Cecelia Highton-Smith headed straight to the kitchens to inform the staff that they would be going it alone for the rest of the evening, while the children set off in search of Caprice in the gardens nearest the palace. They were to divide up and meet back at the rear entrance foyer in half an hour. If Caprice was not to be found, Cecelia planned to notify the palace staff to organise a search party.

Sloane and Jacinta dashed off to the back garden while the boys decided to look around the front of the palace. Alice-Miranda and Millie exited the courtyard where the guests’ cars were parked, and ran along the driveway towards the stables.

‘I know she’s not my favourite person in the world but I am sorry about her grandfather,’ Millie said.

Alice-Miranda nodded. ‘Yes, it’s horrible, and I imagine Caprice she is going to be quite upset.’

‘We should break it to her gently,’ Millie said. ‘I remember when Miss Reedy told me my granny had died. I was a mess. Howie made me hot chocolate and everyone was so kind. It made things much easier.’

‘Well, her grandfather hasn’t died but it didn’t sound good,’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘I can’t imagine not having Granny and Aunty Gee around. There are just some people who you think will be in your life forever, aren’t there?’

‘Like you and me.’ Millie linked arms with her friend and smiled at her.

Alice-Miranda squeezed Millie’s arm affectionately. Just as she did, the path lit up as thousands of fairy lights awakened to twinkle in the trees and illuminate the magnificent stable building and its clock tower. The girls gasped with delight.

‘Wow, that looks amazing,’ Alice-Miranda marvelled, taking the words right out of Millie’s mouth.

‘Caprice!’ Millie called as the girls approached the stable block. On the other side of the wall, a horse whinnied. ‘Should we go in?’

‘I don’t think we have time,’ Alice-Miranda said.

Just as the girls turned to head back down the driveway, Millie stopped and squinted into the distance. ‘Do you see someone?’ she asked, pointing towards a figure standing on the stone bridge that crossed the river a little way from the palace.

Alice-Miranda focused her eyes. ‘I think it’s a woman.’

‘Do you think she’s a hunchback or something? Her shoulder looks weird,’ Millie said. It was hard to tell in the fading light but the woman seemed to be wearing a long cloak with a hood. Millie took her camera out of her jacket pocket and zoomed in on the mysterious figure. ‘It’s a bird!’ she exclaimed.

‘Really?’ Alice-Miranda said.

All of a sudden the creature took off and flew towards the girls. It rose higher into the sky, then circled and glided back to the woman.

‘It’s a raven,’ Millie said.

‘Goodness, that is unusual.’ Alice-Miranda watched as the woman stood on the bridge facing the palace. The bird landed on her shoulder again. ‘I wonder who it is.’

Millie pulled a face. ‘Some weirdo if you ask me. Who walks around in a hooded cape with a pet raven? We should tell Aunty Gee.’

‘Maybe she lives somewhere on the estate,’ Alice-Miranda said as the woman disappeared into the woods.

‘I should have taken a photograph,’ Millie said. ‘Do you think Aunty Gee knows who she is?’

‘Come on, Millie, we’d better get going.’ Alice-Miranda took hold of her friend’s hand, and the girls scurried back to the palace. They raced under the archway and into the rear courtyard, where they found the others, having just returned themselves.

‘You didn’t find her either?’ Sloane said.

Millie shook her head. ‘No, but we saw a strange woman wearing a long cape and she had a raven on her shoulder.’

‘Creepy,’ Jacinta said, wrinkling her nose.

‘Millie, we don’t know anything about her,’ Alice-Miranda chided. ‘And we certainly don’t know that she’s strange.’

Sloane shrugged. ‘Sounds weird to me. Who’d want to have a raven as a pet? They’re so sinister-looking.’

Jacinta nodded. ‘Come to think of it, that’s what Mr Langley reminds me of – a raven. His hair is that same purple-black colour. Seriously, he must go through a lot of hair d–’

‘Look, there’s something up there.’ Sep pointed to a blinking light on the hillside. It seemed to be heading downwards.

‘It could be Caprice and the twins,’ Lucas said hopefully.

They followed the light as it got closer and closer then disappeared as whoever it was entered the bottom of the garden. Finally, after another few minutes, three silhouettes came into view.

Alice-Miranda rushed across the courtyard. ‘Thank goodness it’s you.’

‘What’s with the welcome party?’ Louis said, eyeing them warily.

‘We need to talk to Caprice,’ Alice-Miranda said quietly, trying to think of the best way to broach the subject.

Caprice rolled her eyes. ‘Did my mother send you? She’s such a fusspot.’

‘It’s not that,’ Alice-Miranda replied, looking at the others for help.

‘It’s your grandpa,’ Millie said gently.

Caprice looked at her with surprise. ‘What about him?’ she asked.

‘He’s very sick and your mother’s had to go to him,’ Millie explained.

‘Go to him? But he’s in Italy! What am I supposed to do?’ Caprice huffed. ‘I’m not slaving away in the kitchens until she can be bothered to come and get me.’

‘I thought she’d be upset,’ Millie whispered to Jacinta and Sloane, who both raised their eyebrows.’

‘Mummy is going to organise a helicopter ride to the airport so you can catch the flight with your mother,’ Alice-Miranda told the girl.

‘Oh,’ Caprice said, barely masking her disappointment.

‘But that’s not going to work.’ Edgar glared at Alice-Miranda. ‘We –’

Louis elbowed him in the ribs.

‘Ow! What did you do that for?’ Edgar bellowed.

Cecelia Highton-Smith dashed out the back door and spotted the children huddled in the courtyard. ‘Oh, thank heavens!’ she exclaimed, and raced towards Caprice to give the girl a hug.

Not knowing quite what to do, Caprice froze on the spot with her arms awkwardly by her sides.

‘I’m afraid there’s a bit of a problem,’ Cecelia began. ‘Birdy is being serviced, and your mother just telephoned to say that she’s managed to get the last seat on a nine o’clock flight. Caprice, how do you feel about staying here with us tonight? We can arrange to get you to your mother and grandfather first thing in the morning.’

The twins smirked at each other, and Caprice looked visibly relieved.

‘Perfect,’ Edgar muttered.

Cecelia squeezed the girl’s shoulder. ‘Your mother said that she’s spoken to the hospital again and your grandfather is resting comfortably and his condition is stable.’

Caprice shrugged. ‘I don’t really know him that well,’ she said.

‘What do you mean?’ Millie asked.

‘Mummy and Nonno didn’t speak for a long time because he was mad at her for leaving Italy to come and study here, and he was even angrier when she married Daddy and decided to stay. I’ve only met him a few times and he doesn’t speak any English, so it’s a bit awkward,’ Caprice said. ‘He talks with his hands and he gets cross when I can’t understand what he’s saying.’

‘I see.’ Cecelia nodded. She thought that explained a bit.

‘Mummy, can Caprice come to the ball tonight?’ Alice-Miranda asked.

‘No!’ Edgar stepped in. ‘She’s not invited. She’s got jobs to do downstairs.’

Cecelia eyeballed the lad. ‘Edgar, I’m sure that we can find a place for Caprice to join us.’

Louis stared at Caprice, trying to send her telepathic messages that she would ruin their plan if she came, but the girl wasn’t paying him the slightest bit of attention. She had just been invited to the Queen’s Jubilee Ball and nothing in the world could persuade her to miss it.

‘But I haven’t got anything to wear,’ the girl complained.

‘Don’t worry, we’ll be able to rustle up something for you,’ Cecelia said, remembering that she’d packed several extra dresses just in case any of the girls had a last-minute disaster. Ever since the time a waiter collided with Alice-Miranda, turning her white frock into a mango-and-passionfruit mess at a dinner for Prince Shivaji, Cecelia was always prepared for a frock emergency. Caprice was about Jacinta’s size, so there would definitely be something.

‘I still don’t think she should be allowed to come as a guest,’ Edgar insisted. ‘Grandmama will not be happy.’

‘I don’t agree with you there,’ Cecelia said. ‘Your grandmother is one of the most generous people I’ve ever met, and she would be horrified to learn that we’d left Caprice on her own for the evening.’ The woman glanced at her watch. ‘Speaking of which, we’d better get a move along.’

As the children followed Cecelia back inside, Edgar and Louis positioned themselves on either side of Caprice.

‘We’re going to have to change our plan,’ Louis hissed.

‘All because of you,’ Edgar scowled.

‘Don’t worry, it will be even better now,’ Caprice said, careful to keep her voice low. ‘This way, I’ll get to see exactly what happens.’

‘You better not squib out on us,’ Edgar threatened.

Caprice rolled her eyes and put her hand into her jacket pocket, checking that their surprise was still there. ‘I won’t.’

Alice-Miranda turned around and noticed the twins were being oddly attentive towards Caprice. ‘Are you okay?’ she asked the girl.

Caprice nodded.

‘Try not to worry about your mother and your grandpa,’ Alice-Miranda said.

Caprice frowned. ‘I’m not.’

‘Heartless cow,’ Millie whispered under her breath.

‘Caprice, come upstairs with the children and we’ll find something for you to wear,’ Cecelia said. ‘And I’ll arrange for an extra bed to be moved into Alice-Miranda and Millie’s room for the night.’

Caprice grinned. ‘This is going to be so much fun!’

As the girl ran to catch up to Jacinta and Sloane, Millie’s heart sank like a stone.