Alice-Miranda in Paris 7

by Jacqueline Harvey

  Millie disappeared into the hallway and reappeared a minute later. ‘We might want to rethink our gap-year plans,’ she said.

  ‘What do you mean?’ Alice-Miranda frowned.

  ‘I woke them up and now they’re having a huge row about whose fault it was that the alarm didn’t go off. And overnight that gigantic suite of theirs has been invaded by the Paris clothes monster, which I think vomited all over their floor.’

  ‘Oh no.’ Alice-Miranda’s eyes were wide. ‘It sounds like they could do with some help.’

  Millie screwed up her nose. ‘I’m not going back in there. It’s dangerous. And I don’t mean the monster.’

  Miss Grimm was now marching up and down the hallway and knocking on doors to warn the girls that she would be inspecting their rooms in ten minutes.

  ‘Come on, Millie, I don’t want Miss Grimm starting the day in a bad mood, do you?’ Alice-Miranda gave her friend a gentle shove and they scurried across the hallway. Alice-Miranda knocked loudly on the door to room 202 and waited.

  ‘I’m coming,’ Jacinta called from inside. She wrenched open the door.

  ‘Good morning,’ Alice-Miranda greeted her. ‘Millie and I have come to see if you need any help.’

  ‘I haven’t,’ Millie scoffed from behind her.

  Alice-Miranda turned around. ‘You don’t mean that,’ she mouthed, and then turned back to Jacinta, who did the strangest thing. She grabbed Alice-Miranda and hugged her tightly.

  ‘Yes, please.’ A tear spilled onto Jacinta’s cheek. She released her tiny friend and retreated inside.

  ‘It can’t be as bad as all . . .’ Alice-Miranda began to say, then stopped when she caught sight of the sitting room. Millie was right. There were clothes from one end of the place to the other.

  ‘Was there a bomb in your suitcase or something?’ Millie said bluntly.

  Jacinta sighed. ‘I don’t know. It just sort of happened.’

  Alice-Miranda began to pick up various garments from the floor. ‘Come on, it won’t take more than a few minutes to get this sorted out.’ She walked over to Jacinta’s black suitcase and upended the rest of the overflowing contents onto the couch. ‘Are you ready to go?’ she asked Jacinta.

  ‘I just have to brush my hair and find some shoes,’ she answered.

  ‘Okay, you go and do that and Millie and I will make a start here,’ Alice-Miranda reassured her.

  Jacinta disappeared into the bedroom.

  ‘Tell Sloane to hurry up too,’ Millie shouted after her. She could still hear the shower going.

  By the time Miss Grimm knocked on the door, Alice-Miranda and Millie had completely sorted out Jacinta and Sloane’s mess and returned to their own room. The two older girls looked sheepish as the headmistress inspected their suite.

  ‘I must say, girls, that I am pleasantly surprised,’ said Miss Grimm with a smile. ‘Well done. It’s a lovely room and it looks as though you are quite deserving of it. Now, make sure that you have everything you need for the day and I will see you downstairs in a minute.’

  As Miss Grimm was halfway out the door, she poked her head back inside. ‘And Sloane –’ She studied the child’s sensible trainers. ‘Good shoes.’

  A few moments later, Miss Grimm had finished her inspection of Millie and Alice-Miranda’s room and moved down the hallway to see Susannah and Ashima.

  The four friends met at the top of the stairs.

  ‘How was your inspection?’ Millie asked, raising her eyebrows.

  ‘Fine, thank you,’ Jacinta mumbled, casting her eyes to the floor.

  Sloane grinned tightly. ‘Yeah, thanks for that.’

  ‘We were happy to help,’ Alice-Miranda said.

  ‘Speak for yourself. But I told Miss Grimm how hopeless you both are and that we had to rescue you,’ said Millie, deadpan.

  Jacinta and Sloane gulped in unison.

  ‘Millie!’ Alice-Miranda admonished. ‘She did not.’

  Millie laughed. ‘That had you worried, didn’t it?’

  ‘It’s all right, we promise it won’t happen again,’ said Jacinta. She eyeballed her roommate. ‘Will it, Sloane?’

  ‘No, it won’t,’ she spat back.

  ‘Come on, you two, please don’t fight,’ said Alice-Miranda. ‘Tomorrow morning, as soon as Millie or I get up, we’ll give you a wake-up call and make sure that you don’t miss the alarm. Then you’ll have plenty of time to get organised.’

  ‘So, I’ll just reset the alarm for half past five, shall I?’ Millie asked.

  ‘No way!’ Sloane grouched.

  ‘Better make it half past four then, Millie,’ Jacinta grinned. ‘It takes that long for Sloane to have a shower.’

  Sloane turned around and poked out her tongue.

  Alice-Miranda raised her nose in the air and drew in a deep breath. ‘I’m starving and I can smell breakfast. Let’s go.’

  The girls headed downstairs. Fortunately, a tasty selection of croissants and pastries and the promise of a fun day ahead seemed to sweeten Sloane’s and Jacinta’s moods considerably. By the time the group left for the Louvre, they were chatting away as happily as they ever had.

  Miss Reedy snapped a photograph of the whole group standing beside the large glass pyramid in the forecourt of the Louvre. The enormous Louvre had once been a palace but was now the most famous museum and art gallery in the world.

  ‘It says here that it was added to the museum in 1989,’ Millie read from her guidebook. ‘I’m not sure about the two smaller ones, but they were probably built at the same time.’

  ‘I think they look weird,’ Jacinta said.

  ‘Ugly, did you say?’ Sloane added.

  ‘They’re certainly interesting,’ said Alice-Miranda. ‘And really different from the original buildings.’

  ‘We’ll be heading inside for a private guided tour,’ Miss Grimm informed the group. ‘Please stay together and if you do find yourself separated from the others, just ask anyone with a badge on and they will take you to the central meeting place.’

  The children nodded.

  ‘Did you hear what I said, Mr Lipp?’ Miss Grimm asked the teacher, who seemed to be staring into the distance at something – or someone.

  ‘Sorry, Miss Grimm, what was that?’ he said.

  ‘Never mind. You’re a big boy, I’m sure you can look after yourself,’ said Miss Grimm. She’d decided there was no way he could get lost today, dressed in that mustard-coloured suit and bright pink cravat.

  The children and teachers entered the enormous foyer. Alice-Miranda wandered over to speak to her Science teacher, who seemed lost in his thoughts. Millie joined them. ‘Are you enjoying the trip so far, Mr Plumpton?’

  ‘Oh, hello there, girls. Yes, yes it’s marvellous,’ he replied.

  ‘Is there anything in particular you’re looking forward to seeing in here?’ Alice-Miranda asked.

  ‘The Mona Lisa, of course,’ said Josiah Plumpton. ‘Leonardo da Vinci is something of a hero of mine.’

  ‘I didn’t realise you were interested in art,’ Millie said.

  ‘Mr da Vinci wasn’t just an artist, Millicent. He was a scientist and an inventor, an architect and a musician, among many other things,’ Mr Plumpton explained.

  ‘Oh, yes,’ Alice-Miranda piped up. ‘Can you believe he designed flying machines? His anatomical drawings were incredible too.’

  ‘Ah, I see we have a common interest,’ said Mr Plumpton, with a twinkle in his eye.

  ‘Yes, sir. My father is a huge fan too. Whenever there is an exhibition he usually takes me along,’ explained Alice-Miranda. ‘If ever anyone invents time travel, I think Daddy would be the first in line to go back and meet him.’

  ‘I couldn’t agree more,’ Mr Plumpton said.

  ‘What are you two agreeing on?’ Miss Reedy asked as she joined the trio. That morning she had found herself monopolised once again by Mr Lipp. She had only just escaped, after Mr Trout had decided that he and Mr Lipp needed to discuss some of the finer poi
nts of rehearsals.

  ‘Alice-Miranda and Mr Plumpton have been comparing notes about Leonardo da Vinci,’ said Millie.

  ‘Yes, what a genius. I’m so looking forward to seeing the Mona Lisa this morning,’ Miss Reedy said.

  ‘You should walk with Mr Plumpton, then,’ Alice-Miranda suggested. ‘He’s an expert on Mr da Vinci.’

  ‘Oh, Alice-Miranda, I think you’re overstating things there. You seem to know an awful lot yourself.’

  ‘Yeah, you know heaps,’ Millie told Alice-Miranda.

  ‘No, Millie, Mr Plumpton knows so much more than I do. Miss Reedy would love to have such specialist knowledge, don’t you think?’ Alice-Miranda gave Millie a meaningful look.

  Millie frowned. ‘Oh! Yes, of course. Miss Reedy, you should stay with Mr Plumpton. For the whole tour.’

  ‘You’re welcome to come with us too,’ Miss Reedy replied.

  ‘No, didn’t you have some things you wanted to talk to Mr Lipp about, Alice-Miranda?’ Millie asked her friend.

  ‘Yes, absolutely. I’ve wanted to get his attention all morning but he’s been so preoccupied. Let’s go and see him now, shall we?’ Alice-Miranda looked at Mr Plumpton and gave him a cheeky wink.

  The man’s nose glowed red and he looked for a moment as if he might pass out.

  ‘See you later then, girls,’ said Miss Reedy. She felt a shy smile perch on her lips as she turned to Mr Plumpton.

  ‘Well, there are a few things I’d like to know about Mr da Vinci, if you’d be happy enough to allow me to accompany you.’

  He bowed his head ever so slightly. ‘I’d be delighted.’

  Miss Reedy blushed.

  A few metres away, Mr Grump and Professor Winterbottom appeared with a lady dressed in a smart uniform.

  ‘Gather around, everyone,’ the professor called. ‘This is our tour guide, Brigitte. Be sure to watch her and listen to all her instructions.’

  ‘Bonjour,’ Brigitte smiled.

  ‘Bonjour,’ the group chorused.

  ‘Now, we have a lot to cover this morning and I would like to get to as many of the exhibits as possible . . .’

  Alice-Miranda and Millie hovered close to Mr Lipp and Mr Trout, ready to swoop. They were quite certain they had enough questions to keep the man busy for the whole tour.

  After two hours wandering through the world’s most incredible collection of art works, Brigitte led the group back to the cloakroom where the children collected their bags and awaited their next instructions.

  Millie and Alice-Miranda hadn’t needed to use their intervention skills as Mr Trout had chewed Mr Lipp’s ear for the entire tour. The girls had hovered for a while, then upon deciding that Miss Reedy would be safe, they’d strolled about enjoying the art. ‘Well, the Mona Lisa was a big disappointment,’ Sloane announced.

  ‘Why do you say that?’ Alice-Miranda asked.

  ‘It’s so small. I was expecting something huge. And she’s got such a strange look on her face. As if she was expecting your room at the hotel and she got ours instead,’ Sloane said.

  Alice-Miranda and Millie laughed.

  ‘I suppose that’s one way of looking at it,’ said Millie. ‘But I thought she was beautiful.’

  ‘Yes, imagine being clever enough to really see people the way Mr da Vinci did. He truly was a genius,’ Alice-Miranda added.

  ‘Where are we going next?’ Jacinta asked.

  Cornelius Trout overheard Jacinta’s question and leaned in. ‘Some morning tea and then a rehearsal at the Hôtel Ritz, where you’ll be giving your final performance.’

  ‘The Ritz!’ Sloane exclaimed. ‘I’ve heard that’s gorgeous.’

  ‘Oh yes, it is,’ said Alice-Miranda. ‘Mummy and I stayed there last year when she brought me with her to the shows.’

  ‘What? It’s so not fair,’ Sloane grouched. ‘You’ve been everywhere, Alice-Miranda.’

  Millie shook her head. ‘No, she hasn’t. She hasn’t been camping in our caravan down by the beach.’

  ‘That’s true. But maybe you’ll take me one day,’ said Alice-Miranda.

  ‘Yes, next time we go you can come,’ Millie agreed. ‘We can play on the beach all day and find pippies and go fishing. I love it down there. You could come too, Sloane and Jacinta, and we could pitch the big tent or sleep out under the stars.’

  ‘I’m in,’ Jacinta said.

  Alice-Miranda, Millie and Sloane all stopped and stared at her. Sloane’s mouth dropped open.

  ‘What? It sounds like fun,’ Jacinta replied.

  ‘Seriously? You? Camping?’ Sloane still couldn’t believe it.

  ‘Why not?’ said Jacinta. ‘It’s not like my mother or father will ever take me. And if it’s good enough for Millie and Alice-Miranda, then I don’t see why not.’

  Alice-Miranda and Millie grinned.

  ‘Well, count me out,’ said Sloane. ‘The only camping I want to do is under five stars. Like at the Ritz.’

  The girls giggled.

  Miss Grimm stepped forward and held her arm in the air, signalling for everyone to stop talking and give her their undivided attention. ‘Children, I hope you enjoyed the tour as much as I did. Now we will head into the cafe and have a quick bite to eat before we walk to the Hôtel Ritz for a rehearsal. You won’t have a run-through for your first performance at the Palace of Versailles at all, so we have to squeeze in these opportunities to practise wherever we can.’

  The children were to give three performances on their tour. Their first would be at the Palace of Versailles, to open a show by the well-established Parisian designer Christian Fontaine. Their second was in Notre Dame Cathedral, as part of a mass to celebrate Fashion Week, and the final show was at the Ritz before a parade by the up-and-coming designer Dux LaBelle.

  Morning tea was a swift affair, followed by a ten-minute walk from the Louvre to the Ritz, which was located in a very fancy square called the Place Vendôme.

  On the way, the children passed another of the banks of bicycles that were located all over the city.

  ‘Hey, professor, why can’t we take these?’ Figgy asked.

  Professor Winterbottom shook his head. ‘That’s the last thing I’d want to do. Can you imagine trying to control twenty children haring about the city on bikes?’

  A little further down the road the boys spotted six tiny electric cars, all plugged in to tall recharging plinths. Apparently they worked on a similar principle to the bikes, with people able to rent them for short periods of time.

  Figgy elbowed Rufus as the group waited at a set of traffic lights. ‘How cool are these?’ He fished about in his pocket.

  ‘What are you looking for?’ Rufus asked.

  ‘A card,’ Figgy replied.

  ‘But you don’t have a credit card.’ Rufus looked about to check whether any of the teachers had spotted them.

  ‘No, but I have this.’ Figgy produced the swipe card that was the key to his hotel room. ‘It’s worth a try.’

  Rufus watched as Figgy ran the little white card through the machine.

  ‘Hey, I think it’s going to work,’ he declared as the display began to blink.

  Neither of the boys saw the professor approach.

  ‘Give me that, Figworth.’ The man reached out and took the card from the boy’s hand. ‘Thankfully your hotel key will not allow you to rent a car.’

  ‘But sir, we were just kidding,’ Rufus protested.

  ‘I can’t take my eyes off you two for a minute, can I?’ the professor said, shaking his head.

  ‘Can I have my key back?’ Figgy grumbled.

  ‘I’ll think about it, if you promise not to try to buy anything else with it. Now hurry along.’

  The group had reached the Place Vendôme and all its grandeur. The Ritz was located further along, towards the middle of the imposing buildings.

  After some lengthy negotiations with the rather forbidding concierge at the desk, Miss Grimm was finally allowed to take the children inside. It seemed the man didn’t
think much of children and this group clearly didn’t fit his ideal of Ritz patrons. The look he gave Harry Lipp was enough to confirm that. Miss Grimm used her best high school French, but Mr Plumpton surprised her by expertly explaining why they were there.

  ‘I didn’t know you spoke French, Mr Plumpton,’ Miss Reedy said as he returned to the end of the line, where the two had walked together from the Louvre.

  ‘Well, I’m not much good,’ he replied, blushing. ‘But it’s a lovely language.’

  Mr Lipp barrelled into the conversation. ‘No, Mr Lipp, it’s the language of love. I should have gone and had it out with the chap. I did French honours at university. I’d have had him around in a second.’

  ‘Really, Mr Lipp? Then why didn’t you?’ Miss Reedy challenged.

  Alice-Miranda and Millie exchanged knowing glances.

  ‘You could have helped, Alice-Miranda. You’re probably the only one who’s actually stayed here,’ Millie said.

  ‘Just once and the man I remember, who was so kind to Mummy and me, was Monsieur Michel and I didn’t see him at all. He worked out the front of the hotel when we were here.’

  The children were ushered through the opulent foyer, which resembled a long drawing room, and into an exquisite salon where a group of men were constructing a runway. The sumptuous decorations looked as if they belonged in a palace, not a hotel.

  Cornelius Trout had been consulting a very well-dressed woman from the hotel, who was strutting about with a clipboard and looking extremely official. Harry Lipp was busy ushering the children into their positions and working out how much space they would have available for some of their more robust numbers. The rehearsal was set to get underway when, through the open salon doors, Jacinta spotted someone who looked exactly like her mother.

  Mr Trout had just started his long introduction on the piano when Jacinta’s arm shot into the air.

  Harry Lipp tutted. ‘Not yet, not yet. Arms by your sides until the bar before we start. I’ll count you in. Mr Trout, we’ll have that from the top.’

  ‘But Mr Lipp.’ Jacinta waved her arm about again.

  ‘What now?’ he growled.