The group waited in the large lobby as Cecelia and Pippa organised the keys and room allocations at reception. Alice-Miranda had meanwhile greeted all of the doormen and had now moved on to the staff at the concierge desk.

‘We could be here all day if she says hello to everyone who works here,’ Jacinta whispered to Millie. She glanced around at the huge number of staff that were coming and going.

Millie grinned. ‘Just try and stop her.’

A young woman with a neat blonde ponytail gathered the party around her. ‘Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Brigitte and I will escort you to your rooms in just a few minutes.’ She held out a tray of exquisitely wrapped chocolates. ‘Please take one.’

‘These look amazing,’ Millie said as she peeled off the gold wrapper and popped the treat into her mouth. The girl bit down on the confection and sighed dramatically. ‘That’s the best chocolate I’ve ever tasted.’

‘They are Fanger’s own,’ Brigitte said proudly.

Sloane’s eyes lit up. ‘Is there a chocolate factory in the hotel?’

Brigitte chuckled. ‘There is a shop downstairs,’ she replied, ‘but our chocolates are made in a beautiful old monastery in Disentis. The company just won a prestigious award.’

The others eagerly unwrapped their treats and were overcome with the same ecstatic expressions.

Dolly nodded with satisfaction. ‘I can well imagine Fanger’s being awarded for their chocolate.’

Brigitte shook her head. ‘You mistake me. This award was for their innovative climate-controlled reusable packaging,’ she said. ‘The chocolates can be sent anywhere in the world in any climate and will arrive in perfect condition.’

‘Fascinating,’ Dolly marvelled, making a mental note to look it up when she was next on the computer. She was always interested in new inventions, particularly when they were anything to do with food.

‘Look,’ Jacinta whispered to Millie.

A short, round man in a grey suit was walking towards them, his jacket buttons straining against his bulk. He was carrying a small white dog wearing diamond-encrusted hairclips that held back her very long fringe. However, his own hair was a wild affair, with a wave-like section at the front standing straight up in the air.

‘Hello, who do we have here?’ he asked, approaching the group.

Brigitte smiled at the man. ‘Herr Fanger, may I present Mr Kennington-Jones and his party,’ she said, before introducing everyone.

‘Are those real?’ Sloane blurted, ogling the dog’s hair accessories.

The man kissed the top of the pooch’s head. ‘Only diamonds for my little princess.’ He shook Hugh’s hand firmly. ‘Welcome, welcome, it is my great honour to have you here at Fanger’s Palace Hotel, the finest establishment in the world.’

Millie thought that was a very bold statement. It looked rather posh from the lobby but whether it was the best hotel in the whole wide world was yet to be seen.

‘It’s very good to meet you too, Herr Fanger. Who’s your friend?’ Hugh was about to give the little dog a pat when the creature growled and snapped at him.

‘Please forgive my Gertie. She’s daddy’s girl,’ Herr Fanger said, depositing the creature into the arms of a nearby bellboy.

The young lad eyed the terrier warily.

‘Take her for potty,’ Herr Fanger instructed, ‘and make sure that you … you know.’ The hotelier made a wiping motion with his hand.

The bellboy looked at him blankly. ‘Do I have to spell it out for you?’ Otto pulled a packet of baby wipes from inside his jacket. ‘Wipe her bottom.’

The children giggled. Hamish and Hugh couldn’t help but guffaw, though they quickly covered their mouths and pretended to cough.

‘My apologies,’ Otto Fanger said. He glanced at the empty tray Brigitte was holding. ‘I see you have sampled my chocolate.’

‘They were the best chocolates ever!’ Millie enthused.

‘Why, then you must have more,’ Otto said, waggling his head up and down.

Brigitte scurried away, returning a minute later with a large gold box. Otto removed the lid and Brigitte offered the chocolates to the group.

‘I can personally recommend all of them. I take quality control very seriously,’ Otto remarked with utmost sincerity.

Sloane nudged Jacinta and grinned. ‘Gee, you could never tell,’ she whispered.

The man took a toffee-covered sweet and popped it into his mouth.

‘I think we’re ready to go up now, darling,’ Cecelia called to her husband. ‘I’ve booked dinner for seven-thirty at a pizza place in the village. I thought the children might prefer that tonight.’

Otto Fanger swept towards the women, blocking their path. ‘No, no, no, no, no.’ He held up both hands, waving them about like windscreen wipers. ‘You must not proceed until I have the pleasure of making your acquaintances,’ Otto said theatrically.

‘Oh, I’m Cecelia Highton-Smith and this is Pippa McLoughlin-McTavish.’ The woman looked at the man quizzically, then at her husband, who shrugged. The fellow rather reminded her of Mr Plumpton, Alice-Miranda’s Science teacher, although he was quite a bit wider and a lot more confident.

‘I am Otto Fanger and it is my joy to have you here in my hotel.’ He smiled at the ladies, then turned back to Hugh and Hamish. ‘My dear gentlemen, you are both very lucky men. Your wives are beautiful!’ At that moment, Delphine Doerflinger walked into the foyer and shot her husband a dark look. ‘So, of course, is my own precious wife and here she is now. Come and meet the Highton-Smith-Kennington-Joneses and their friends, my petal.’

The corners of Delphine’s mouth twitched ever so slightly before turning upwards into a smile. She was dressed in a black skirt suit with a crisp white shirt. Her hair, pulled tautly into a French roll, made her angular features seem even more pinched.

‘Please allow me to introduce my wife, Delphine Doerflinger,’ Otto said as Delphine strode towards them.

‘I wonder if she can,’ Sep muttered.

Lucas frowned. ‘Can what?’

‘Fling doors,’ Sep said, sniggering.

‘Lame.’ Sloane shook her head slowly. ‘So lame.’

‘It is very good to meet you all,’ the woman said warmly. ‘I do hope you enjoy your stay with us.’

‘The children are looking forward to exploring the hotel,’ Cecelia said.

‘Of course they are,’ Delphine replied. ‘Now, if you would please excuse me, I have some urgent business to attend to.’

Just as Frau Doerflinger turned to leave, there was a kerfuffle at the entrance to the hotel. Everyone looked over to see the revolving door spinning wildly.

‘Come back!’ someone shouted.

There was a flash of white as Gertie skidded through several pairs of legs, racing towards the group.

‘Stop her!’ the young bellboy yelped, clutching a handful of soiled baby wipes.

‘Gertie, come to Papa,’ Otto called, his arms outstretched.

But the pampered pooch had no intention of coming to Papa. Instead, she barrelled straight into Cecelia’s legs. The woman squealed and threw her hands up in the air, knocking into Delphine and sending their key cards sliding all over the floor.

Delphine Doerflinger looked set to explode. ‘You naughty mutt,’ she hissed.

Otto snatched the dog into his arms. ‘Gertie, my precious. What has upset you so?’ He glared at the bellboy.

‘I d-d-don’t know,’ the fellow stammered. ‘She did not take kindly to my attentions.’

Otto turned to Cecelia. ‘My apologies, madame, please let me help you.’ He tried to bend down and pick up the cards but negotiating his stomach and the dog was proving too difficult.

Delphine rolled her eyes, then swooped down and gathered the keys herself. ‘Here, let me get them sorted for you.’

‘No, please don’t fuss,’ Cecelia insisted. ‘It won’t take a minute to work it out when we’re upstairs. You have somewhere to be.’

‘Yes, of course.’ Frau Doerflinger smiled tightly and handed over the key cards. ‘Otto, please see that our guests have everything they need,’ she said sternly before striding away.

‘I wouldn’t want to be Herr Fanger tonight,’ Millie whispered to Alice-Miranda and Sloane.

Sloane nodded. ‘She’s fierce.’

‘I am terribly sorry about that,’ Otto said. ‘Gertie is a little overly enthusiastic at times. Please, may I personally invite you all to a cocktail reception in the lounge at six o’clock tonight? Might I ask how long you will be staying with us?’

‘We’ll be here until the weekend,’ Hugh replied. ‘We usually ski in Zermatt but my wife’s company, Highton’s, are sponsoring one of the races on Sunday.’

‘Ah, Zermatt – another lovely resort,’ the man replied. ‘But, alas, it does not have the White Turf. It is the most glorious spectacle – all those beautiful people and beautiful horses on that beautiful frozen lake. There is so much beauty your eyes will ache.’

The children giggled.

‘Where, may I ask, do you stay when you are in Zermatt?’ Otto asked.

‘The Grand Hotel Von Zwicky,’ Hugh replied.

‘It’s owned by our dear friend the Baron,’ Cecelia added.

‘That is a lovely hotel,’ Otto agreed. ‘I would like to own it myself.’

‘Sadly, Herr Fanger, I don’t think it will be for sale anytime soon,’ Hugh replied. ‘The Baron and Baroness love their hotel as much as you love yours.’

Otto chuckled. ‘Yes, we will see.’

Hugh frowned, wondering exactly what the man meant by that.

Gertie barked loudly.

‘What is it, my princess?’ Otto leaned towards the mutt, whose tongue shot out and licked him on the side of his lip.

Sloane screwed up her nose. ‘Gross,’ she whispered.

‘I think my baby is wanting her supper,’ Otto said with a grin. ‘See you again soon,’ he trilled as Brigitte guided the family to the lift at the end of the corridor.

Delphine Doerflinger checked her watch as she rushed down the stairs. Her delivery would be arriving any minute and she still had to check the paperwork. She swiped her key card, then pushed the door open and hurried along to a small lift.

Delphine reached inside her skirt pocket, her fingers searching the folds of the fabric. Her stomach lurched and her heart began to hammer like a drum when she realised the key was gone. Had she left it upstairs? No, she remembered putting it in her pocket as she always did. Delphine breathed deeply.

‘Calm down and think,’ she muttered to herself. ‘Where could you have lost it?’

It must have fallen out when that confounding animal caused all the fuss, Delphine thought. There was no time to search for it now. She’d have to find it later, and thankfully there was the spare in her office safe. Even though she couldn’t imagine anyone would know what to do with it, the idea that a key to the Fanger’s vault was lost in the hotel was unsettling to say the least.