Alice-Miranda on Vacation by Jacqueline Harvey Page B

Will you help me?” She beamed at Mr. Greening. “I think I’ve got an idea.”
    “All right then—out with it.” Mr. Greening put the hedge shears down and walked over to give Bonaparte a scratch on his head.
    “Well, what do you think about …” Alice-Miranda lowered her voice—just in case the trees had ears.

M r. Greening listened while Alice-Miranda explained exactly what she had in mind. “Charlotte’s always saying how much she misses Highton Hall. I’m sure that no one would notice if just one went missing. And I’m positive she’d have room for it.”
    Mr. Greening laughed and said that he would get straight to work. He didn’t quite know how he would arrange things without arousing suspicion, but Alice-Miranda assured him that if anyone could get it done, he certainly could.
    Bonaparte was dozing in the sunshine, occasionally twitching his ears or tail to get rid of a pesky fly.
    “Well, I think we’ll head over and see if Lily’s home. But maybe we should call in and see Granny on the way.” Alice-Miranda pulled gently on the reins, and Bonaparte opened his eyes. “I did promise we’d see her today. Come on, boy, let’s go.” Alice-Miranda clicked her tongue and Bonaparte swayed lazily from side to side before walking forward. “See you later, Mr. Greening.” She winked. “You’re the best.”
    “You take care there, lass.” Mr. Greening raised his hand to wave and winked back at her.
    Alice-Miranda and Bonaparte trotted down the laneway toward Rose Cottage. She eased him into a canter again. Her mind was awhirl as she thought about the surprise party on Friday.
    Bonaparte slowed to a trot and then to a walk. Alice-Miranda pulled softly on the reins and he stopped outside the gate to Rose Cottage. She tied him carefully to the fence along the gravel road.
    “You stay here, boy, and I’ll be back soon. Maybe Granny has a carrot to spare,” she said, patting his neck. At the mention of food, his ears pricked up and he nickered. Alice-Miranda laughed. “Okay—I’ll do my best,” she promised.
    Alice-Miranda opened the creaky cottage gate and walked up the path. Just as she was about to enter the side door, something caught her eye. It was ablack car, quite possibly the same one she and Jacinta had seen yesterday. It was parked around the back of the cottage, mostly hidden behind a screen of jasmine. Alice-Miranda headed straight into the kitchen as she had done a hundred times before, wondering if she might meet the car’s owner.
    “Hello, Granny, it’s Alice-Miranda.” She waited for a reply but none came. “Hello, is anyone home?” she said again.
    Upstairs the floorboards creaked.
    “Granny, are you up there?” Alice-Miranda called. There was no reply and the noise from upstairs stopped. She was heading into the hallway toward the stairs when she spotted Granny in the front sitting room, dozing in her favorite armchair with a steaming cup of tea on the table beside her.
    “Granny, Granny,” she whispered, not wanting to startle her.
    Alice-Miranda thought it was funny that Granny should make herself a cup of tea and then doze off before drinking it, but she
had
been unwell and was getting old. Granny’s breathing was deep and even. There was a loud grunt and Alice-Miranda watched, hopeful that she might open her eyes.
    She didn’t, and Alice-Miranda retreated to thekitchen. She couldn’t help wondering who owned that car and where they might be. She knew that Daisy was up at the Hall with her mother and the rest of the cleaning team. Alice-Miranda had an uneasy feeling that she and Granny were not alone. And there was only one way to find out.
    Rose Cottage wasn’t quite as small as the name implied. There was a large eat-in kitchen with its own side porch. On the opposite side of the long hallway was a pretty sitting room; then farther along the hall were the stairs, and beyond those, a funny sort of a utility room, which Daisy used as a laundry and storage area.