Alice-Miranda Takes the Lead Read online

  ‘After all that Henrietta had sacrificed, she deserved to be happy, but I told her that if she married Percy, I didn’t want to see her again. You see, my scars had made me selfish and hard. But that’s not how the story will end. Today, with the help of Alice-Miranda’s father and uncle, I have visited my sister. She is recovering from a stroke. We sat and we held hands and we cried tears of joy. I would also like to say, that while my great-great-grandfather Frederick Fayle was obviously a clever and visionary man, he wrote a very silly charter and therefore I hereby repeal clause thirty from this day forth.

  ‘So, I am sorry to disappoint all of the children in this village who know me as the witch. I have no magical powers and no broomstick, no cauldron or book of spells. But I do have rather a lot of cats.’

  There was not a dry eye in the house. One by one, the audience rose to their feet, clapping and cheering. Alice-Miranda looked up at her friend. She hugged Miss Fayle, who hugged her right back.

  September Sykes eventually located her daughter who was sobbing madly in the rose garden. After a rather wild argument, they dashed straight over to Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale and packed Sloane’s things. Within a week, the Sykeses’ brand-new house had a large ‘For Sale’ sign in the front garden. September phoned Smedley in a terrible huff, but was soothed a little when he explained that his off shore developing business wasn’t faltering after all. September told him that Sloane was being bullied mercilessly at school, so she’d decided to sell the house and the two of them were coming over to be with him. She neglected to tell him about anything else that had happened.

  Septimus steadfastly refused to leave school. He loved Fayle and Fayle loved him. Granny Henrietta heard all about what had happened. She’d always thought Septimus was just like his grandfather. She vowed to take care of him financially while ever he was at school or university and, in return, Septimus vowed to visit Granny Henrietta every week.

  Caledonia Manor was transformed. Mr Greening, Charlie, Wally and Hedges, with an army of students led by Alice-Miranda, had the garden looking shipshape in no time. Hugh Kennington-Jones finally got to send the builders.

  Henrietta moved back to Caledonia Manor to live with her sister. They had a nurse to take care of them, and a cook and housekeeper. Over time, they gained a lot more company. It was far too big a house for the two of them to rattle around in so, in honour of their great-great-grandfather Frederick Erasmus Fayle, Caledonia Manor became a training college for teachers. Alice-Miranda and her friends visited Granny Henrietta and Hephzibah at least once a week.

  Miss Grimm and Professor Winterbottom declared the play a resounding success. Miss Reedy and Mr Lipp were already arguing over what they would put on next year.

  Alice-Miranda thought long and hard about what had happened with the test papers and the Fayle School Charter. She decided that Sloane shouldn’t be held accountable for the actions of her mother. So after much consideration and a long chat with Sep, Alice-Miranda decided to write to Sloane and see if she might like to be penpals. After all, everyone deserves a second chance – don’t they?

  The Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones household

  Alice-Miranda Highton-

  Smith-Kennington-Jones

  Only child, seven

  and a half years of age

  Cecelia Highton-Smith

  Alice-Miranda’s doting mother

  Hugh Kennington-Jones

  Alice-Miranda’s doting father

  Aunt Charlotte

  Highton-Smith

  Cecelia’s younger sister

  Lawrence Ridley

  Famous movie actor and

  Aunt Charlotte’s fiancé

  Dolly Oliver

  Family cook, part-time

  food technology scientist

  Mrs Shillingsworth

  Head housekeeper

  Mr Greening

  Gardener

  Mrs Maggie Greening

  Mr Greening’s wife

  Granny Bert

  (Albertine Rumble)

  Former housekeeper at Highton

  Hall

  Daisy Rumble

  Granddaughter of Granny

  Bert, a maid at Highton

  Hall

  Bonaparte

  Alice-Miranda’s pony

  Max

  Stablehand

  Cyril

  Helicopter pilot

  Friends of the Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones family

  Aunty Gee

  Granny Highton-Smith’s

  best friend, Cecelia’s

  godmother and the Queen

  Prince Shivaji

  Indian prince and friend of the

  family

  Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies Staff

  Miss Ophelia Grimm

  Headmistress

  Aldous Grump

  Miss Grimm’s husband

  Mrs Louella Derby

  Personal Secretary to the

  headmistress

  Miss Livinia Reedy

  English teacher

  Mr Josiah Plumpton

  Science teacher

  Howie (Mrs Howard)

  Housemistress

  Mr Cornelius Trout

  Music teacher

  Miss Benitha Wall

  PE teacher

  Cook (Mrs Doreen Smith)

  Cook

  Charlie Weatherly

  (Mr Charles)

  Gardener

  Wally Whitstable

  Stablehand

  Students

  Millicent Jane McLoughlin-

  McTavish-McNoughton-

  McGill

  Alice-Miranda’s best friend

  and room mate

  Jacinta Headlington-Bear

  Talented gymnast, school’s

  former second best tantrum

  thrower and a friend

  Danika Rigby

  Head Prefect

  Madeline Bloom, Ivory

  Friends

  Hicks, Ashima Divall,

  Lizzy Briggs, Shelby Shore,

  Susannah Dare

  Sloane Sykes

  New student

  Fayle School for Boys Staff

  Professor Wallace

  Winterbottom

  Headmaster

  Mrs Deidre Winterbottom

  Professor Winterbottom’s wife

  Miss Quigley

  Personal Assistant to the

  headmaster

  Professor Herman Pluss

  Mathematics teacher

  Mr Harold Lipp

  English and drama teacher

  Mr Horatio Huntley

  Housemaster

  Hedges

  Gardener

  Parsley

  Professor Winterbottom’s

  West Highland Terrier

  Students

  Lucas Nixon

  Lawrence Ridley’s son

  Septimus Sykes

  Brother of Sloane Sykes

  Others

  September Sykes

  Mother of Sloane and Septimus

  Smedley Sykes

  Father of Sloane and Septimus

  Percy Sykes

  Deceased grandfather of

  Sloane and Septimus

  Henrietta Sykes

  Step-granny of Sloane and

  Septimus

  Matron Payne

  Matron at the Golden Gates

  Retirement Home

  Jacqueline Harvey has spent her working life teaching in girls’ boarding schools. She’s never met a witch in the woods but she has come across quite a few girls who remind her a little of Alice-Miranda.

  Jacqueline has published six novels for young readers. Her first picture book, The Sound of the Sea, was awarded Honour Book in the 2006 CBC Awards. She is currently working on Alice-Miranda’s next adventure.

  For more about Jacqueline and Alice-Miranda, go to:

  www.alice-miranda.com

  and

  www.jacquelineharvey.com
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