Every twenty seconds or so, Lulu would point out the window and say, “Ooh, look at that!” until no one even knew what she was pointing out at all. No one tried to figure it out, either, because they were busy trying to soak in the sights themselves. Even Mom and Dad oohed and aahed like kids. After a few minutes, Miss Julia stopped looking up every architectural feature on her phone and instead began snapping pictures again.
Mom asked the cabbie to pull up to the curb at Trafalgar Square so they could walk past the statues of lions and the fountain. “Can you circle the square a few times for us, and then pick us up?”
The cabbie agreed, and everyone climbed out of the car.
“It’s like traveling in a time machine,” Mia said, and then, “Wait, Lulu!”
But Lulu was already sprinting for the closest lion. She’d climbed halfway up by the time the rest of the group caught up with her. Lulu tucked Felicity under her arm and climbed the rest of the way.
“Look at me!” Lulu shouted, balancing herself on the lion’s huge bronze back.
“Lulu, you absolutely must stay with us,” Mom said. “No running off, no matter what, do you hear me?”
“But, Mommy! I’m riding a lion!”
Mom nudged Maddie and Mia toward the lion. “Might as well go up there and join her so Miss Julia can take some pictures.”
Mia helped Maddie up and they sat three in a row, with Felicity in front, all of the girls smiling for the camera. Across the stone square, water shot up into the air and splashed over the sides of the fountain. People crisscrossed from one street to another, some taking photos like the Glimmer family, and others clearly on their way to their offices or important meetings.
“Should we go settle into our hotel?” Mom asked. “The people who brought us in for the concert had a connection to the hotel, and arranged for us to have a very special room.”
“I hear there’s even a grand piano in our room!” Dad said.
“Does that mean we have to practice while we’re here?” Lulu asked, her face falling.
“It means you get to practice,” Dad said, helping her down off the lion.
“Maddie! A grand piano!” Mia said, eyes dancing. “Race you for first dibs!”
“No one is running off ahead of anyone else,” Dad reminded, catching Mia before she could take three steps. “Look, the cabbie is rounding the corner now. Let’s go catch him.”
“Race you once we’re there,” Mia whispered in Maddie’s ear.
“You’re on,” Maddie whispered back.
The doorman wore a top hat and a jacket with long tails. He greeted them with a bow and opened the doors. A bellboy loaded their suitcases onto a cart and led them to the front desk.
“Whoa,” Lulu said, looking around the lobby with its giant pillars and marble statues. “This is the most lovely hotel I have ever seen!”
Everyone turned to look at Lulu, whose loud, clear voice echoed through the lobby like a bell.
“Why, thank you, miss,” the bellboy said, just as loudly, giving Maddie a swift wink.
After Mom and Dad had gathered keys, they piled into the elevator and went up to their rooms. When the bellboy opened the door, Maddie could hardly believe her eyes. With all of the traveling they had done she had been in a lot of hotels in her life, but these rooms were the most amazing she had ever seen.
“Welcome to the Musician’s Penthouse,” the bellboy said, presenting the room with a flourish.
“Whoa!” Lulu said.
The room had two levels, plenty of bedrooms for everyone—even Miss Julia—and a spiral staircase right in the middle of the first floor. And sure enough, a grand piano sat in the middle of the living room.
Mia flew over to it—the way Maddie knew she would—and lined up her fingers to play. Soon, Pachelbel’s Canon filled the room. Maddie crossed to look out the huge windows. She could see Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, and even the river crisscrossed by a few bridges.
“Chocolate!” cried Lulu, causing Mia to stop playing and Maddie to come running.
Sure enough, on the coffee table was a bowl of chocolate truffles. The girls each grabbed one chocolate and then another, knowing that any minute one of the adults would give them a chocolate limit.
It was Miss Julia who laughed and then said, “Okay, okay. Three is enough for now. Let’s explore a little more.”
Maddie, Mia, and Lulu bounded around the entire penthouse, checking out the bathtub that was big enough to be a hot tub, trying out the little violet and vanilla scented lotions, just-right-sized robes and slippers, and bouncing on every single fluffy bed. Everywhere they looked, huge windows showed off views of London. Lulu decided the overstuffed chair in the girls’ room was the perfect resting place for Felicity.
“This is the loveliest hotel room I’ve ever, ever seen,” Lulu said.
“I’m blown away,” Mom said. “It’s the kind of room royalty would stay in, fit for my three princesses. Girls, we’ll have to thank our hosts for giving us such an amazing experience. And we should whisper a special thank you to God in our hearts for blessing us so extravagantly. I have a feeling this is going to be a special trip.”
Dad began to play a medley of songs on the piano. Mom curled up on a couch with a magazine, and the girls piled up next to her, one after the other, cuddling close to listen.
After a few songs, Mom said, “We should probably find something to eat.”
“I know!” Mia announced. “We’re in London, so we should have afternoon tea!”
“That, Mia, is a fabulous idea,” Mom said, heading for the girls’ room. “And I know just where we can go. Let’s see what dresses we can find in those suitcases of yours to wear to tea at the Savoy.”
Maddie felt like she’d stepped into a fairy world where she and her sisters had become princesses. So far, this was the very best place Mom had ever taken them on tour.
FOUR
No one wanted to get right back into a cab, so they started walking across Trafalgar Square on foot. Dad gave Lulu a piggyback ride because her shoes were a little too tight.
“Mom, I think you should let us sing in your concert,” Mia said.
“Oh you do, do you?” Mom asked, her eyes dancing.
“We could have a special song, like the one you wrote for us. I’ll bet the audience would love it.”
“Love it, love it, love it!” agreed Lulu.
“And what would your song be about?” Mom asked.
Maddie shuddered. Her palms felt immediately sweaty. Mia often had wild suggestions like this, but Mom usually said no right away. This time, Mom seemed to be considering the idea. Lately, Mia had been having a lot of ideas about performing. Mom had even signed them up for a theater camp. Maddie didn’t mind watching Mom on stage, but being up there herself—in front of everyone—would be a completely different situation.
“Maybe we could sing about dreaming big, or something like that. What do you think, Maddie?” Mia asked.
They had just passed through the Trafalgar Square gate. Maddie latched on to the first distraction she saw, a red booth on the corner.
“What’s that, Mom?” she asked.
“You mean the telephone booth?” she asked.
“The what?” Mia asked, while Maddie went to take a closer look.
Tossing Mom a grin, Dad set Lulu down. “Here, I’ll demonstrate.”
He opened the glass-paned door and went inside, picking up the telephone receiver and holding it up to his ear. “Just need a coin, here,” he said, rummaging in his pocket. “How many coins does a telephone booth in London take, anyway?
Of course, Miss Julia pulled out her phone. “Google to the rescue!” She scrolled for a moment, frowned, and then scrolled again.
“What does it say?” Lulu asked.
“It’s not as simple as you’d think,” Miss Julia said. “First of all, the British pound has only followed a decimal system since 1971. So, now, a pound equals 100 pence, but before 1971 a pound equaled 20 shillings, and
a shilling equaled 12 pence.”
Maddie wrinkled her nose, doing the math in her mind. “So a pound used to be worth 240 pence?”
“That’s confusing,” Mia said. “No wonder they changed to decimals.”
“It’s fascinating,” Miss Julia said, still scrolling. “They argued over the concept for centuries, and finally decided they had to change in order to be more consistent with the rest of the world. One day—Decimal Day—they switched, and their entire coin system changed.”
“So how much does this telephone booth cost, then?” Dad asked.
“Looks like 60 pence,” Miss Julia said. “And that gives you up to 30 minutes for a local or national call.”
Dad sorted his coins and then dropped a few into the slot. “Now who should I dial?”
“Wait, so people pay money to make calls in London? Don’t they have real phones?” Mia asked.
“Even we have our emergency phones to call Mom or Miss Julia,” Maddie said, pulling hers out.
“Before cell phones, public phone booths were the only way to make calls when you were out and about,” Mom said.
“Like pay phones back home,” Mia said. “I’ve seen them in movies, I guess, but I can’t think of one I’ve seen in real life. Well, maybe the call boxes on the freeway. I’ve seen some of those.”
“But why is the phone in a booth? And why is the booth so . . . red?” Lulu asked, looking the booth up and down, as though she’d figure it out if she saw it from a different angle.
“Looks like telephone boxes were created by the post office in England.” Miss Julia scrolled down her phone screen. “The post office managed mail and telephone, all communication, and they wanted the phone and post boxes to be architecturally pleasing. So they had a competition, and this is what they ended up with. Red, so the booths were easy to spot.”
“Will they keep them always?” Mia asked. “I mean, now that everyone has a phone in their pocket?”
“I hope so,” Maddie said, taking a turn inside the booth. “It’s like a tiny room you’d go inside and then come out in a new place, like Wonderland.”
“Where would you want to find yourself, Mads?” Dad asked.
“Right exactly here,” she said, without a moment of hesitation. “On my way to tea with everyone.”
“Not me!” Mia said. “I mean, I like London and all, but if I could go anywhere, I’d want to go to a magical world with, I don’t know . . . maybe unicorns. Or leprechauns!”
“Or Candy World!” Lulu pumped her fist in the air.
“And what would you eat first?” Dad asked.
Lulu ran through her list of candy for Dad. Mia explained her magical world, holding Mom and Miss Julia captive. Sometimes it felt like their ideas and enthusiasm soaked up everyone’s attention, leaving Maddie just a little off-center. Up against a magical world, wanting to be here in London with her family didn’t seem all that interesting. Maybe she should have said something about princes who turned into frogs or a genie in a bottle.
And there it was again, the question that popped into her mind every once in a while, the one she usually pushed straight back out, but that she couldn’t avoid either. What about me? If she and Mia were like chords and melody, Mia was for-sure the melody. Which left Maddie to be the chords, the not-so-glimmery, keep-everything-together part of the music. She knew she had her own glimmer, too, but she hadn’t quite figured out what it was.
“You okay?” Miss Julia asked, noticing Maddie trailing behind. “Your shoes aren’t bothering you, are they?”
“I’m fine.” Maddie forced a smile.
No one had done anything wrong, not really, and she hated causing trouble. Plus, if she wanted to be right here, right now, with her family, she should do her best to enjoy herself . . . even if things didn’t go exactly her way.
Dad raised his hand to finally hail a cab, and they all climbed in. Off to the Savoy to have tea, and hopefully to start feeling better.
“So . . . what else besides unicorns?” Maddie asked Mia.
Mia launched in, pulling Maddie and Lulu into the brainstorm, and by the time they pulled up to the curb outside the Savoy they’d created a full-blown magical world complete with cotton candy clouds, glitter fairies, and fences made of daisies.
FIVE
The tables were topped with crisp white cloths, daisies in crystal vases, and more silverware and plates than Maddie had ever seen set out together at the same time. What were all of those forks for? Instead of formal chairs, each table was surrounded by comfy chairs and couches.
Maddie scooted across the couch to make room for Mia and Lulu, careful not to knock into anything. Between her dress and the tablecloth and the couch, she was worried something would pull or snag or trip her up, but in the end, everyone settled in without disaster—even Lulu.
“Dad, you’re definitely the only boy in here,” Mia said, giggling.
Lulu bounced up and down on the cushion, trying to get a better look around the room. “No other boys at all?”
Dad glanced around the dining room. Then he snapped his napkin like a flag before tucking it into his collar. “If I’m turning in my man card for this little outing, I might as well do it right.”
The waitress half-smiled as she passed out the menus, but Maddie could tell she’d have laughed at Dad’s napkin if she was allowed. This was something Maddie had noticed about London so far. People seemed to live by a code of rules, one that Maddie didn’t see very often back home. For instance, the front desk staff and bellboy at the hotel all spoke very properly, had perfect posture, and mostly wore serious expressions along with their official uniforms. When they smiled, their smiles seemed like mischief, as though they might be breaking some unspoken rule. In Maddie’s opinion, the mischief made every smile all the more fun.
“All of our afternoon teas are served with pots of tea, sandwiches, cookies, and scones, but we have a few different options,” the waitress said. “You can share pots of tea, or each have your own. I’ll give you a moment to look over the menu.”
Maddie had no idea which kind of tea she would like. Jasmine? English Rose?
“We should do the classic high tea,” Mom said. “With tea sandwiches and sweets too. We can share a few pots of tea so you girls can try a few varieties.”
“What kind of sandwiches?” Lulu asked. “Bologna?”
“Well, there’s ham and cheese,” Mom said. “And egg salad, and of course cucumber and cream cheese. And clotted cream with scones.”
“My favorite!” said Miss Julia.
“Clotted cream?” Mia asked. “Like rotten cream, you mean?”
Mom smiled. “Clotted cream is delicious. You’ll love it, Mia, I promise.”
When the waitress came back, Mom chose a few different kinds of tea. Soon, they had fancy teapots steeping tea on the table, next to tiered silver trays topped with sandwiches and treats.
“I’m going to have a mini cupcake first,” Lulu said.
“All right, but a sandwich afterward, okay?” Mom said.
Mia grimaced as she took her first bite of sandwich. “What is this?”
“You don’t like the cream cheese and cucumber?” Mom asked.
Maddie had just taken a bite of the same thing. She choked it down and then made a face that almost mirrored Mia’s. “No, no, no!”
Miss Julia poured Maddie and Mia each a cup of steaming tea, using the strainer to catch the tea leaves so they wouldn’t end up in the cups. “Why don’t you wash that one down with this?”
“I bet you’ll like the brie and pear, though.” Mom pointed out another sandwich.
“You have to eat them with your pinkie up, like this,” Dad said, holding his pinkie high.
Maddie took a bite, more carefully this time, relaxing as the sweet and creamy tastes filled her mouth. “Much better.”
Mia added a lump of sugar, and then another, to her cup of tea.
“Try it, why don’t you, before you keep adding sugar,” Dad said.
“I think tea is di-vine,” Lulu said, reaching for a cookie.
“Not lov-e-ly?” Mia teased.
Lulu shot Mia a look and Maddie could see an argument about to start. She tried to think of something distracting to say, but all she could think of was telephone booths and frogs turning into princes.
“Lulu, try a sandwich,” Mom said, handing one over. “Ham and cheese. You’ll like it.”
Lulu ate it in three bites. “Okay, fine, that was good. But not as good as chocolate!”
“What are these?” Mia asked, reaching for a square chocolate with a flower design on top.
“Those are petit fours,” Miss Julia said, “which is a French name. In the 18th century the French made these teeny sweets in ovens.”
“Don’t say French too loud around here,” Dad warned.
“Why not?” Mia asked, eyes wide.
“There’s a very long rivalry between the two countries,” Miss Julia said. “You’ll hear about it on the Tower of London tour.”
“What’s a rivalry?” Lulu asked.
Maddie loved that Lulu always asked any question that popped into her mind. Either Maddie knew the answer, and then she felt smart because she could answer, or she didn’t, and she was relieved not to have to be the one to ask.
“A rivalry is a sort of competition that has been going on for a very long time—one that might flare up at any moment,” Mom said.
“Like how Mia and I sometimes fight about whose plan is the best one?” Lulu asked.
“You know, there is a thing called sibling rivalry,” Dad said, “But most of the time, I think you girls avoid it. Not too much competition in this family. You’ve all carved out your own unique space for yourselves, I’d say.”
Mia grinned and Lulu bounced on her seat, both delighting in the compliment, but Maddie twisted the corner of her napkin. She’d expected London to be all fun all the time, but somehow, things felt off-balance here too. Jangly. That was how she felt . . . or what was that word she’d learned recently? Cacophony. Maybe that was the word. Her insides felt noisy and chaotic, and it was hard to remember that no one else could hear.
London Art Chase Page 2
