Alice-Miranda at Sea by Jacqueline Harvey

Author:Jacqueline Harvey
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: FICTION
Publisher: Random House Australia
Published: 2011-09-08T04:00:00+00:00

Alice-Miranda hadn’t realised how hungry she was and devoured her turkey, brie and cranberry sauce sandwich with great gusto. She and Millie chatted about all sorts of things but when Millie touched on the topic of Jacinta’s parents, Alice-Miranda frowned.

‘I wonder where her father is,’ Millie said.

‘Yesterday I went to see Admiral Harding and find out which suite the Headlington-Bears were staying in. First Officer Prendergast said that it was Victoria and Albert, but when I found it, the nameplate only said Victoria. When I knocked, there was no answer so I assumed they were already upstairs. But then I turned around and there was an Albert Suite on the opposite side of the hallway. When I knocked, a boy answered the door, so First Officer Prendergast might have misread the register. Anyway, we did see Mrs Headlington-Bear at dinner. Her husband must be very busy with his work. Maybe we should go and have another look this afternoon,’ Alice-Miranda decided before yawning loudly.

‘Yes, but you should have a rest first,’ Millie advised. ‘You look tired and it sounds like we’ll be having another late night. I can’t wait to see Mrs Shillingsworth and Mrs Oliver doing their Bollywood dance moves.’

‘Mummy told me they’ve been practising for weeks, playing music while they’ve been doing the housework. Apparently Mrs Oliver has the shoulder- shrug perfected and Shilly can step-clap better than anyone. Are you going to look for Lucas and Sep?’ Alice-Miranda asked.

‘Yep,’ Millie replied.

‘I think I will have a lie down.’

Alice-Miranda half-walked and half-hopped to the girls’ bedroom. Her wound had begun a gentle throb, not painful, but just enough to let her know there had been an injury. Millie helped her onto her bed and Alice-Miranda gathered Brummel Bear beside her.

‘Hello old man,’ she greeted the tatty teddy. ‘Have you been enjoying the view?’ Alice-Miranda had propped Brummel up to look out the windows before she left the suite that morning.

Staring out of the wall of glass towards the coastline, Alice-Miranda could see that the ocean had been transformed from its picture postcard stretch of blue into huge folds of waves. The ship pitched and lurched over the peaks and troughs.

‘Have fun with the boys,’ Alice-Miranda called to her friend.

‘I won’t be too long.’ Millie waved as she headed out the door.

Alice-Miranda closed her eyes. In just a minute or so she was fast asleep. She dreamt of all manner of things: the wedding, their meeting with Mrs Headlington-Bear and that nervous boy called Neville. She awoke with a start only half an hour later, feeling as though she was falling through a hole in the sky. It took a few seconds to realise that she was falling. The bed underneath her dropped without warning and Alice-Miranda’s tiny body took a second to catch up with the mattress. Outside, a coal-coloured sky was shredded by lightning and thunder like cannon fire rained from the heavens.

Alice-Miranda sat up and held onto the bedhead. Her foot seemed much better. The pain had gone completely.

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