Read Online Alice-Miranda in Japan 9 by Jacqueline Harvey - Free Book Online

the windows, and looked at the vast city below. Somewhere, Alice-Miranda and her friends would be out exploring, she thought to herself with a smile. Dolly was looking forward to joining them once the conference was finished later in the week.
    She opened her folder and read through her speech again, marking changes as she went.
    Although Dolly’s formal training had been limited, after some experimentation she discovered that she had something of a gift for science. It was fortunate that her first employers, Cecelia’s parents, had recognised Dolly’s potential early on and were pleased to support her scientific endeavours. Plus, they had thought Dolly to be the best cook in the world, so if letting her potter with her inventions meant that she would remain in their employ forever, the Highton-Smiths had been more than happy for her to do so.
    Dolly now had a splendid laboratory in the cellars at Highton Hall.
    The creation of Just Add Water, or JAW as it was more commonly known, had been a labour of love over many years after the tragic death of her husband. An explorer of great renown, Dougal Oliver had perished during a blizzard when he had run out of food. Dolly had thought that a lightweight, compact product that transformed into nutritious food would not only benefit those undertaking outdoor pursuits but could also help reduce world hunger. And she had been right.
    Hugh Kennington-Jones was so impressed with the product’s potential that he had immediately had a manufacturing plant built adjacent to the Kennington’s supermarket headquarters.
    And now with JAW contracts signed in more than twenty-eight countries, the invention was being rolled out around the globe.
    Dolly smiled to herself. She couldn’t believe that her years of dabbling had brought her all the way to Japan to speak in front of eminent scientists from all over the world. She finished reading through her notes and turned her attention to the small pill case at the side of the desk. She opened it to reveal three compartments of white pills. Each group bore its own stamp: a rising sun, the Eiffel Tower and a bull. She’d been pleased with her whimsical thinking, and it would be impossible to get them mixed up.
    Dolly decided that she should take one before she made her way down to breakfast. At home she’d run several trials, but only when she was alone in the laboratory practising her language skills. The pills had worked almost perfectly but there was still room for improvement. Even she found it hard to explain the science behind her new invention, but it had the potential to change lives if she could get it right.
    She stood up and took a small bottle of water from the bar fridge beside the desk. ‘Let’s see how this goes,’ she said and swallowed one of the pills marked with a rising sun.
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    An hour later, the young girl at the entrance to the hotel restaurant smiled and bowed at the old woman with the perfectly coiffed curls.
    â€˜Good morning, Mrs Oliver,’ she said with a nod.
    Dolly read the girl’s name tag and said, in Japanese, ‘Good morning, Umi-san. What a pleasant morning it is.’
    The girl looked a little startled, and then smiled and replied in Japanese, ‘Yes, it is. May I compliment your command of Japanese. It is perfect, ma’am, unlike my attempts at English.’
    â€˜I’m sure we’ll all find it much easier to speak one another’s native tongues one of these days,’ Dolly replied. She smiled and bowed. Oh, how pleased she was with the first test!
    â€˜This way.’ The girl held out her arm and asked Mrs Oliver to follow her.

 
    Alice-Miranda reached out to hold Jacinta’s hand. ‘Are you all right?’
    â€˜Yes, it was just a bit of a shock. I mean, seriously, I could have given that little tub of lard a run for his money if I’d wanted to. But I had no idea what he and his father were saying to one another or if