The second half of the week passed quickly without any more nasty dramas. There was great excitement about the dog show as well as extra rehearsals for the Winchester-Fayle Singers for their performance at Miss Reedy and Mr Plumpton’s wedding. The children had been surprised to learn that Chudleigh’s was to be held on the same weekend as the wedding and wondered why Miss Grimm had agreed to it, but it was too late to change anything. Preparations for both events were in full swing. There were workmen measuring up for marquees and Charlie Weatherly had hired additional manpower to help mark out the parking areas and to clip and snip the gardens to their absolute best. Miss Reedy seemed to be forever dashing from one place to the next with a thick folder in her arms, which Millie nicknamed the Wedding Bible. When it went missing after lunch on Wednesday, you’d have thought she’d lost the crown jewels. Fortunately, it was found among a pile of dirty laundry, although how it got there was anyone’s guess.
Alice-Miranda, Millie and Sloane had put their names down to work as ushers at Chudleigh’s as well as volunteering to work on food stalls and the cleaning crew. When the various teams were decided, the girls had all wound up on different activities. Sloane was assigned to cleaning, Millie was on food duty and Alice-Miranda was to be an usher. They hadn’t seen Jacinta all week and wondered what she and the girls from Caledonia Manor had been allocated.
During all of this, Caprice kept her head down in classes and quietly went about her after-school activities, avoiding everyone as best she could. Alice-Miranda was pleased to see the girl taking her punishment on the chin, though Caprice still hadn’t owned up to the paint bombs, which meant Millie was still on gardening duty all day Saturday and Sunday. Mr Charles had already told the girl he was negotiating with the headmistress to give her an early mark on Sunday afternoon.
On Friday night the girls from Caledonia Manor joined the rest of the school for a special dinner. Millie took the opportunity to regale Jacinta with the news of the week, albeit quietly, as she didn’t want Miss Grimm or any of the other teachers to hear her. Alice-Miranda had asked Caprice if she wanted to sit with them, but the girl had taken herself off to sit with Mr Trout and some of the younger students.
‘So where’s the puppy now?’ Jacinta asked.
‘Mrs Derby has been looking after him during the day in her office, but she and Constable Derby have gone away for the weekend, so Miss Grimm’s got him,’ Millie said.
‘Really? Is he here?’ The girl looked at the head table, where Miss Grimm was sitting with Miss Reedy and Mr Plumpton.
‘I don’t think so,’ Millie replied.
‘There he is!’ Sloane pointed at the door as Mr Grump walked in, carrying the bundle of curls in his arms. The pup was wearing a bright red collar with a matching lead. ‘So much for not getting too attached to the little guy.’
The headmistress’s husband walked past the girls, who all cooed at the puppy.
‘Isn’t he sweet, Mr Grump?’ Alice-Miranda sighed. She broke off a small piece of naan bread and offered it to the pup, who gobbled it down.
‘Yes, except that he just chewed my slippers,’ the man said, ruffling the puppy’s ears. The creature growled playfully and nipped at his fingers.
‘He’s very small,’ Alice-Miranda said.
‘Yes,’ Mr Grump replied. ‘Dr Davidson was concerned about his age when he checked him over before jetting off on holiday. Apparently, this one’s too young to be away from his mother and there were signs of malnutrition. Good news is, I think he’s gained quite a bit of weight over the past few days,’ Mr Grump said. ‘His soft paw pads were cut to shreds too – he’s obviously walked some distance to get here.’
‘That’s awful, and his poor mother,’ Alice-Miranda said with a frown.
‘Yes, we suspect he might have escaped from somewhere,’ the man said.
‘Maybe he was dumped,’ Millie suggested. ‘People do that, you know. Mummy sees it quite often in her surgery.’
Jacinta shook her head. ‘What sort of person could leave that gorgeous pup by the side of the road? People like that don’t deserve to have pets.’
‘Mrs Derby took the most adorable picture of him for the posters we’re putting up in the village tomorrow,’ Alice-Miranda said.
‘Yes, I know a couple of people who are going to find it very hard to say goodbye to him when the time comes,’ Mr Grump nodded in the direction of his wife.
‘You and Miss Grimm,’ Millie said cheekily.
‘No, Mrs Derby and Miss Grimm,’ the man replied. ‘Oh, and I will just a smidge, unless he keeps eating my shoes.’
The man said goodbye and walked over to join his wife, who’d brought the puppy’s basket with her from the office. Silence descended over the table as the girls got to grips with the delicious curry Mrs Smith had made.
‘What’s everyone doing for the dog show?’ Jacinta asked, snapping a pappadum in half.
The girls talked over the top of one another, explaining what they’d been assigned.
‘What about you?’ Alice-Miranda asked.
‘I’m ushering, so we’ll be together,’ Jacinta replied. ‘Mummy told me Nosey Parker’s up to ninety about the whole thing. And we’ve got new neighbours at the end of the road who breed dogs. Mummy’s having a welcome barbecue for them tomorrow night and you’re all invited.’
Millie’s face dropped. ‘I doubt I’ll be allowed to go.’
‘We can ask,’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘And if you can’t, I’ll stay here with you.’
Millie grinned at her friend. ‘Thanks but you don’t have to.’
‘Isn’t Ursula looking after us this weekend because Howie’s going to see her sister?’ Sloane said.
‘Oh yeah,’ Millie said, perking up. ‘Ursula’s a big fan of Monopoly, so if I’m not allowed to go out, we can revisit the Grimthorpe House Monopoly Championships.’
‘Do you want to come and help us put up the posters around the village in the morning?’ Alice-Miranda asked Jacinta.
‘I would but I have training,’ the girl replied. ‘I’ve got the National Gymnastics Championships coming up and at the moment I don’t think I’ll even qualify.’
‘Of course you will,’ Sloane said. ‘You’re amazing.’
Jacinta shook her head and frowned. ‘I used to be, before I broke my toe in Paris. Since then I just can’t seem to get it together. My coach also says it might be because I’m having a growth spurt. I don’t know … sometimes I think that maybe I’m growing out of gymnastics, although I don’t want to give it up completely.’
‘Maybe you should try acrobatics for a change,’ Sloane said. ‘I saw this incredible video of some acrobats who could pretty much turn themselves inside out. My muscles hurt just from watching them.’
Jacinta nodded. ‘That sounds interesting. I mean, gymnastics is great but there are loads of other things I’d like to do too.’
‘Like meeting up with your boyfriend,’ Millie teased.
Jacinta rolled her eyes and poked out her tongue.
‘Speaking of Lucas, have you seen him this week?’ Alice-Miranda asked.
Jacinta shook her head. ‘No, but he and Sep are coming to the barbecue tomorrow night.’
‘Good. I want to show him some pictures Aunt Charlotte sent me of the twins,’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘He’s the most adorable big brother. Mummy told me that he’s started reading books to them on the phone every night and, even though they’re just babies, their eyes get really big and they make all sorts of funny excited noises when he appears on the screen.’
Millie snorted and almost sent a chilli up her nose. ‘That’s what happens to Jacinta when she sees him too,’ she joked, and all the girls burst out laughing.
‘Very funny,’ Jacinta said, trying to look cross. After a few seconds she broke into a huge grin. ‘He really is going to be the best father ever,’ she sighed.