encounter with Lucas had given her a very uneasy feeling, and although she didn’t like to, she couldn’t help but wonder if he might have had something to do with Bony’s unscheduled visit to the vegetable patch.
A lice-Miranda now had lots of things to do. First she wanted to check on Jacinta, then she had to apologize to Mr. Greening, talk to Daisy—and Lily too if she could find her—make up with Jasper and see Lucas. Later, when her father and Mr. Ridley returned, she planned to ask Mr. Ridley about the real reason he was here. And then there was that black car and its mysterious owner. It was wonderful to be home from school, but she couldn’t believe how busy she was—there was certainly no time to relax.
She bounded off to see Jacinta.
“Hello.” Jacinta looked up from her book, then sneezed loudly.
“Bless you,” Alice-Miranda replied. “Are you feeling any better?”
“No, I’m worse.” Jacinta sniffled into a tissue. “But I can’t complain about the food.” She nodded toward the tea tray on the table beside the bed. It was laden with egg sandwiches, honey crumpets and a large piece of chocolate cake. “Trouble is, I don’t feel much like eating. I hope Mrs. Oliver won’t be upset.”
“Of course not,” Alice-Miranda replied as she picked up a sandwich and began to nibble.
“What have you been doing?” Jacinta asked.
“Well, I took Bonaparte for a ride and we saw Mr. Greening and then I went to find Lily but I decided I should visit Granny Bert first but she was asleep and then Bony got into the vegetable patch and he was being such a brute and then Lucas wouldn’t help me but luckily Heinrich did, so I walked Bony home and Dr. Wanner’s just been to see him to make sure he doesn’t get colic. Oh, and I saw a big black car parked around the back of Rose Cottage—I think it might have been the same one that nearly ran us over in the lane yesterday.” Alice-Miranda finally ran out of steam.
“Who does it belong to?” Jacinta demanded.
“I don’t know.” Alice-Miranda kicked off her boots and climbed onto the bed, tucking her kneesunderneath her. “I was on my way to see Granny when I spotted it. When I went inside she was sitting in the front room dozing. It was a little odd: she had a steaming cup of tea beside her and she was fast asleep,” Alice-Miranda mused. “And I thought I heard footsteps on the upstairs landing, so I went up to take a look around.”
Jacinta’s eyes widened. “Was someone in the house? Perhaps they were upstairs snooping about and they made Granny Bert a cup of tea with something in it to put her to sleep.”
“I don’t think so.” Alice-Miranda grinned. “I’m sure there was no one there,” she said firmly, trying to convince herself. But the creaking floorboards and slamming door didn’t do anything to support her argument. “I’m sure it was just the old house grumbling and groaning. If you lie here in the quiet for long enough, the Hall will start talking to you too. Oh, and Mr. Pippin was locked in Daisy’s wardrobe.”
“Who’s Mr. Pippin?” Jacinta sat forward.
“Daisy’s funny old dribbly cat,” Alice-Miranda replied. “Anyway, I don’t think Granny and Daisy have anything anyone would want to snoop around for.”
As those words slipped from her mouth, Alice-Miranda remembered the plans. She had assumed that Granny had put them in the crisper by mistake,but now she wasn’t so sure. And she had put them out on the kitchen table for anyone to see. All at once, she had a very bad feeling.
“You should go back and see what you can find,” Jacinta urged. “I’d love to come, but Mrs. Oliver has called the doctor to see me—in case it’s the flu or something. I hate being sick,” she said with a cough. “It’s so unfair to miss all the fun.”
“Okay. I’ll head over and check on Granny again now.” Alice-Miranda was a little relieved to have an excuse to go and ask about the plans. “Just in case
A lice-Miranda now had lots of things to do. First she wanted to check on Jacinta, then she had to apologize to Mr. Greening, talk to Daisy—and Lily too if she could find her—make up with Jasper and see Lucas. Later, when her father and Mr. Ridley returned, she planned to ask Mr. Ridley about the real reason he was here. And then there was that black car and its mysterious owner. It was wonderful to be home from school, but she couldn’t believe how busy she was—there was certainly no time to relax.
She bounded off to see Jacinta.
“Hello.” Jacinta looked up from her book, then sneezed loudly.
“Bless you,” Alice-Miranda replied. “Are you feeling any better?”
“No, I’m worse.” Jacinta sniffled into a tissue. “But I can’t complain about the food.” She nodded toward the tea tray on the table beside the bed. It was laden with egg sandwiches, honey crumpets and a large piece of chocolate cake. “Trouble is, I don’t feel much like eating. I hope Mrs. Oliver won’t be upset.”
“Of course not,” Alice-Miranda replied as she picked up a sandwich and began to nibble.
“What have you been doing?” Jacinta asked.
“Well, I took Bonaparte for a ride and we saw Mr. Greening and then I went to find Lily but I decided I should visit Granny Bert first but she was asleep and then Bony got into the vegetable patch and he was being such a brute and then Lucas wouldn’t help me but luckily Heinrich did, so I walked Bony home and Dr. Wanner’s just been to see him to make sure he doesn’t get colic. Oh, and I saw a big black car parked around the back of Rose Cottage—I think it might have been the same one that nearly ran us over in the lane yesterday.” Alice-Miranda finally ran out of steam.
“Who does it belong to?” Jacinta demanded.
“I don’t know.” Alice-Miranda kicked off her boots and climbed onto the bed, tucking her kneesunderneath her. “I was on my way to see Granny when I spotted it. When I went inside she was sitting in the front room dozing. It was a little odd: she had a steaming cup of tea beside her and she was fast asleep,” Alice-Miranda mused. “And I thought I heard footsteps on the upstairs landing, so I went up to take a look around.”
Jacinta’s eyes widened. “Was someone in the house? Perhaps they were upstairs snooping about and they made Granny Bert a cup of tea with something in it to put her to sleep.”
“I don’t think so.” Alice-Miranda grinned. “I’m sure there was no one there,” she said firmly, trying to convince herself. But the creaking floorboards and slamming door didn’t do anything to support her argument. “I’m sure it was just the old house grumbling and groaning. If you lie here in the quiet for long enough, the Hall will start talking to you too. Oh, and Mr. Pippin was locked in Daisy’s wardrobe.”
“Who’s Mr. Pippin?” Jacinta sat forward.
“Daisy’s funny old dribbly cat,” Alice-Miranda replied. “Anyway, I don’t think Granny and Daisy have anything anyone would want to snoop around for.”
As those words slipped from her mouth, Alice-Miranda remembered the plans. She had assumed that Granny had put them in the crisper by mistake,but now she wasn’t so sure. And she had put them out on the kitchen table for anyone to see. All at once, she had a very bad feeling.
“You should go back and see what you can find,” Jacinta urged. “I’d love to come, but Mrs. Oliver has called the doctor to see me—in case it’s the flu or something. I hate being sick,” she said with a cough. “It’s so unfair to miss all the fun.”
“Okay. I’ll head over and check on Granny again now.” Alice-Miranda was a little relieved to have an excuse to go and ask about the plans. “Just in case
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