by Steve Simons
The little girl nervously holds out her hand, grasping Henry's hand, she does a clumsy curtsy, almost collapsing in the effort and asks in a nervous voice, “That is a lot of greats isn't it gramps? How do you get them?”
Henry large beaming smile replies, “I don't know really, but with a princess like you around, I am going to have to work hard to earn them, am I not?”
Alison smiles as she replies, “I am sure for you Henry, that will not be hard, if you live up to what my mother told me.”
“I just hope she has not set me up for a fall.” Henry replies.
“Do you do a lot of falling then Gramps?” asks the little girl.
“With you around to look after me, Princess delightful, I am sure I can avoid falling too much.”
The little girl looks all worried as she says, “You know I am not werally a Princess, I just live in a ordin-warry house you know.”
“Most secret Princesses do. What is your normal name then sweetheart?” Henry asks?
“Alicia, Gramps.” The girl replies.
“Such a pretty name, but then it just had to be, didn't it Princess?”
David says, “The manager has asked me to invite you all to have dinner on the hotel, he has reserved a table for you all. Oh and a message for Andrew and Stewart, your mothers say you have to clean up before dinner.”
Stuart replies, “Awe you can just tell that we're back home, the bossing has started already.”
Andrew adds, “Yeah, but it is nice to be back with family isn't it?”
Henry says, “Absolutely right young Andrew, absolutely right. Get off with the pair of you and get cleaned up, see you in a moment.”
Epilogue
https://tortworth-court-hotel.four-pillars.co.uk
If you ever find yourself at the Tortworth Court Hotel and you find the tower that this story is set in, here is a piece of friendly advice issued by Henry, “If you find yourself in the tower of my ancestral home, sit and look at the spiral staircase and re-live my adventures in your mind, but please do not be tempted to climb the stairs, to see my device for yourself. If perchance you did manage to get it to work, you may not be so lucky as myself, Andrew, David and Stuart. It was by the fortitude of good luck, our combined knowledge, skill and sheer determination, that we escaped the world of the Saysestrian's. You may not be so lucky, you could even find yourself somewhere completely different and be unable to get back. I would hate for that occurrence to be on my conscience.”
If you enjoyed this story, have you checked out “The Gateway”
or one of the other books by Steve Simons.