The Top Secret Diary of Davina Dupree Read online

  Near the end of lunch, Mrs Fairchild appeared, which I thought very odd because she never usually comes in to the lunch hall.

  She called for quiet, then looked over at Arabella and I and smiled.

  ‘Hello everyone,’ she said. ‘I have a special announcement to make, one that I usually reserve for the last assembly before half term, but as you may have heard, this has not been a typical week for many reasons.

  Last night, two very brave first years, Davina Dupree and Arabella Rothsbury, saved the National Gallery of Art and Design from being robbed by two terrible art thieves. Christopher Croaka and Jacinta Pike had wormed their way in to our school by kidnapping our two excellent art teachers Katie Cherry and Harriet Wise, forcing them to write handwritten resignation letters which then arrived on my desk. They’d then turned up the day I advertised for emergency art teachers, with Christopher Croaka disguised as a woman. I regret to say I was completely deceived by them. Feeling that we needed to employ two more teachers quickly, I’m sorry to say I hired them on the spot, something that I now wish I’d never done.’ She stopped for a minute, looking upset. But then her eyes twinkled again as she looked over at us.

  ‘Davina and Arabella realised there was something fishy about Miss Croaka and Miss Pike early on in the term,’ she went on. ‘And came to tell me but I thought their story was so fanciful I didn’t believe them. So they phoned the police and spoke to a policeman who didn’t take their story seriously, thinking it was so outlandish it must be a crank call.

  To cut a long story short, Davina and Arabella turned detectives themselves and found out that Katie Cherry and Harriet Wise had been kidnapped. They even found out where they were being held.’ There were a few gasps from around the room.

  ‘Miss Pike and Miss Croaka,’ Mrs Fairchild went on. ‘Or should I say Christopher and Jacinta, realised that Davina and Arabella knew about their plans when Davina bravely painted a rather good picture of an art robbery for the Annual Egmont Art Show, hoping that the shock of others knowing about their criminal plans would stop the thieves from carrying them out.

  But instead, the thieves brought the day of the Art Show forward and kidnapped Davina and Arabella. They were actually in the National Gallery of Art and Design, in the process of stealing their first painting, “Starry Night” by Vincent Van Gogh, when those two brave school girls escaped from the cupboard they’d been locked in and managed to phone Carrie Whepple, who immediately jumped in to action and got a detective friend of hers to call the police.

  By that stage I had also been doing a little detecting work of my own. I’d been rather puzzled by Miss Croaka and Miss Pike’s conversation as they loaded the art for the show in to their car. At first they didn’t realise I was listening and I heard them talk about “picking up the little worms” before “blast off”. So later that evening, after they’d driven off to put up the exhibition, I went along to their apartments and had a good snoop around. To my horror I found Katie Cherry’s purse, a map of the gallery with notes about which paintings they wanted to steal all over it and worst of all a copy of Davina and Arabella’s timetables.’ I looked at Arabella and she shook her head. Neither of us had known anything about that.

  ‘At that point, realising what a fool I’d been, I rushed over to the gallery myself and found my fears confirmed. When I arrived I saw a priceless Van Gogh painting half hanging off the wall with a bag of tools underneath it, but there was no sign of Christopher and Jacinta, or of Davina and Arabella. I immediately phoned the police, then luckily tracked the criminals down just as they’d cornered the girls. Davina and Arabella were magnificently brave as they helped me to capture and tie up the thieves. Suddenly two sets of police forces arrived, one called by Carrie’s detective friend and one called by me. They arrested the thieves straight away. Davina and Arabella helped me put up a rather good art show, one I’m sure you’d all be very proud of.

  The good news is that it seems the other first years agree with my opinion of Davina and Arabella because they’ve voted them in early as head of year prefects. They came to me this morning and told me and I’ve honestly never known a more deserving pair. Come to the front, you two, and collect your badges.’

  With burning cheeks but feeling rather proud, I made my way towards Mrs Fairchild with Arabella following close behind. As we walked, the lunch hall erupted with cheers and applause, and the canaries overhead joined in, tweeting away like mad, it was TOTALLY AND UTTERLY ASTONISHING.COM! Girls we didn’t even know from other years were leaning forward to pat our backs or shake our hands and Suzie Bagshaw and her friends gave us three cheers.

  To top everything off, two more people arrived. It was Katie and Harriet, I recognised them straight away from the school photos. They were both thin and pale, especially Harriet, but smiling away merrily. They were holding the prefect badges and as we went up to them they gave us ENORMOUS hugs. After all the fuss had died down, Katie told me that in a few weeks, when they’re feeling strong and well enough, they’re going to return to their old jobs and teach us all art. About time.com.

  No one’s seen Clarice or Cleo since lunch, although Melody says she thought she saw two girls with long, blonde hair heading towards a private jet on the runway. Oh well, it looks like they’re not good losers! I wonder if they’ve got permission to just fly off…

  So, Diary, I’m now lying on my bed, proudly wearing my prefect badge. Being an Egmont badge, it’s made from solid gold and the word ‘prefect’ is written in diamonds. How grand! It’s been one whirlwind of a half term but my goodness it was exciting. Mostly. Except for being kidnapped – that was just scary. So I can safely say that I DO like it here at boarding school after all.

  Anyway, Diary, I have to go now as Carrie will be arriving in a minute. Mrs Fairchild has invited her, us and Hugh and Marjorie Broderick to a slap up cream tea in her office and she says if we’re lucky she might even entertain us with some salsa dancing. Whatafunnylady.com!

  P.S. On the way to Mrs Fairchild’s office we noticed there was a crowd round the first year’s notice board, so of course we had to find out what was going on. There was a letter pinned in the centre of it from Mrs Fairchild and when I read it, my eyes nearly popped out of my head…

  To the dear girls in Sapphires, Emeralds and Rubies,

  Your drama teacher, Mrs De Nero and I have been discussing the theatrical production you’ll all take part in next term. We’ve hired the famous Hollywood director, Alfie Calpone, to work with you, as well as renowned singing and dancing coach, Stephania Sellwig, who you may recognise from television talent shows. Although these two have fought like cat and dog in public in the past, Stephania’s agent assures me they will now be polite to each other, especially in front of you girls.

  The show will run for three nights in the Great Hall and auditions will take place at the start of next term. If any parents would like to come and stay at the school after the holidays to help with costume making, please could they contact me.

  Always yours truly,

  Mrs Fairchild