Alice-Miranda Shows the Way by Jacqueline Harvey Page A

and if she tried, I’d take you home to the Hall and you could play with Shergar and Phinnie and darling Boo.’ She was referring to the other horses who spent theirdays grazing on the emerald fields at her home, Highton Hall.
    Chops whinnied as if to agree with her and threw his head back and forth.
    The girls arrived at the stables and decided to turn Bony and Chops out into the paddock for half an hour while they visited Mrs Smith.
    On seeing Alice-Miranda with a bandaid on her forehead, Doreen Smith was positively overcome.
    â€˜Oh, my dear girl, what happened to you?’ she fussed.
    For the second time that day Alice-Miranda explained about their adventure at Gertrude’s Grove and for the second time Millie took great joy in adding extra details and then admitted that somewhere she’d lost their lovely picnic lunch too.
    â€˜You sit down right there.’ Mrs Smith pointed at the stool beside the bench. ‘I’ll make you both some roast beef sandwiches and then, when they’ve cooled down –’ she opened the oven and pulled out a tray of her signature chocolate brownies – ‘you can have one of these.’
    Millie’s stomach grumbled on cue. ‘Yum, they smell delicious.’
    â€˜I’ll have to tell Charlie about those carnivalfolk,’ Mrs Smith said as she opened the fridge and pulled out some butter and a slab of roast beef. ‘It’s a nervous time of year.’
    â€˜Why do you say that, Mrs Smith?’ Alice-Miranda asked.
    â€˜Last year there was a spate of thefts around the village. They were only silly things like garden ornaments and porch furniture but we all had our suspicions.’
    â€˜Did Constable Derby find out who did it?’ Alice-Miranda asked.
    â€˜No, but Mrs Parker’s most treasured gnome – I think she called him Newton – began turning up on postcards sent from all around the country.’
    Millie burst out laughing. ‘That’s hilarious. If I was Newton I’d have escaped too.’
    Mrs Smith grinned. ‘I shouldn’t say so, but I think you’re quite right about that.’
    â€˜I don’t see why the carnival people should be blamed for things just because they’re in town. I mean, it makes a perfect cover for anyone who wanted to get up to no good. They could just blame the travellers,’ Alice-Miranda said decisively.
    â€˜I hear what you’re saying, dear, but to be on the safe side, you just stay away and let them get on withpreparing the village show,’ Mrs Smith said sternly. ‘Millie, would you like to come and get the sandwiches while I make you some cordial?’
    The girls ate their lunch and chatted with Mrs Smith about her plans for the next week’s dinner menu.
    â€˜Now, what are you two doing this afternoon?’ the cook asked as she cut two large brownies from the slab.
    â€˜We’re going to see Mr Walt over at Chesterfield Downs,’ Alice-Miranda replied.
    â€˜I’m heading over there later myself. I’ve got a lovely sponge and these brownies are for the lads’ afternoon tea,’ Mrs Smith explained. ‘Then I might pop over to the hospital and see Evelyn for a while.’
    â€˜Could you take the card I’ve written for her, please?’ Alice-Miranda asked. ‘I feel awful. I wrote it on Monday evening and thought I’d put it into the post but then I saw it this morning underneath some papers on my desk. It must be old age – who knew that turning eight would have such an effect on my memory?’
    Mrs Smith and Millie laughed.
    â€˜There’s no hope for me then, is there?’ Millie said. ‘I’m almost eleven!’
    â€˜And what about me, dear – I shouldn’t have any memory left at all given my positively ancient age.’ The woman shook her head. ‘Of course I’ll take it for you, Alice-Miranda. I just hope I remember to give