
‘Maybe it’s a gymkhana. Miss Grimm seemed keen for girls to bring their ponies back to school this term,’ said Alice-Miranda.
Jacinta pulled a face. ‘Oh, I hope not. You know I can’t stand horses. That wouldn’t be any fun at all.’
‘Well, we’ve got assembly this morning so maybe she’s going to tell us then,’ said Millie.
Alice-Miranda changed the subject. ‘Has Sloane arrived yet?’
Jacinta stared blankly. ‘Who?’
‘Your new room mate. Sloane Sykes?’
‘Oh, no. There was no sign of her before I left the house.’ Jacinta frowned. ‘She’d better be nice.’
‘I’m sure she will be,’ Alice-Miranda assured her friend.
‘But what if I don’t like her?’ Jacinta pushed a stringy piece of bacon around her plate.
‘Of course you’ll like her,’ Alice-Miranda said.
‘I’m not like you, Alice-Miranda. I just can’t like everyone. It’s not in my nature. And maybe I’m not always the easiest person to get on with either,’ Jacinta admitted.
‘Come on, Jacinta – I haven’t seen you throw a tantrum in, what, at least a month now?’ Millie suppressed a giggle.
‘Millie,’ Alice-Miranda chided.
‘I have been trying hard to be better.’ Jacinta looked serious. ‘I thought I was pretty well behaved in the holidays, wasn’t I?’
‘Of course you were. Stop worrying, Jacinta,’ Alice-Miranda soothed. ‘I’m sure Sloane’s lovely and I’m positive you’ll be great friends in no time.’
But Jacinta was not yet convinced. ‘You’d better be right.’
The girls finished breakfast, cleared their plates and charged outside into the crisp morning air. Charles Weatherly, the school’s head gardener, was tending to the newly planted roses in the quadrangle.
‘Hello Mr Charles.’ Alice-Miranda ran and gave him an unexpected hug.
‘Well, hello to you too, my girl.’ Charlie’s cornflower-blue eyes twinkled. ‘It’s been rather quiet around here these past two weeks.’
‘I can see you’ve been busy. The garden looks lovely,’ Alice-Miranda replied. ‘Mr Greening sends his regards.’
Charlie nodded. ‘He’s a good fellow. I’d best be off, lass. Mrs Derby’s after some roses for Miss Grimm’s study. These are just about perfect.’
‘Yes, they’re lovely.’ Alice-Miranda nodded at the bunch of iceberg blooms in Charlie’s hand. Just at that moment she remembered that she had promised to organise that special treat for Mrs Howard’s afternoon tea. Alice-Miranda ran back to Millie and Jacinta and informed them that she was going to see Mrs Smith before the bell.
‘Oh, drats,’ Millie scowled. ‘I’ve left my pencil case back at the house. I’ve got English first up after assembly so I’d better go and get it.’
‘I’ll come with you,’ said Jacinta. ‘Anyway, I want to see if my room mate has arrived.’
‘See you later then.’ Alice-Miranda waved goodbye to her friends and strode across the quadrangle to the kitchen door.
‘Hello Mrs Smith!’ Alice-Miranda called as she entered the room. In the cavernous space with its rows of stainless steel benches, Mrs Smith was checking through the luncheon menu. She promptly put the paper down and turned with outstretched arms to give her tiny visitor a warm hug.
‘Hello there, young lady. How are you this fine morning?’
‘Very well,’ Alice-Miranda nodded. ‘Thank you for breakfast. It was delicious.’
‘My pleasure, dear,’ Mrs Smith replied. ‘Now, to what do I owe this early visit?’
‘I’m on a special mission.’ Alice-Miranda climbed up onto the kitchen stool to sit opposite the cook.
‘Oh dear – should I be worried?’ Mrs Smith frowned. ‘It doesn’t involve any spontaneous trips does it, this plan of yours?’
‘No, not at all. It’s just that last night the girls on our corridor had a midnight meeting …’
‘Midnight! My dear girl you’ll be asleep in your arithmetic,’ Mrs Smith scowled.
‘Well, except that it wasn’t midnight at all. It was only nine o’clock and it’s a first night tradition, but then Madeline decided that she would tell us a story about a witch in the woods and the girls got a bit scared, and then a branch scraped against the window and everyone squealed, and Mrs Howard came running and she was a bit cross, especially with Jacinta, but I asked her not to be because it was all our faults, and then I said that I would ask if you could fix something special for her afternoon tea,’ Alice-Miranda babbled.
‘Slow down, young lady.’ Mrs Smith shook her head. ‘So you’ve come to see if I might make her an apple cinnamon bun?’
‘However did you know?’ Alice-Miranda asked.
‘My dear, everyone knows that’s Howie’s favourite. And it just so happens …’ Mrs Smith stood up and walked to the other side of the kitchen, returning with a tea-towel covered tray. ‘Ta-da!’ She pulled the cloth away to reveal the most magnificent apple cinnamon bun Alice-Miranda had ever seen.
‘Perfect.’ Alice-Miranda grinned and clapped her hands together.
‘Now, what was that you were saying about a witch in the woods?’ Mrs Smith asked.
‘Just a silly story, that’s all,’ Alice-Miranda replied. ‘There’s no such thing as witches.’
‘No, of course not.’ Mrs Smith shook her head. She knew Alice-Miranda was right but Doreen Smith had heard the same story – about a witch in the woods – before. And although she knew better, she wasn’t entirely convinced that there wasn’t a grain of truth in there somewhere.
‘All right, young lady. Housemistress pacification seems to be taken care of so you’d better be off to class,’ Mrs Smith instructed.
‘Thanks, Mrs Smith – you’re the best!’ Alice-Miranda hopped down off her stool and scampered out into the sunshine.
Meanwhile, Millie and Jacinta had made their way back to Grimthorpe House, where Millie quickly retrieved her missing pencil case.
As they walked down the hallway, a shrill voice coming from inside Jacinta’s room caught their attention.
‘Look, Sloane, look at this. Isn’t that Ambrosia Headlington-Bear? She must b
e your room mate’s mother. Imagine always being in magazines and newspapers. She’s like royalty. You’d better make friends with her daughter – you never know what you might get us all invited to.’
Millie and Jacinta stood outside. Millie pressed her ear up against the door while Jacinta leaned down to peer through the keyhole.
‘Ooh, and make sure you introduce her to your brother as soon as you can. They might get married.’
Jacinta’s eyes almost popped out of her head. ‘Married! What are they talking about?’
‘And look at this, Mummy,’ a young voice added. ‘All those beautiful dresses and we’re the same size. I’m sure she won’t notice if one or two go missing.’
‘What are they doing in there?’ Millie whispered, straining to hear.
‘Planning a wedding and raiding my wardrobe, by the sound of it.’ Jacinta’s face was getting redder by the second. ‘Right, that’s it.’
Jacinta flung open the door, ready to pounce. Millie almost fell over and just managed to steady herself. Sloane and her mother spun around.
‘What are you doing?’ Jacinta demanded. ‘Are you looking through my things?’
Sloane slammed the wardrobe door shut and kicked a dress under the nearest bed.
‘No, of course not,’ the young girl replied. ‘I’m just moving in.’
‘You must be Sloane Sykes.’ Millie marched forward to stand beside Jacinta.
‘Yes, and you are?’ the girl asked, arching her eyebrows.
‘I’m Millie and this is Jacinta. She’s your room mate – the one whose things you were just ferreting through.’
‘Ahem.’ The woman cleared her throat.
‘And you must be Mrs Sykes.’ Millie’s lips drew tightly together in a straight line.
‘Yes, but you can call me September,’ the woman replied, crossing her arms over her ample chest and striking what seemed to be a modelling pose.
‘Did Mrs Howard let you in here?’ Jacinta asked.
‘Yes, she told us to make ourselves at home and so we were just unpacking, weren’t we, darling.’ Mrs Sykes pointed at the suitcase still lying closed on the bed.
Alice-Miranda Takes the Lead Page 2