Alice-Miranda in Scotland Read online

  About the Book

  Alice-Miranda and her friends have been invited to attend the Queen’s Colours inaugural youth leadership program in Scotland and they just might be joined by a few familiar faces from around the globe. There are lots of skills to learn and challenges to conquer, and the excitement could be enough to push some over the edge.

  Luckily, there is plenty to divert the students’ attention including a surprise encounter on Loch Ness. Could it be the region’s mythical monster? Little do they know it’s the real monster in their midst they should be worried about. In this rollicking adventure, Alice-Miranda must draw upon all her wits to lead her friends to safety while, of course, making a few friends along the way.

  Contents

  Cover

  About the Book

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  And just in case you’re wondering …

  Cast of characters

  About the Author

  Books by Jacqueline Harvey

  Jacqueline Supports

  Kensy and Max: Breaking News

  Imprint

  Read more at Penguin Books Australia

  For Ian, who introduced me to the delights of Scotland, and for Sandy as always

  Alice-Miranda leaned forward and rested her head on Bony’s neck. ‘Well done, boy,’ she cooed. ‘That was a good effort.’

  The pony’s nostrils flared and his sides heaved. Next to him, Chops looked as if he’d just been for a walk in the park instead of a race across Gertrude’s Grove.

  ‘Someone’s a bit out of condition,’ Millie remarked. ‘Although ten points to Bony for trying super hard to beat us.’

  Alice-Miranda sat back upright in the saddle. ‘Yes, but he shouldn’t be puffing quite this much. It’s my fault – I haven’t been riding him enough lately, and I suspect his breaking into the vegetable patch last week didn’t help. Thank goodness Mr Charles found the little monster before he devoured more than a few brussels sprouts.’

  ‘You shouldn’t be so tough on yourself,’ Millie said, giving Chops a congratulatory rub between his ears. ‘We have had quite a lot of homework. It’s tricky to stay on top of everything these days.’

  The afternoon was sparkling and unusually warm for the time of year. Bonaparte whinnied as the stables came into view.

  ‘Look, there’s Miss Grimm and Mr Grump and Aggie!’ Alice-Miranda exclaimed. She waved to the headmistress and her husband, who were pushing a pram along the path towards them.

  Both girls slipped down to the ground and pulled the reins over the ponies’ heads.

  ‘Hello!’ they chorused.

  Mr Grump greeted them with a broad smile. ‘Well, hello to you too.’

  ‘How was your ride, girls?’ Miss Grimm asked.

  ‘Fast and furious,’ Millie replied. ‘We couldn’t resist a race.’

  ‘And Millie and Chops beat us, as always,’ Alice-Miranda added with a grin.

  Bonaparte bared his teeth at the same time as lifting his tail and expelling an eye-watering gust of wind.

  Alice-Miranda glared at the beast, who looked for all the world as if he were smiling. ‘Where are your manners, Bony?’

  ‘Oh, not to worry. Our little one does the same,’ Mr Grump said, gazing adoringly at the occupant of the pram.

  Miss Grimm pulled back the hood, and the girls and ponies peered in at the tiny baby.

  ‘We call her the smiling assassin,’ Mr Grump said with a cheerful chortle. ‘Steer clear if there’s any hint of a smile on that angelic face.’

  The infant lay on her back, kicking her legs and stretching her arms above her head. Her hazel eyes sparkled as the sunlight glistened off her crown of wispy blonde curls.

  ‘She can’t possibly be as bad as Bony – and, I have to say, Fudge has been pretty stinky too lately,’ Alice-Miranda said, referring to the school’s pet cavoodle, who these days divided his time between the junior and senior boarding houses.

  ‘I can’t believe how fast Aggie is growing,’ Millie remarked. ‘She’ll be at school before you know it.’

  Mr Grump lifted the baby out of the pram and cradled her in his arms. ‘Oh, I don’t even want to think about that.’

  ‘Are you enjoying parenthood?’ Alice-Miranda asked.

  The headmistress glanced across at her husband, a blissful look passing between them. ‘It’s wonderful,’ Miss Grimm gushed. ‘Some days I think my heart might burst – it’s so full of love for that little stinker.’

  Aldous Grump placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder. ‘I never imagined I’d be a father again. After what happened, we dared not hope for our own little miracle – but here she is.’

  The man’s first wife had tragically died early on in their marriage, leaving behind a young daughter, Amelia. With a large business to run, Aldous had decided it best to send the child to boarding school. It was there that he met and fell in love with Ophelia. They were set to be married until a second tragedy befell the man. An illness claimed his daughter’s life and, consumed with grief, Aldous called off their engagement. He spent ten years roaming the globe in search of solace while Ophelia locked herself away from everyone, angry at the cruel hand fate had dealt her. It was Alice-Miranda who reunited the pair, when she stumbled upon Mr Grump while on a camping challenge in her first year at the school. Realising they were still very much in love, the headmistress and Mr Grump married almost immediately, but the pregnancy was a surprise. Agnes Grump had just passed the six-month mark, and to say that she was adored by everyone at the school and in the village would have been an understatement. Miss Grimm couldn’t go anywhere without being stopped a dozen times by people wanting to see the baby.

  Bonaparte stretched his neck in an attempt to nibble Aggie’s curls. Fortunately, Alice-Miranda had cottoned on to what he was up to and pulled sharply on the reins.

  ‘Bony, Agnes is not a cabbage!’ the girl chided.

  ‘Mmm, I don’t know – she looks a bit like one of those Cabbage Patch dolls to me,’ Aldous said, making everyone laugh.

  Alice-Miranda suddenly remembered there was something she’d been wanting to ask the head mistress all week. ‘Miss Grimm, has there been any news about the Queen’s Colours leadership program? It seems ages since we sent off the applications and I’m ever so excited, although I try to remind myself there will be lots of competition for the places.’ Alice-Miranda tugged on Bony’s reins. The naughty pony had turned his attention from the baby to nibble her pram instead.

  Ophelia Grimm frowned. ‘That’s a very good question. I’ll check with Mrs Derby and I’d best decide which of the teachers is going to accompany the group as I’m sure there will be at least a few students accepted. Miss Reedy has her hands full doing most of my work while I’m looking after Aggie and I can’t imagine Mr Plumpton will be keen to go without her.’

  ‘What about Miss Wall?’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘She’d be excellent at the Highland games.’

  ‘That’s an interesting idea,’ the woman said, nodding. ‘I am keen to give Benitha more leadership opportunities.’

  Millie sighed wistfully. ‘I hope we get into the program. After all, I’ve got Scotland in my veins.’

  ‘Really?’ Mr Grump said, sneaking a sly wink at the others. ‘I would never have guessed.’

  Millie’s mouth gaped open at the slight. ‘Seriously? With my surname?’

  The man grinned. ‘I suppose there wouldn’t be too many who can lay claim to the McLoughlin, McTavish, McNoughton and McGill clans in one name.’

  ‘And I’ve been preparing for a ceilidh, just in case,’ Millie said. She put up one hand, bent her opposite leg at the knee and performed a vigorous Scottish jig.

  Try as she might, Alice-Miranda couldn’t help but giggle along with the others. Chops joined in too with a loud whinny while Bony looked on in mild distaste.

  ‘I’m so glad we ran into you girls,’ Ophelia said, catching her breath. ‘The campus here isn’t the same now that you’re over at Caledonia Manor. I know it isn’t far, but it’s different to seeing you around the school every day.’

  Alice-Miranda nodded. ‘It’s different for us too, but I’m so grateful you let me go with Millie and Sloane.’

  ‘I second that,’ Millie said. ‘It’s not as if Alice-Miranda couldn’t handle the work. She already beats us in most of our tests.’

  ‘It wasn’t a difficult decision at all in terms of whether you’d cope with the w
ork, Alice-Miranda,’ Ophelia said. ‘Mind you, there will be things you’ll find tricky as you get older, and I don’t know if you’ll be quite ready for university when the other girls go, but I’m sure you’d be an excellent gap student here with us for a year or two, if you wouldn’t mind staying on.’

  Alice-Miranda’s eyes widened. ‘What a wonderful idea. I could help Mrs Howard with the younger students, and do some tutoring and look after the ponies. I suppose it’s still ages away, but it’s something to think about.’

  For the last few months of the previous school year, Alice-Miranda and Millie had been doing a very good job of not talking about the inevitable – that Millie and Sloane and lots of the other students were going to transfer over to the boarding house at Caledonia Manor, where the secondary campus of Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale was located. Being almost three years younger, Alice-Miranda knew that she’d just have to cope without her best friend – as they’d all done when Jacinta had gone the year before. However, unbeknown to the students, Miss Grimm had met with Alice-Miranda and her parents over the holiday break to discuss accelerating the girl’s education. Given her obvious talents and maturity, there was little doubt she could handle the transition and it just didn’t seem fair to keep her behind.

  When Alice-Miranda had shared the news with Millie, her flame-haired friend had hugged her so tightly she’d knocked the breath out of both of them.

  The hardest thing of all had been saying goodbye to her beloved Mrs Howard. There had been tears all around, but Alice-Miranda had promised to visit Grimthorpe House as often as possible and so far she’d kept her word, dropping in at least once a week.

  ‘How’s Petunia managing everyone?’ Aldous Grump asked.

  ‘Mrs Clarkson is firm but fair,’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘I think she’s worked out most of the girls already and she doesn’t tolerate an ounce of nonsense. Mrs Howard must have clued her in over the holidays.’

  ‘What about the food?’ Ophelia asked with a pre-emptive grimace.

  Millie wrinkled her nose. ‘I’d say Mrs Jennings is Mrs Smith’s standard before she had cooking lessons with Mrs Oliver.’

  ‘Millie!’ Alice-Miranda admonished.

  ‘Did you taste that cauliflower cheese last week?’ Millie shivered. ‘We could have used it for wallpaper paste.’

  Alice-Miranda bit her lip, recalling her own recent experience. ‘Actually, Millie’s right. It’s just that Mrs Jennings is so lovely. I would hate to hurt her feelings. It’s lucky we have a good supply of bread in the common-room kitchenette as most of the girls make cheese toasties before bed. Would you like me to ask Mummy and Daddy if they can spare Mrs Oliver for a few weeks? I’m sure she’d be happy to help out again.’

  ‘Oh, that sounds dire,’ Ophelia sighed. She tapped her chin thoughtfully. ‘Don’t you worry about it, Alice-Miranda. I have an idea. Anyway, say hello to everyone for us, and if you see Hephzibah and Henrietta, tell them I’ll bring Aggie over for a visit on the weekend.’

  The girls nodded. ‘They’ve been busy sewing,’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘I think they have a special surprise for you.’

  The woman shook her head. ‘We get a special surprise every time we visit. Aggie will be so spoilt I’ll have to send her to some horrible boarding school to make sure she knows a bit about tough love.’

  ‘Well, you won’t be able to send her here then,’ Millie said with a grin. ‘Although a couple of years ago I mightn’t have said the same.’

  Ophelia Grimm raised an eyebrow. ‘Sadly, you’re right about that, Millie. I do hope I’ve changed and you girls are no longer terrified of me – or rather the legend of me, given how long I locked myself away. What a misery guts I was.’

  Alice-Miranda stepped forward and enveloped the woman around the waist. ‘But not any more. Everyone loves you and Mr Grump and Aggie. Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale wouldn’t be the same without you.’

  ‘Thank you, darling girl.’ Ophelia brushed a tear from her eye. ‘Sorry. Ever since the baby I’ve just been so emotional.’

  Alice-Miranda and Millie looked at Mr Grump, who seemed to be battling tears too. He fished a handkerchief from his pocket. ‘Men must get pregnancy hormones as well,’ he said, and blew his nose loudly. ‘At least, that’s my excuse.’

  Millie glanced at her watch. ‘We’d better get going. I promised Chops a good rub-down after our ride and a treat for winning the race.’

  ‘And Bony needs some attention otherwise I’m sure he’ll be up to no good again,’ Alice-Miranda said. She leaned in and kissed Aggie’s soft cheek.

  ‘Right, I’ll see if there’s any news regarding the leadership program this afternoon,’ Ophelia said.

  The girls called their thanks, then swung up into the saddles and waved goodbye.

  Davina yanked on the wad of white pages and cursed the machine for the third time since she’d started. The motor whirred but the paper was stuck fast.

  ‘Everythin’ all right in there?’ a cheery voice called from the office next door.

  Davina’s heart sank. ‘Yes, fine and dandy. Just a wee jam is all,’ she called back, hoping her boss would leave it at that. The door to his office squeaked open and she could hear his footsteps in the hallway. Davina wrenched open the door of the shredder and upended the full bin onto the floor. Then she replaced the container, slammed the door shut and flicked the switch, watching the last of the paper disappear through the metal teeth at the same moment Mr Ferguson’s head appeared around the door.

  The man caught sight of the mess and paused. ‘Ah … Miss Stuart, did ye manage to get all of those letters in the mail?’

  ‘Yes, of course, Mr Ferguson. They were sent on Monday, actually – ahead of time,’ Davina replied.

  ‘Ah, I see,’ he began.

  She prayed the man wasn’t about to go galloping into another one of his meandering anecdotes. It was hard enough with Morag, who had a knack for popping up out of nowhere and asking a hundred and one questions. But for that Davina could only blame herself.

  A few months ago, Davina had come to Morag’s aid when the woman had her handbag stolen in the street. The poor soul was so shaken that Davina offered to take her for a coffee to calm her nerves. It was there she learned that Morag Cranna, a teacher, was looking for a new role. The timing couldn’t have been better. With twenty years’ experience, Morag was more than qualified for the job of school liaison officer. She and Mr Ferguson hit it off immediately, most likely due to their penchant for longwinded stories and Morag’s capacity to hang off the man’s every word. Within a week, the woman had become part of the team. It helped that she seemed to quite genuinely think Barclay Ferguson was the most inspiring person she’d ever met and that she frequently told him so.

  Barclay Ferguson strode into the room and over towards Davina’s desk. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched him pick up an envelope that was poking out from under a sheet of paper Davina had been scribbling on earlier. He held it aloft, his brows knitting together.

  Darn, she’d missed one. She swallowed hard, realising what he had in his hand.

  ‘Not quite all of them, by the looks of this,’ he said, waving the envelope that bore the royal crest. ‘But it’s not too late. We’ll get this last one off this afternoon and then we’ll have all our ducks in a row.’

  ‘My apologies, sir,’ Davina squeaked, feeling the colour rising in her cheeks. ‘The rest have all gone. I’m certain of it.’ As for the ducks – good grief, the man could win a medal for the worst use of business jargon she’d ever heard. Apart from being incredibly annoying, most of the time it made no sense at all.