No sooner had her grace been safely delivered to the Royal Suite than Mr Badger, deep in discussion with the florist, was notified that there was another call from reception.
‘Her grace has complained that the bed is too short,’ said Robert.
Mr Badger, never one to get flustered, made his way up, up, up to the top floor and tapped on the door.
‘Entrez,’ said a frosty voice. Fortunately Mr Badger knew a little French, and so he entered the room.
The Duchess was resting, her extralong legs hanging over and off the end of the bed.
‘Well, your grace, this just won’t do,’ said Mr Badger with considerable aplomb.
‘My thoughts exactly,’ responded the long figure grumpily, as she slurped on a milkshake.
Mr Badger picked up the telephone and made a quick call.
Within minutes, a cluster of Boubles Grand Hotel handymen were at the door of the Royal Suite, carrying a bed.
Once inside – and only then with the Duchess’s permission, of course – they lifted her amazingly straight legs and (under Mr Badger’s supervision) slid the extra bed in beneath her dainty feet.
‘Gently now, chaps,’ said Mr Badger.
The Duchess didn’t need to lift a finger.
‘Wonderful,’ said Mr Badger. ‘Thank you, gentlemen.’
There were no thanks from the Duchess de la Dodo, though. She was busy gulping down chocolates, having finished her milkshake.
