Alice-Miranda in the Alps Page 17

  ‘She must have been so worried,’ Alice-Miranda said.

  ‘I doubt it. She didn’t even come after me, which made me even madder,’ Caprice huffed. ‘I know Daddy will make me apologise to her and I don’t want to. She’s a big bully.’

  Millie rolled her eyes. ‘Takes one to know one,’ she muttered.

  ‘I’m sure you can sort it out,’ Alice-Miranda said.

  ‘But I don’t want to go back,’ Caprice whined.

  There was a knock, and Cecelia Highton-Smith poked her head around the door. ‘Good morning, girls,’ she said, walking into the room. ‘Did you all sleep well?’

  ‘Heavenly,’ Alice-Miranda replied, giving her mother a hug.

  ‘I was so tired after ice-skating I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow,’ Millie added.

  Cecelia smiled and turned to Caprice. ‘I’m afraid I’ve come to deliver more bad news for you, sweetheart,’ she said gently. ‘Your brother Toby slipped on a patch of ice yesterday and has ended up with a badly broken arm.’

  Caprice’s face paled. ‘Is he going to be all right?’ she asked.

  Cecelia walked over and sat on the edge of the foldaway bed, placing an arm around the girl’s shoulders. ‘Your father has had to drive the boys to Turin. He’s asked if we can take you home with us at the end of the week,’ she said, rubbing the girl’s back. ‘Would you like to call him?’

  Caprice nodded. ‘Yes, please.’

  Cecelia handed the girl her phone and Caprice dialled the number.

  ‘Hello Daddy,’ she said. ‘Is Toby going to be all right?’

  The others watched and listened as Caprice spoke to her father for several minutes.

  ‘How is he?’ Alice-Miranda asked when Caprice hung up.

  ‘Daddy says he’ll be fine but he’s in a lot of pain.’

  ‘I’m sure he’ll be okay. Kids break their arms all the time,’ Cecelia said, giving Caprice a gentle hug.

  ‘You sound really worried,’ Millie said to the girl, feeling a bit sorry for her.

  ‘Of course I am. He’s my brother,’ Caprice said with a frown. ‘Wouldn’t you be worried if your brother was in hospital?’

  Millie nodded. She supposed she couldn’t argue with that.

  Thursday morning whizzed by as Millie and Lucas continued their snowboarding lessons while the rest of the children, including Nina, hit the slopes with Michaela. They were all thrilled to hear that Nina’s grandfather had been out of bed early that morning, looking better and brighter than he had in a very long time. Frau Gisler had been called upon to stay with the old man but Herr Dettwiller shooed her away only an hour later, assuring her that he would stay in the house tinkering with his contraptions.

  At lunchtime Michaela collected Millie and Lucas and, together with the other children, they met up with Hugh, Cecelia, Hamish and Pippa at a restaurant halfway up the mountain. Millie unclipped her bindings and stood her snowboard in one of the racks outside the tiny dark timber hut, which stood high on its stone foundations. She and Lucas had both decided they would keep boarding in the afternoon so long as Michaela didn’t take them anywhere too challenging. ‘How cute is this place?’ she said, looking around.

  ‘This is one of the original buildings on the mountain,’ Michaela said. ‘One hundred years ago a whole family and their animals would have lived and worked here.’

  ‘It’s just like some of those cute houses in the old part of the village,’ Alice-Miranda said.

  Michaela nodded. ‘Yes, exactly.’

  Inside, the children were surprised to find that the hut wasn’t tiny at all.

  Cecelia waved from a long table on the sunny balcony that overlooked the village and had a stunning view of the Matterhorn. ‘Hi kids. How was it this morning?’ she asked.

  ‘Amazing,’ Alice-Miranda fizzed.

  ‘How are you getting on with the board, Millie?’ Hamish asked.

  Millie rubbed her bottom. ‘The cheek-o-meter says that I haven’t had too many falls today.’

  ‘So, no more colours for that bruise?’ her mother asked with a smile.

  Millie shook her head. ‘I don’t think so, but Lucas is going to have a good one.’

  ‘What happened to you?’ Hugh asked the lad as the children and Michaela sat around the table and Cecelia ordered some hot snacks and drinks.

  ‘I stacked it getting off the chairlift and took out a whole row of Japanese tourists,’ the boy replied.

  ‘Oh dear.’ Pippa grimaced. ‘Bet you were popular.’

  ‘He sure was,’ Millie said, playfully thumping the boy on the arm.

  Plates of rösti arrived and the group were soon swapping stories of their heroics on the mountain.

  ‘Michaela took us up to a double slalom course, Mummy, where we could race each other,’ Alice-Miranda said, grinning from ear to ear. ‘It was so much fun.’

  Hugh looked up from his plate. ‘Who won?’

  ‘Well, it was close,’ Michaela said. ‘I was very impressed with Caprice. That girl can certainly ski,’ she said, winking at the child.

  Caprice beamed back at her. ‘Nina was the winner,’ she added, without so much as a hint of jealousy.

  Millie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. ‘Did she hit her head or something?’ she whispered to Alice-Miranda.

  ‘Though, Nina should be able to beat me,’ Caprice continued, flicking her copper-coloured locks behind her. ‘She lives here and can ski every day. Imagine how good I would be if I lived here too.’

  ‘And she’s back,’ Millie mumbled.

  ‘Hey, there are those guys that almost steam-rolled you the other day, Millie,’ Lucas said. He pointed at the trail of black skiers tearing down the mountainside.

  Michaela shook her head. ‘I don’t know how that school survives. They never seem to take any lessons.’

  ‘There’s a lot more of them today,’ Millie said, squinting.

  As the group drew closer to the restaurant, the last skier appeared to be struggling to keep his balance. He was up on one ski then the other before he lost control and tumbled down the mountainside, his arms and legs flailing. He came to a stop just below the restaurant deck and didn’t move.

  Hugh and Hamish ran over to him. ‘Are you all right?’ Hugh called.

  The fallen man moaned, then rolled over and pushed himself up gingerly.

  ‘Take my hand,’ Hamish offered.

  The man suddenly sat up and felt over his shoulder. He looked around, his eyes darting back up the mountain. ‘My backpack! Where is my backpack?’ he yelled before charging off, up the slope.

  ‘It’s okay, I’m sure we’ll find it,’ Hamish said.

  ‘He looks pretty freaked out,’ Millie observed as the rest of the group watched on.

  ‘We should help him,’ Alice-Miranda said. She and the rest of the children stood up and raced off the veranda and into the snow to search for the man’s lost bag.

  Several minutes later it was Sep who came up trumps. ‘Here it is,’ he called, struggling under its weight. ‘Geez, what have you got in there?’

  The man lunged at the boy and snatched the bag from his hand. ‘Give it to me,’ he said, quickly pulling the straps over his shoulders and settling the heavy pack onto his back.

  ‘You’re welcome,’ Sep said, raising an eyebrow.

  ‘I am sorry,’ the man replied, nodding his head. Beads of perspiration dripped from his temples despite the cold. ‘Thank you.’

  With that, he pushed off and disappeared in a cloud of powder.

  ‘What was all that about?’ Millie asked.

  Sep shrugged. ‘It’s no wonder he lost his balance. His backpack felt like it was full of bricks.’

  The family and friends headed back onto the balcony to resume their lunch.

  ‘Gosh the mountains are spectacular.’ Pippa pushed her chair out, soaking up the warmth of the sun on her face. ‘It’s a shame we have to go home.’

  ‘Yes, it’s an early start tomorrow, I’m afraid,’
Hugh said.

  Millie inhaled sharply. ‘Tomorrow! I thought we were leaving on Saturday.’

  ‘Sorry, kids, but it’s all Cee’s fault,’ Hugh said.

  ‘My fault?’ the woman protested with a laugh.

  Hugh grinned. ‘Maybe not.’

  ‘Why do we have to go, Daddy?’ Alice-Miranda asked.

  ‘Your father and Dolly have been invited to speak at a United Nations symposium on World Hunger,’ Cecelia explained.

  ‘They mustn’t be very organised if they’ve just asked you now,’ Millie said.

  ‘Actually, we were told about it some time ago but there was never any confirmation. Then, out of the blue, a message came through last night,’ Hugh said with a shrug. ‘Dolly and Shilly are meeting us back in St Moritz tomorrow evening. Cyril is now fit to fly, so we can leave as soon as we get in.’

  ‘And my locum has come down sick and is barely hanging on until we get back,’ Pippa piped up. ‘So it’s my fault too.’

  ‘That’s okay.’ Alice-Miranda smiled. ‘We didn’t expect to have this time at all and it’s been so lovely to see Nina and Uncle Florian and Aunt Giselle.’

  ‘Speaking of which, I’d better get down the mountain. I said I’d meet Florian at two,’ Hugh said, pushing back his chair and standing up.

  ‘I’ll come with you, darling,’ Cecelia said. ‘We’ll see you all at dinner.’

  Hugh and Cecelia kissed Alice-Miranda and headed inside while the rest of the group worked out where they were going to ski for the remainder of the afternoon.

  Florian von Zwicky sat at the head of the boardroom table, deep in thought.

  ‘Hello darling,’ Giselle said, walking in carrying two steaming cups of tea. ‘What are you doing in here all by yourself?’

  He glanced up and smiled. ‘Just thinking, my dear.’

  ‘What were you thinking about?’ she asked, setting the tea down in front of him.

  Florian sighed. ‘I ran into Frau Doerflinger this morning as she was leaving the hotel.’

  Giselle sat down beside him. ‘And?’

  ‘She asked when we were planning to retire,’ he said, staring into his teacup.

  ‘I suppose we can’t do this forever, can we?’ Giselle said softly, placing her hand on his. ‘It’s not as if we have heirs to pass this place onto.’

  Florian nodded, almost to himself. He and the Baroness had longed for children of their own, but sadly it was not to be. Having the hotel had in its own way filled that void. With so many people coming and going, there had never been much time to be lonely, and over the years they had come to accept that their lives could still be full of children – those who passed through with their mess and havoc, laughter and tears, only to leave at the end of their holidays.

  ‘There was something else,’ Florian said. ‘Frau Doerflinger mentioned that she would be very interested if we ever consider selling the hotel. She runs a good business and has an excellent reputation. Perhaps we should think about it …’

  In the room beside them, Valerie’s mouth twitched into a smile. The Baroness had left the door open and she could hear every word. She had to call her Aunt Delphine at once. It seemed the dream of the Grand Hotel Fanger was going to come true after all. Valerie wondered why her aunt had only approached the man now. She thought that a deal had been in motion some time ago. Valerie shook the thought from her mind. It was not her place to question how her aunt conducted her business as long as the hotel would soon be in their hands. She couldn’t wait to be in charge. There were so many things she wanted to do to bring the hotel into the twenty-first century.

  ‘If we can’t turn things around soon, I suppose we will have no choice,’ Giselle said.

  The Baron squeezed her hand. ‘I don’t want Hugh and Cecelia to invest money that we might not be able to repay. I shall call Frau Doerflinger and commence negotiations.’

  Giselle stood up and kissed her husband’s forehead. ‘Whatever happens, my darling, we will always have each other.’

  Nina walked through the front door to the sound of a violina playing. She paused for a moment to soak it in, then quickly removed her ski boots and hung up her coat.

  ‘Opa!’ she called, running to the back room.

  ‘Slow down, my Nina Bear,’ her grandfather chuckled. ‘Have you had a good day?’

  Nina nodded, grinning. ‘It was the best, but it is not over yet, Opa. It is Alice-Miranda’s last night in Zermatt and she has invited me to stay for dinner and a sleepover. Is Papa home yet?’

  The old man shook his head. ‘Your father will be late. There are some urgent repairs on the mountain from yesterday’s storm.’

  Nina’s face fell. ‘I should stay with you, then.’

  ‘Nonsense,’ the old man replied. ‘Go and have fun. I am happy tinkering away here and I have soup for my dinner. Frau Gisler has dropped by three times now and I promise you I will not wander off anywhere.’

  Nina looked into her grandfather’s eyes. ‘It is so good to have you back, Opa,’ she said, hugging him tightly.

  ‘It is good to be back,’ he whispered, gently tugging one of her plaits.

  Nina giggled. ‘Opa, you haven’t done that for ages. Now I know you are well and truly home.’

  Her grandfather kissed the top of her head. ‘Do not forget to pack your nightdress. I will tell your papa where you are. It is good to see you smiling too.’

  ‘I love you, Opa.’ Nina gave him a final squeeze before running back into the foyer and up the stairs.

  Her grandfather brushed a tear from the corner of his eye. ‘I love you too, my Nina Bear.’

  ‘Here’s to good friends!’ the Baron said, raising his glass.

  ‘Good friends,’ the adults and children echoed, clinking their glasses.

  Seated at a long table in the centre of the dining room, the family and friends were enjoying a sumptuous meal of roast beef and vegetables, to be followed by a chocolate gateau.

  ‘It has been so lovely to have you all here,’ the Baron said with a smile. ‘It is all the more special because this will be somewhat of a last supper.’

  ‘What do you mean, Uncle Florian?’ Alice-Miranda asked.

  ‘Giselle and I have reached a decision. We are, as you all know, approaching an age where this –’ the old man swept an arm across the room – ‘is all too much for us. We cannot fathom what has happened differently these past months but, for some reason, people do not come like they once did.’ He looked at his wife, who was sitting at the other end of the long table. ‘Hugh, Cecelia, we value your help and support, and even more than that, we value your friendship. We do not want to muddy that water with any loans or arrangements, so we have decided to sell.’

  Alice-Miranda’s eyes widened. ‘But Uncle Florian, the hotel is your life.’

  The looks on the faces of her fellow diners showed that they were similarly surprised, except for Hugh and Cecelia, who had already been told of their decision.

  The Baron nodded and smiled at the girl. ‘It is the beginning of a new chapter.’

  ‘What will happen to the Grand Hotel Von Zwicky?’ Millie said, buttering her bread roll.

  ‘Actually, I have already negotiated the sale this afternoon,’ the Baron replied.

  ‘Who’s the lucky buyer?’ Hamish asked.

  ‘It is Delphine Doerflinger and her husband, Otto Fanger,’ the Baron said.

  Millie recoiled. ‘Not that witch! She’s mean.’

  Jacinta gave her friend a swift kick under the table.

  ‘Ow!’ Millie yelped.

  Pippa eyeballed her daughter. ‘Millie, where are your manners? Apologise at once.’

  Millie flushed red with shame.

  ‘It is all right, dear,’ the Baroness said. ‘Frau Doerflinger certainly is a formidable businesswoman. Everyone knows that she is the reason her husband is so successful.’

  The children exchanged glances.

  ‘Millie’s right,’ Lucas whispered to Sep, who was sitting beside him. �
��She is mean and weird and she definitely hates kids.’

  Sep nodded.

  Dinner was served and the room was soon filled with chatter. Try as she might, however, Alice-Miranda could not shake the feeling that something was awry. There was something about Delphine Doerflinger that had her worried. It was strange how the woman had neglected to mention that she was heading to exactly the same place as them. And was it just a coincidence that Uncle Florian had met those frauds in her hotel? Not to mention that Alice-Miranda had seen the woman with Marius and Andreas. There were so many things that just didn’t add up.

  Lars Dettwiller had spent the afternoon checking each of the instruments, switching them on and listening to their tunes, cringing at the state of some. But for the first time since that terrible day, he felt alive again. Frau Gisler had checked in on him three times and had brought over a huge pot of soup for his dinner. He’d just eaten a bowl of it and was pleased with himself for not burning the house down – unlike his last attempt at cooking, when his son-in-law had arrived home to billowing smoke and a chargrilled lump of beef.

  Lars looked at his watch. There was something he was curious about downstairs. He had begun to wonder whether, if he put his mind to it, he could finish restoring the station and reopen the museum. If only he could summon the energy he knew would be required. He had no idea when Sebastien would be home and he didn’t want his son-in-law to worry if he returned home to an empty house.

  Unable to resist, Lars decided to have a quick look. He unlocked the door and closed it behind him, putting the key in the lock so he wouldn’t lose it. Then he flicked the switch on the top of the stairs and carefully made his way down into the subterranean cavern. As he reached the bottom, he felt around for the second light switch when something caught his eye. Was it just his imagination or were there torch-lights on the other side of the tracks? He took his hand away from the switch and peered into the pitch black.