Alice-Miranda in the Alps by Jacqueline Harvey

‘Go on, Daddy. You’ll be brilliant.’
    Millie considered her father. Hamish was a big man, not overweight but tall and solid. ‘Don’t be ridiculous, Daddy,’ she scoffed. ‘It would be like driving a Mini Minor to the top of the track, releasing the brakes and hoping for the best.’
    â€˜I’m not that big, Mill!’ Hamish said, slightly wounded.
    Cecelia Highton-Smith gulped. ‘You’re not serious, are you? The last thing we need is for the two of you to be laid up with broken bones for the next three months.’
    â€˜Exactly,’ Pippa echoed.
    Alice-Miranda looked towards the starting area, where a giant banner hung over the track. Several officials wearing headsets were standing nearby and there was a man about to start. ‘Is that Cyril?’ she said, squinting into the sun.
    â€˜Oh my word!’ Shilly exclaimed.
    Cecelia gasped. ‘What on earth is he doing?’ she said, clutching her husband’s arm.
    Hugh shrugged helplessly. ‘He’s on leave, so he can do whatever he wants.’ He hadn’t realised Cyril would indulge in anything more than a spot of skiing when he’d given the fellow the week off.
    The children and adults raced towards him. As they arrived at the start of the course Cyril was receiving his final instructions.
    â€˜Don’t forget to use your boots to slow down. If you do go off the edge, you’ll want to try to land as far away from the skeleton as possible. Remember, those things can kill you,’ one of the officials warned him.
    â€˜Why would you want to land away from your skeleton?’ Jacinta said, perplexed.
    Millie giggled. ‘That’s what they call the sled.’
    â€˜Oh.’ Jacinta grimaced all the same.
    â€˜Cyril!’ Cecelia called out, waving both her arms.
    The man looked up and grinned. ‘Hello there. I thought you’d be hitting the slopes this morning.’
    â€˜We will after lunch but we were all curious about this thing,’ Hugh replied.
    â€˜What are you doing, man?’ Dolly demanded, her voice tight. Cyril seemed awfully relaxed about the whole thing, which put her even more on edge.
    â€˜Don’t worry, Dolly. I’ve done it before,’ Cyril assured her.
    Cecelia turned to her husband. ‘Did you know about this?’
    Hugh shook his head. ‘Afraid not, but we might as well cheer him on.’
    â€˜You should watch from the clubhouse,’ Cyril suggested. ‘You’ll have a great view of the whole course from the balcony. I’ll wait until you get there.’
    â€˜You be careful, Cyril,’ Shilly warned. ‘Last time I checked, none of us was licensed to fly that jet except for you.’
    The family and friends made their way down to the white building, where they were ushered upstairs to a wide veranda which afforded a stunning view. They positioned themselves along the balustrade, looking down at the glistening snake-like track that curved its way for just over a kilometre down the mountainside.
    Cyril gave them a thumbs up, then swayed back and forth several times before hurling himself onto the small sled. He fidgeted about for a few seconds and then straightened out his body. The sled clattered down the track. The group lost sight of him as he hit the first corner, only to reappear at the top of the ice, whizzing around the bend.
    Hugh glanced at the giant stopwatch on the commentary box above them. ‘My goodness, he’s quick.’
    â€˜Go, Cyril!’ Alice-Miranda shouted, and Millie joined in, cheering him on. Soon the entire group was calling the pilot’s name.
    â€˜He’s going too fast,’ said an older chap standing beside Alice-Miranda. ‘He’ll never make it around Shuttlecock.’
    â€˜What’s that?’ Alice-Miranda asked, suddenly concerned.
    â€˜It’s where most amateur riders crash out,’ the man replied. ‘At least