Britt nodded. ‘And I’ll be in Oslo. Mamma says that it’s absolutely freezing.’

  ‘Well, you should all reach your destinations in time,’ Mrs Oliver said. ‘As long as you get ahead of the cold front that the bureau says is the likes of which hasn’t been seen in years. It sounds like there’s going to be more snow for Christmas.’

  ‘Sadly, not in Spain,’ Sep said.

  ‘I don’t mind. It probably won’t be warm enough to swim, but I’m looking forward to some sunshine,’ Sloane said.

  ‘Daddy says it’s chilly in Tuscany too, but it will be fun to have one last Christmas there,’ Caprice said, glancing at her mother who gave a nod. She’d told Caprice everything last night after they’d been reunited and had been surprised by how mature the girl’s reaction had been.

  The children and Venetia were all due to leave in the morning, with those who were flying out being ferried to the airport and others being picked up from the Hall. Chessie was the closest. She and Alice-Miranda had vowed to spend more time together over the break, and Millie too. Although her parents were a bit of a drive away, her grandfather was nearby and she was keen to stay with him.

  ‘Do you think that Mr Turner will ever find out exactly what happened to his poor wife?’ Chessie said.

  ‘I doubt that very much, dear,’ Valentina Highton-Smith chimed in. ‘There are some mysteries that are destined never to be solved.’

  Alice-Miranda bit her lip. ‘Maybe. But Miss Wickham said something about her brother-in-law George having kept diaries. She wasn’t sure what happened to them, but perhaps something will turn up one day. I mean, who would have ever expected to find her sister’s confession inside the teapot spout?’

  The others all nodded in agreement.

  ‘Yes, wasn’t that the strangest thing?’ Shilly said.

  ‘And speaking of which – now I don’t have a surprise for you for Christmas, Mrs Oliver,’ the child said. ‘That was meant to be your present to replace the one that’s leaking.’

  ‘Oh, dear girl,’ Dolly said. ‘Please don’t worry about me. I’ve got everything I need right here.’ She glanced around at the family and friends.

  ‘Why can’t you give it to Mrs Oliver?’ Millie asked.

  ‘Because I said that Miss Wickham should have it back. And if she doesn’t want it, then I think Mr Turner should keep it – for the sake of the family story,’ Alice-Miranda replied.

  Charlotte Highton-Smith looked over at her young son, mortified to realise that Marcus’s hands were now covered in chocolate. She reached into her cardigan pocket and pulled out a small packet of wet wipes, quickly passing it to Jacinta and hoping that the lad hadn’t smeared anything on her sister’s couch.

  ‘When are we giving each other our presents?’ Caprice asked. ‘Just the ones us kids bought for each other.’

  At the mention of the word, Marcus clapped his hands together.

  ‘Presents!’ he shouted. His sister was asleep on her mother’s lap.

  ‘Sorry, I shouldn’t have mentioned it,’ Caprice said, pulling a face.

  ‘Not for you, darling,’ Charlotte said, glad that he hadn’t woken Imogen up.

  Marcus pouted.

  Everyone mimicked the lad sticking their bottom lips out in reply.

  Surprisingly, the boy giggled. It was amazing how quickly toddlers could be distracted.

  ‘Why don’t we boring oldies leave you youngsters alone,’ Hugh suggested. ‘I’d like to see if I can finally beat Lawrence at a game of snooker.’

  ‘You’re on,’ the man said.

  ‘Yes, and I want to chat to Dolly and Shilly about the menu for Christmas,’ Valentina said, getting to her feet.

  ‘And these two cheeky monkeys need to get to bed,’ Charlotte said.

  ‘I’ll help you, darling,’ Cecelia said, snatching Marcus up from the lounge while Charlotte stood up cradling Imogen.

  ‘Good night,’ the children chorused as the adults made their way from the room.

  ‘Present time,’ Alice-Miranda said, as her friends followed her through to the entrance hall where the base of the sparkling Christmas tree was piled high with gifts.

  ‘Bags I be Santa,’ Caprice and Millie said at the same time. They looked at each other and grinned.

  ‘Why don’t you do it together?’ Alice-Miranda suggested.

  The girls nodded.

  ‘Together,’ they said at exactly the same time again.

  The others all laughed.

  ‘Seriously, I don’t know what’s happened with you two – but long may it stay this way,’ Lucas said.

  ‘We finally learned the art of cooperation,’ Millie said.

  ‘It comes in handy when someone’s planning to kill you,’ Caprice said, arching her left eyebrow.

  ‘Well, I for one am glad that you’ve finally come to an understanding and you’re both still alive,’ Sep said, earning himself a dig in the ribs from Lucas. When they got back to school, he was planning to ask Millie to be his date for the Fayle Spring Dance.

  ‘I think it’s more than an understanding,’ Caprice said, looking at Millie.

  The girl nodded. ‘I’d go so far as to say we might even be . . . friends?’

  ‘It’s a Christmas miracle!’ Lucas exclaimed and everyone laughed.

  Millie and Caprice both donned Santa hats for their duties.

  Lucas and Jacinta held hands while Sep, Chessie, Britt, Sloane, Alice-Miranda and Neville sat side by side around the tree. Millie and Caprice read the names on the cards and handed out the gifts.

  Alice-Miranda’s brown eyes sparkled as she looked at her friends.

  ‘I think this has to be my favourite Christmas ever,’ she said.

  The others could only agree.

  Elliot Turner’s party was indeed the event of the year, although Keeley Hendrix was not happy to learn later that night that her husband had been arrested and her children were the Bauble Bandits. Griffin cut a deal with the prosecutors and, in exchange for him testifying against Sergey Koloff, he got to do his time in home detention. Hazel, Jake, Liam and Kane did exactly what Griffin asked, returning all of the goods they’d stolen and using their pocket money to buy decorations to spruce up the village and surrounds. Hazel suggested they should tell the newspapers about their good deeds, but their mother thought better of it. Hazel and Ellie are no longer friends.

  Keeley Hendrix realised that the only way to keep her family afloat was to get herself a job. When Hugh Kennington-Jones heard about the family’s predicament, he offered her a position at Kennington’s, which she’s finding surprisingly satisfying.

  The money Venetia earned helped pay down a chunk of debt on the restaurants and get her company back on track. Interestingly, Sophie Garceau was outed by her staff as a bully not long after Christmas. Her show, Pressure Cooker, was cancelled by the network immediately, with Sweet Things rocketing to the top of the ratings once again.

  Bronson Byers told his family as much as he could without compromising the rest of the investigation into Sergey Koloff. He quit his undercover role in the force and used the money he’d saved to buy a beautiful cottage in the village for them to live in. Not long afterwards, he formed a partnership with his new father-in-law, buying properties to renovate and then rent at a reduced rate to families in hardship. Their first acquisition was the row of terraces where Juliette and the children had lived. Ellie couldn’t be prouder.

  Juliette has started a management training program with Kennington’s and is enjoying being able to use her brain. Hugh says he’s never been more impressed with a staff member.

  Elliot Turner is enjoying spending time with his family – though they’re taking things slowly and making sure that everyone is comfortable with the situation. After all, it was quite a shock to learn the truth.

  Alice-Miranda’s friends all returned home for Christmas, the weather holding off long enough for everyone to get where they were meant to be. The Highton-Smith-Kennington-Joneses and their household celebrated together on a day when there was more snow than the country had ever seen before.

  Alice-Miranda had grinned when she’d opened a special hardback edition of her favourite spy series with a note from the author, which had been organised by Millie the night the children had all exchanged their gifts.

  There was another present, however, that made her smile more than any other. A copy of The Hundred Dresses from Ellie. It would turn out to be a story she would treasure for the rest of her life – and the beginning of a lovely new friendship.

  Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies students, staff and friends

  Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones

  Only child, almost twelve years of age

  Millicent Jane McLoughlin-McTavish-McNoughton-McGill

  Alice-Miranda’s best friend

  Jacinta Headlington-Bear

  Friend

  Sloane Sykes

  Friend

  Francesca Compton-Halls

  Friend

  Caprice Radford

  Friend, of sorts

  Britt Fox

  Friend and exchange student from Hartvig Skole, Oslo

  Miss Ophelia Grimm

  Headmistress

  Miss Livinia Reedy

  English teacher and deputy headmistress

  Miss Benitha Wall

  PE teacher and deputy headmistress

  Charlie Weatherly (Mr Charles)

  Gardener

  Mrs Petunia Clarkson

  Housemistress of Caledonia Manor

  Cornelius Trout

  Music teacher

  Louella Derby

  Personal secretary to the headmistress (on maternity leave)

  Mrs Myrtle Parker

  Acting personal assistant to the headmistress and town busybody

  Mrs Doreen Smith

  Cook

  Caroline Clinch

  Maths teacher

  Aldous Grump

  Miss Grimm’s husband

  Aggie Grump

  Miss Grimm’s daughter

  Reginald Parker

  Myrtle Parker’s husband and Alice-Miranda’s drum teacher

  Ambrosia Headlington-Bear

  Jacinta’s mother

  Lucas Nixon

  Fayle School for Boys student

  Septimus Sykes

  Fayle School for Boys student

  Neville Nordstrom

  Barcelona International College student

  Highton Hall residents

  Cecelia Highton-Smith

  Alice-Miranda’s mother

  Hugh Kennington-Jones

  Alice-Miranda’s father

  Dolly Oliver

  Family cook and food scientist

  Mrs Shillingsworth

  Housekeeper

  Mr Harold Greening

  Gardener

  Mrs Greening

  Wife of Harold

  Hoxton Manor residents, staff and relations

  Elliot Turner

  Owner of Hoxton Manor, successful businessman

  Delia Wickham

  Head housekeeper

  Maggie Phillips

  Deceased sister of Delia Wickham

  Paloma

  Chef

  Others

  Ellie Byers

  Fourteen-year-old girl

  Myles Byers

  Six-year-old brother of Ellie

  Juliette Byers

  Ellie and Myles’s mother

  Bronson Byers

  Ellie’s stepfather, Myles’s father

  Griffin Hendrix

  Manager of Freightliners Transport Company and father of Hazel, Jake and Kane

  Keeley Hendrix

  Wife of Griffin, mother of Hazel, Jake and Kane

  Hazel Hendrix

  Fourteen-year-old girl

  Jake Hendrix

  Hazel’s twin brother

  Kane Hendrix

  Older brother of Hazel and Jake

  Liam

  Jake’s best friend

  Miss Violet Appleby

  Grandmother of Clementine Rose, wife of Digby Pertwhistle

  Mr Digby Pertwhistle

  Butler at Penberthy House Hotel and husband of Violet Appleby

  Sebastian Smote

  Party planner extraordinaire

  Venetia Baldini

  Caprice’s mother and celebrity chef

  Bobby Lambert

  Driver for Freightliners Transport Company

  Sergey Koloff

  Owner of Loff’s Folly and businessman

  Jacqueline Harvey worked in schools for many years, but has had a passion for storytelling since she was a child.

  She is the author of the popular Alice-Miranda, Clementine Rose, Kensy and Max, and Willa and Woof series, which have sold almost two million copies in Australia alone. In 2022, she released a picture book, That Cat, illustrated by one of her former students, Kate Isobel Scott. Jacqueline’s books have received numerous shortlistings and awards while her picture book, The Sound of the Sea, was a CBCA Honour Book.

  Jacqueline speaks to thousands of young people at schools and festivals around the world and says the characters in her books are often made up of the best bits of children she’s met over the years.

  Jacqueline lives between Sydney, Australia, and Queenstown, New Zealand, with her husband Ian and cat, Bally Puss, and is currently working on more Willa and Woof adventures, several picture book projects and an exciting new middle-grade story.

  jacquelineharvey.com.au

  Jacqueline Harvey is a passionate educator who enjoys sharing her love of reading and writing with children and adults alike. She is an ambassador for Dymock’s Children’s Charities and Room to Read, and is the current patron of Somerset Storyfest. Find out more at dcc.gofundraise.com.au and roomtoread.org.

  Books by Jacqueline Harvey

  Alice-Miranda series

  Alice-Miranda at School

  Alice-Miranda on Holiday

  Alice-Miranda Takes the Lead

  Alice-Miranda at Sea

  Alice-Miranda in New York

  Alice-Miranda Shows the Way

  Alice-Miranda in Paris

  Alice-Miranda Shines Bright

  Alice-Miranda in Japan

  Alice-Miranda at Camp

  Alice-Miranda at the Palace

  Alice-Miranda in the Alps

  Alice-Miranda to the Rescue

  Alice-Miranda in China

  Alice-Miranda Holds the Key

  Alice-Miranda in Hollywood

  Alice-Miranda in Scotland

  Alice-Miranda Keeps the Beat

  Alice-Miranda in the Outback

  Alice-Miranda in Egypt

  Kensy and Max series

  Clementine Rose series

  Willa and Woof series

  That Cat

  Alice-Miranda focused on the long, straight stretch of road. In the distance she could see something flying towards them. She wondered for a moment if it was a light aircraft before realising it was an eagle. Another giant bird swooped in from the left across their path, almost touching the bonnet of the four-wheel drive.

  ‘Wow!’ Millie exclaimed, having just seen the creatures from the back seat. ‘Was that a pterodactyl?’

  Alice-Miranda grinned. ‘I was thinking the same thing.’

  Hugh Kennington-Jones chuckled. ‘They say everything is bigger in the outback.’

  Millie grabbed her camera from the seat beside her. She was keen to enter the art and photography competition Miss Grimm had announced just before the holidays. There were great prizes as well as the opportunity to be exhibited at the opening of the new Fayle Art Space. Professor Winter bottom, the Fayle School Headmaster, had initiated the idea with Miss Grimm, amid a flurry of excitement and heightened activity in both schools’ art rooms. By the time Millie went to take the photograph, though, the birds were too far away.

  Behind them, Hugh could see the second Landcruiser in the distance.

  ‘How about we stop and have something to eat?’ Hugh asked the girls. ‘There should be a roadhouse coming up. Why don’t you let your uncle know that’s the plan?’

  Alice-Miranda picked up the handset from the cradle of the two-way radio and pressed the button on the side.

  There was a crackle of static.

  ‘This is KJ One calling Ridley One, do you copy? Over.’

  They’d decided on their call signs before setting off from Alice Springs that morning.

  ‘Loud and clear, KJ One,’ Lucas replied. ‘What can we do for you? Over.’

  ‘We’re taking a break at the Kulgera Roadhouse,’ Alice-Miranda said, having consulted the paper map she had spread out across her lap. ‘Over.’

  ‘Gotcha,’ Lucas replied. ‘I’m starving and Dad is too. Jacinta’s asleep. Can you hear her snoring? Over.’

  There was a pause and the sound of Lucas shuffling around in his seat before the girl’s breathy grunts came through the airwaves loud and clear.