The Case of the Stolen Crown

by Paula Harrison

  After getting rid of the name cards, Millie rushed down the passageway to the kitchen. She hoped to find the Lord Chamberlain but instead she ran into Jess carrying a tray of melon slices.

  “Oops!” Jess steadied the tray. “Millie! I thought you’d be changed by now. The party starts in less than an hour!”

  The cuckoo clock in the entrance hall chimed one o’clock, as if to prove Jess’s point.

  “Miss Parnell made me practise dancing all this time!” gasped Millie. “I’m exhausted! And I couldn’t follow the Lord Chamberlain and I know he came this way.”

  “I lost track of Mr Larum too,” admitted Jess. “I followed him halfway round the croquet lawn, into the stables and past the fountains. He’s been wandering around a lot but he might just be looking for his missing shoe.”

  “I can’t keep an eye on both of them at the party AND waltz perfectly at the same time,” said Millie. “My feet ache already!”

  “If Cook had let me serve at the banquet table, I’d be there to help you,” said Jess. “But she’s told Connie to do the serving. She says I should take a rest because of all the clearing up we did last night.”

  “Then you’re free to do whatever you want!” Millie’s eyes gleamed. “I’ve just had the most amazing idea!”

  “What’s that?” Jess stared. “It’s not something daft, is it?”

  Millie smiled mysteriously. “I’ll show you! Can you come right now?”

  “I suppose.” Jess left the tray of melon in the kitchen where Cook was adding the final decorations to Edward’s enormous birthday cake.

  The cake was covered with glittering pale-blue icing. On the top there were little animals – a horse, a lion, a duck and many more – all made from icing too.

  Millie felt a swoop of excitement when she saw how lovely it was. “That looks beautiful!” She hugged Cook Walsh. “Do you need any help?”

  “No, I’ve nearly finished. Then it’ll be ready to go behind the curtain in the banquet hall. It’ll make a nice surprise for the king and queen, and little Prince Edward!” Cook smiled. “Go on now; you’ve got a party to get dressed for!”

  Millie and Jess dashed up the back stairs.

  “What’s your idea?” said Jess as they reached the top.

  Millie shook her head, glancing at Mr Steen who had just emerged from the linen cupboard with a pile of napkins. They hurried into Millie’s chamber and closed the door. Jax, who was sleeping on the bed, woke up and gave a soft bark.

  “Tell me quick!” Jess fixed her gaze on Millie.

  “Well … as soon as the banquet finishes, there’ll be dancing in the hall,” said Millie. “My mother will take Edward into the parlour to open his birthday presents. There’ll be a chocolate fountain in there too.”

  “So?” Jess prodded.

  “There’ll be guests everywhere and whoever’s stolen the crown could try to sneak it out of the palace while things are busy. So … it would be easier if there were two of me!”

  “You think I should dress up like you?” Jess’s eyes widened. “But people will notice that there are two princesses!”

  “Not if we stay in different places! You stay in the banquet hall – you’re better at dancing anyway – and I’ll keep watch in the parlour and the drawing room.” Millie went to her wardrobe and pulled out two long purple dresses. One was her party dress, all decorated with lace and beads. The other was quite plain. “The only thing is, we have to make this dress look the same as the party one and we have less than an hour to do it.”

  “We can do it!” cried Jess. “Where’s that spare lace and the beads”

  The girls got a needle each. Jess quickly sewed some lace on to the plain dress, while Millie fixed on the beads. When Millie had sewn the last bead, they held the two dresses next to each other.

  “That’s pretty good!” Jess pointed at the newly decorated dress. “Although this one is a darker mauve and the lace isn’t fixed so neatly.”

  “I bet no one but your mother would notice the difference.” Millie changed dresses and fastened her hair into a high knot, while letting some ringlets hang loose. “Let’s wear gold necklaces too.”

  Jess pulled on the other party dress and fastened her hair to look the same. Then she stood still while Millie fixed the gold chain around her neck. They put on gold tiaras sprinkled with little purple amethyst jewels. Finally, Millie picked out two beautiful bracelets with matching charms. She fixed the crown charm on her own wrist and the dress charm round Millie’s.

  “How does that look?” Millie stood by Jess’s side. They were nearly identical except for Jess’s eyes, which were a deeper hazel, and her dress which was a little darker.

  “This dress is so beautiful!” Jess pulled the long sleeves over her hands. “I just hope no one notices my orange fingers. I’ve washed my hands over and over but the saffron colour won’t come off!”

  “I’m sure no one will see it.” Millie put on some purple satin dancing shoes and gave a second pair to Jess. “I should go downstairs. The guests will arrive soon.”

  “Wait! We need a signal,” said Jess. “In case one of us sees someone sneaking away with the crown.”

  “We can set off the cuckoo clock in the entrance hall,” said Millie. “It’s so loud we’ll definitely hear it over the sound of the orchestra.”

  “Good idea!” Jess grinned. They’d played a game where they set off the cuckoo clock when they were younger. All you had to do was move the big hand till it pointed at twelve and the clock would chime. The little bird would come out of its door and cuckoo several times. Millie and Jess had loved it, but the queen had got a little tired of the game and told them not to do it any more.

  Hearing the clatter of hooves and carriage wheels, Millie glanced out of the window. There was already a procession of carriages rolling down the palace drive. Jax pricked up his ears. Then his tail drooped and he leapt off the quilt and dived under the bed.

  “Poor Jax!” Jess knelt down. Reaching under the bed, she stroked him. “You’ve never liked noise and visitors, have you?”

  “I’d better go!” Millie straightened her tiara and headed for the door. “You could stay in the gallery till the banquet is over. As soon as the dancing starts, I’ll give you a thumbs up.”

  “I’ll be ready. But, Millie?” Jess’s face was serious. “Don’t try to stop the thief on your own. They could be dangerous.”

  Millie held out her pinkie and Jess linked it with her own. “Don’t worry. I’ll find you and we’ll stop the thief together. We’re Double Trouble!”

  Chapter Nine

  Jess’s Ballroom

  Dance

  Jess hung back in a dark corner of the gallery and watched the guests arrive. The lords wore velvet cloaks and hats, while the ladies had pearl necklaces and sparkling rings. King James stood at the door to greet each guest. Jess couldn’t see Millie, Queen Belinda or little Edward. She guessed they must have already sat down at the banquet table.

  Edging closer to the balustrade, she saw the Lord Chamberlain walk across the entrance hall, leaning on his stick. Mr Larum and Miss Parnell followed, both dressed in their best clothes. Jess’s heart beat faster. The Lord Chamberlain’s stick looked just the right size to make those marks they’d seen in the flour last night. But why would he mess the kitchen up like that? It didn’t make any sense!

  The guests made their way into the banquet hall for dinner and the orchestra began playing soft music. There was the sound of knives and forks on plates and glasses clinking. With no one to spy on, Jess decided to practise the steps Miss Parnell had taught her when she’d taken Millie’s dancing lessons.

  At last the sounds of the banquet grew quieter. A few people wandered through the main entrance and the orchestra struck up a lively tune. Mr Larum came out of the banquet hall and headed towards the outer door. Jess stiffened. Was he leaving the palace? She sighed in relief as he swung round and went back into the hall again.

  A moment later, Millie skipped
past. Glancing up at the gallery, she gave a secret little thumbs up. Jess’s stomach tumbled over. It was time for her to play her part! As soon as Millie disappeared into the parlour, she hurried down the stairs and into the banquet hall.

  The room was a whirl of music and colour. Ladies waltzed across the dance floor, their skirts flying out as they spun. People gathered at the tables, talking and sipping glasses of wine. Jess’s breath stuck in her throat. She’d never been in a room with so many lords and ladies before.

  A lady dressed in bright yellow held out her hand. “How lovely to see you, Princess Amelia!”

  Jess gulped. “Er, lovely to see you too!” She shook the woman’s hand before hurrying towards the dance floor. At least if she was dancing, no one could insist on talking to her!

  As she skirted past a table, she overheard Mr Larum. He was talking to a bald-headed gentlemen. “So I found my lost shoe in the centre of the maze. I’ve no idea how it got there. Of course, some people like practical jokes but I do hope they won’t use my footwear for their amusement next time.”

  Jess thought his face looked completely truthful. A sudden thought dropped into her head that maybe someone else had taken Mr Larum’s shoe. They’d used it to make the muddy footprints in the gallery and then hidden it afterwards. Maybe they had wanted to make the footprints look like a clue when it wasn’t at all.

  Jess was wondering who would be horrible enough to do that when she noticed a movement in the corner of the hall. There was an alcove near the orchestra that was completely hidden by a long red curtain. The red drapes bulged and Cook’s elbow and skirt poked out at the side.

  Jess smiled. She knew what Cook was up to! This was where Prince Edward’s first birthday cake was being hidden. Just before they sang “Happy Birthday” to the prince, the curtain would be pulled back to reveal the surprise.

  “Princess Amelia!” said Miss Parnell sharply. “I thought I’d see you dancing not shuffling round the hall like this.”

  Jess was so busy staring at the quivering red curtain, that she forgot for a moment that she was supposed to be Millie.

  “Princess!” snapped Miss Parnell. “Are you listening? I’d like to introduce you to Lord Deller as a suitable dance partner.” She beckoned to a young boy in a shiny green tunic.

  “Oh, thank you!” When Jess saw that the boy was half her size, she had to stop herself giggling. “Er, nice to meet you, Lord Deller.”

  “Call me Tom! Would you give me the honour of a dance?” squeaked the boy, holding out his hand.

  Jess snorted with laughter but managed to turn it into a cough. She took Tom’s hand. As he whirled her on to the dance floor she reminded herself that she was here to keep an eye on anyone who might have stolen the crown. Over there she could see Mr Larum and Miss Parnell. The Lord Chamberlain was sitting at the back of the hall. She couldn’t see Mr Steen, but she hoped he was in the parlour where Millie was watching out for anything suspicious.

  Getting her dance steps right and keeping an eye on the suspects took up all of Jess’s attention. She curtsied to Tom at the end of the dance, saying, “I’m a little thirsty now so I’m going to get a drink.”

  There was a table at the side where Connie was serving fruit juice. Forgetting how long her skirt was, Jess tripped over the hem just as she reached the table. She stumbled and bumped into Miss Parnell, who had just collected a glass of elderflower juice. The juice splashed out of the glass all over the tablecloth and Miss Parnell’s white satin gloves.

  “Drat it! Silly child!” hissed Miss Parnell, before seeming to remember that she was speaking to a princess. She gave a fake smile. “Well, accidents will happen, I suppose.”

  “I’m really sorry.” Jess bit her lip. Miss Parnell’s satin gloves looked very damp. “Would you like me to fetch a napkin?”

  “No, no! Just leave it,” Miss Parnell sighed, pulling off her left glove and giving it a shake.

  Jess was about to offer to fetch the dancing teacher a fresh pair of gloves, but her words dried up in her throat. She stared at Miss Parnell’s hand. The tips of her fingers were orange. The bright colour was unmistakable. It was the colour of saffron.

  Jess looked from her own stained fingers to Miss Parnell’s. She knew the dancing teacher must have made all the mess in the kitchen the night before.

  Her gaze travelled down to Miss Parnell’s feet. Of course – the high heels! They would make little round marks in the spilt flour just as well as the Lord Chamberlain’s stick.

  Did this mean Miss Parnell had taken the Baby Diamond Crown?

  The teacher noticed her sudden silence and glanced at her suspiciously. Then, pulling her glove back on, she walked away with what was left of her glass of fruit juice.

  Jess stared after her. She was sure that the mess in the kitchen and the missing crown were connected. She had to tell Millie about this! She dashed out of the banquet hall into the main entrance, nearly colliding with a bearded man who was examining his reflection in the hall mirror.

  Her fingers trembled as she turned the big hand on the cuckoo clock to the next hour – four o’clock. The clock chimed at once. Jess dashed up the stairs with the cuckoo’s call ringing out behind her.

  Chapter Ten

  The Surprise

  Behind the Curtain

  Millie jumped when she heard the cuckoo clock ring out. The king and queen were chatting to a lady with a rose in her hair. Edward was sitting on the floor playing with his favourite new present – a brightly painted spinning top. Mr Steen was standing beside the refreshments table as if he was guarding the chocolate fountain.

  Millie had heard the guests mutter as soon as they saw Edward without the Baby Diamond Crown. Her mother was trying to smile, but Millie could tell from her pale cheeks that she still felt sad.

  Hearing the clock chime, she ran out into the entrance hall. Where was Jess?

  “Goodness gracious! There she is again!” mumbled a bearded man by the mirror. “I thought she went up the stairs.”

  Millie knew he must be talking about Jess. Hurrying upstairs, she found her friend in the corner of the gallery. “What did you see?” she asked, breathlessly.

  Jess told her about the orange stain on Miss Parnell’s fingers.

  Millie’s heart sank. “What if she hid Edward’s crown in the kitchen last night?”

  Jess frowned. “But why leave such a mess? It only gives it all away. There must be something else going on.”

  “I’ll go and watch her,” said Millie. “We can’t both go in there dressed like this.”

  “I’ll put my maid things on.” Jess ran along the gallery to the back stairs. “I’ll be as quick as I can!”

  Millie knew something was happening as she entered the banquet hall. People were murmuring in excitement and Mr Steen was calling for quiet. The king and queen were at the front with the butler. Edward was in Queen Belinda’s arms. Millie scanned the room for Miss Parnell.

  “Quiet please, everyone,” Mr Steen repeated, placing his hand on the long red curtain.

  Millie smiled. They were about to reveal the cake and sing “Happy Birthday” to Edward! She was sure her little brother would love his gorgeous cake.

  But where was Miss Parnell?

  “Amelia!” King James spotted his daughter. “Come and join us, my dear.”

  Millie made her way to the front. She still couldn’t see Miss Parnell. Had the dancing teacher disappeared on purpose?

  Her mother leaned forward to kiss Edward’s golden curls. “Wait till you see this, my darling.”

  “Now we’re ready,” boomed the king. “Pull back the curtain, Steen.”

  With a ceremonial air, the royal butler grasped the red curtain with both hands and drew it back.

  There was a gasp, followed by silence.

  The birthday cake was gone.

  Everyone started talking at once. Mr Steen searched behind the curtain. Queen Belinda covered her mouth with her hand.

  “Where’s Cook?” bellowed
King James. “Someone fetch Cook Walsh!”

  “I don’t believe it!” cried the queen. “First Edward’s crown and now this!”

  Millie dashed for the door. She had to find Cook. She nearly ran straight into Jess, whose maid dress was wonky and whose hair was falling out of her mob cap.

  “I saw what happened!” gasped Jess. “But Cook left the cake right there. I saw her do it!”

  “Someone’s taken it then.” Millie blinked back tears. “How could they?”

  “Because they’re a mean, nasty little person. That’s why!” growled Jess. “But they can’t have run away very fast with a huge cake like that!” She raced towards the kitchen corridor.

  “Wait, Jess!” cried Millie. “We don’t know which way they went.”

  “That’s true! I’ll check the kitchen and the back stairs. You go the other way!” Jess dashed off again.

  Millie stopped and tried to think. Voices were growing louder in the banquet hall. The entrance could be crowded with guests at any moment. Where had the thief gone with the cake, and why?

  Maybe they wanted to eat it all themselves. That seemed strange as it was such an enormous cake, but maybe they were very hungry. Anyway, they’d definitely want to go somewhere quiet.

  “Did anyone come past with a cake?” she asked the guard on the front door.

  “No, Your Highness,” said the guard.

  Millie twisted her necklace. Where would the thief go? Quickly she made up her mind. Crossing the hallway, she opened the door labelled State Room and slipped through.

  In the centre of the room was a large oval table stacked with paper. Her father’s cloak was slung over one of the chairs. This was the room where her parents talked to the Lord Chamberlain and other advisers about everything that was going on in the kingdom of Lavania. Millie wasn’t usually allowed to come in, but there was no one here to complain.