While watching the dance floor, Alice-Miranda had come up with a plan. But Neville would have to agree, and that might prove difficult. Earlier she had promised him that she wouldn’t tell anyone about him and she’d already told Millie.

‘Hello there,’ Alice-Miranda called above the music to Lucas, Sep and Jacinta, who were all mastering the art of the Bollywood shoulder-shrug.

‘Hey,’ Sep grinned. ‘I know we must look ridiculous but this is kind of fun.’

‘No, you look like experts,’ Alice-Miranda replied.

The music stopped and there was much clapping as the crowd scattered from the dance floor back to their seats. A swarm of white-suited drinks waiters delivered refreshments to the tables of thirsty dancers. Alice-Miranda’s friends promptly downed their pitcher of iced raspberry cordial.

‘Where’s Millie?’ Jacinta asked, looking around the room.

‘Well, I need to tell you something, but you all have to promise that you won’t say a word to anyone,’ Alice-Miranda whispered.

‘That sounds mysterious.’ Lucas grinned – and Jacinta’s heart fluttered as if filled with a thousand butterflies.

‘I’ve made a new friend and I want him to spend the rest of the cruise with us,’ said Alice-Miranda.

‘Of course,’ Sep agreed. ‘Any friend of yours is a friend of ours.’

‘Well, it’s not quite that simple . . . maybe it is. Why don’t you all stay here and I’ll go and get him,’ the tiny child instructed.

Alice-Miranda leapt from her chair and raced out of the ballroom. She flew downstairs to the Gallery Deck as fast as she could. Alice-Miranda didn’t have to tell her friends Neville’s story. He could just become one of the group. That would keep him out of Dr Lush’s way and it was likely no one would notice him. He could have been any of the young boys on the ship really. She wasn’t lying – and it would only be a couple of days and Neville would be safely home again.

As she reached the door to the Albert Suite, Alice-Miranda knocked gently.

‘It’s me,’ she whispered. Millie opened the door and Alice-Miranda promptly scurried inside.

‘Neville, I’ve got an idea,’ she blurted. ‘But you’re going to have to trust me . . .’

Millie nodded in agreement. ‘That’s perfect. You can just hang out with us. I mean, you could be anyone. No offence, Neville.’

‘But how many people are on board?’ Neville whispered.

‘Well, including the crew, around five hundred,’ Alice-Miranda replied. ‘There are about thirty children, I think, but we seem to have divided into a few groups. Anyway, Neville, you do look a lot like some of Mummy’s Swedish cousins. I’m sure that if we just keep to ourselves no one will ask too many questions.’

‘And what about Dr Lush?’ asked Neville. He still looked as if he might throw up.

‘I’ll talk to him tomorrow,’ Alice-Miranda promised.

‘But if he really is a dangerous criminal, he might throw you overboard!’ Millie gasped.

‘Millie, your imagination is getting to be as good as Jacinta’s,’ Alice-Miranda chided. ‘I’m glad she doesn’t know about this. Can you imagine? She’d have us all marked for shark bait.’

Millie giggled.

‘What about Henderson?’ Neville asked. ‘He seems to think I’m here with my mother.’

‘That’s all right. We can let him think that for now,’ Alice-Miranda replied.

And so it was agreed. Neville would head up to the party with the girls and meet Sep, Lucas and Jacinta. Then Alice-Miranda would go first thing in the morning to have a chat with Dr Lush about returning his case.

‘But what if Lush comes back in the middle of the night?’ Neville’s face was as pale as pancake batter.

‘I imagine if Aunty Gee’s not feeling well, Dr Lush will be on duty all evening. Attending to Her Majesty is no small matter.’

Neville seemed slightly reassured. He’d never met anyone like Alice-Miranda before. She was so confident and organised.

‘I wonder if we can find you something a little more appropriate to wear,’ said Alice-Miranda with a glance at Neville’s T-shirt and trainers. ‘If you’re going to fit in upstairs you need to be dressed for Bollywood and I’m afraid what you’re wearing just won’t do.’

‘Didn’t your mother pack some things for the boys in your luggage just in case?’ Millie asked.

Alice-Miranda clapped her hands together in delight. ‘Yes, I think she did.’

‘I’ll go.’ Millie was already charging out the door before Alice-Miranda had time to say anything. ‘I-I’m sorry about all this,’ Neville apologised. ‘I didn’t mean to be a bother.’

‘Oh, Neville, don’t be silly,’ Alice-Miranda smiled at him. ‘Think of it as an adventure.’

Millie returned with the clothes. Fortunately, Neville and Sep were almost the same size and although the white shirt was a little snug, he looked the part. Cecelia Highton-Smith had thought of everything and there was even a pair of smart black shoes. They were a little big, but Alice-Miranda improvised and stuffed the toes with toilet paper. Neville was all set.

‘Come on.’ Alice-Miranda straightened his jacket. ‘You look great.’

Neville grabbed his inhaler from the bedside table and took a puff.

Five minutes later the three children were upstairs in the ballroom. Alice-Miranda introduced Neville to Lucas, Sep and Jacinta. He thought they all seemed nice enough and, better still, they were too busy dancing to ask him any questions.