Alice-Miranda in the Alps by Jacqueline Harvey Page A

Cecelia explained. ‘Sloane, Sep, I’ve called your parents and they’re happy for you to stay on with us.’
    â€˜Really?’ Sloane said in surprise.
    â€˜Your mother is fine with it too, Jacinta,’ Cecelia added. ‘She was hoping to be home from New York to meet us when we got back but a wonderful opportunity has come up for her to spend a week behind the scenes with Christian Fontaine in Paris, so she’s flying directly there. She was worried you’d be upset.’
    Jacinta shook her head. ‘That’s a great scoop. Mummy’s not that keen on the cold, anyway, and she’s so much happier now that she’s working.’
    Millie grinned at the girl.
    â€˜What are you looking at me like that for?’ Jacinta asked.
    â€˜Sometimes I wonder what happened to you. It’s like you suddenly grew up and now you’re the most understanding daughter in the world,’ Millie said.
    Jacinta shrugged. ‘I’m really proud of Mummy. She’s changed completely and I know she’d rather bewith me, but sometimes you have to make sacrifices if you’re going to succeed in life.’
    The adults laughed.
    â€˜It’s going to be so much fun in Zermatt,’ Alice-Miranda said dreamily. ‘I can’t wait for you all to see it. I think it’s even prettier than St Moritz.’
    â€˜Isn’t that near where Caprice skis with her family?’ Sloane asked.
    Alice-Miranda nodded. ‘I think she said her family has a lodge in Cervinia, which is just over the border in Italy.’
    â€˜Thankfully, she’s staying home these holidays,’ Millie said. ‘She wouldn’t stop bragging about taping some episodes for the next season of Sweet Things .’
    Sloane rolled her eyes. ‘What doesn’t that girl brag about?’
    â€˜So, what does everyone think about a few more days away?’ Cecelia asked. ‘I hope getting back a bit later than we planned isn’t a problem for anyone.’
    â€˜It’s fine by us,’ Pippa said cheerfully. ‘We were thinking of having a weekend in the caravan but I’m just starting to feel my ski legs and I’d love to stay longer.’
    Hamish nodded. ‘Absolutely. I haven’t had this much fun in years.’
    â€˜Well,’ Dolly began, ‘Shilly and I were just saying yesterday that we’d have loved to have time to visit Zurich and perhaps even get to Geneva too.’
    â€˜The Large Hadron Collider isn’t far from Geneva,’ Alice-Miranda piped up. ‘I remember in the laboratory one day you told me how much you’d like to see that, Mrs Oliver.’
    Dolly nodded eagerly. ‘I wouldn’t want to bore Shilly to death with it, but perhaps I could take a side trip there on my own.’
    Cecelia clapped her hands together. ‘Oh, yes, you must. What a wonderful idea.’
    â€˜We’ll miss you, of course,’ Alice-Miranda chimed in.
    â€˜Dear girl, you’ll be so busy you won’t give us two oldies a second thought,’ Shilly teased.
    â€˜That’s not true and you know it.’ Alice-Miranda slipped off her chair and wrapped her arms around the woman.
    â€˜I’m glad you’re not too big for hugs yet,’ Shilly said and pecked Alice-Miranda’s cheek.
    â€˜Never,’ Alice-Miranda replied, giving Shilly another squeeze.
    â€˜Will Hugh be joining us this afternoon?’ Hamish asked. He had enjoyed their skiing yesterday and waskeen to tackle a few of the more challenging runs with him.
    â€˜Actually, Hugh’s already gone over to Zermatt this morning,’ Cecelia replied. ‘We’ll meet him again on Monday.’
    â€˜Oh,’ Hamish said, ‘I’m sorry he had to go.’
    â€˜Yes, it’s a pity Daddy won’t get to see the racing,’ Alice-Miranda said.
    â€˜I’ll take loads of photographs.’ Millie whipped