‘Sloane! Jacinta!’ Alice-Miranda shouted as the children ran up the stairs. They were puffing and blowing as they reached the fireplace.

‘Where is everyone?’ Edgar said, surprised to find the room empty. He ran out into the hallway, calling out to the other kids.

‘We’re down here,’ Lucas yelled back. ‘Mr Balfour’s outside and he’s going to try to open the window.’

Alice-Miranda led Millie, Caprice and Louis out into the hallway and followed Edgar down the stairs. ‘We’ve got to get back to the palace,’ she said.

‘Where did those other stairs go?’ Jacinta asked.

‘There’s a secret room with this big old computer and it’s called Fiona,’ Millie blurted.

‘Why do we have to get back to the palace in such a hurry?’ Sloane asked, bewildered.

‘Because we think Mr Thripp is going to make Aunty Gee abdicate,’ Alice-Miranda explained.

‘How do you know that?’ Sloane asked.

‘It’s complicated,’ Millie said and started to explain.

The children could see Braxton’s face at the window.

‘Hello Mr Balfour,’ Alice-Miranda called out. ‘Thank you for coming. Did something happen to Mr Bunyan? We thought he’d be here ages ago. Anyway, there’s no time to lose. We need to get back. Aunty Gee is in danger of losing her crown.’

Braxton frowned and wondered what the girl was talking about. ‘Quickly, move away from the window,’ he instructed. ‘I’m going to have to smash the glass. Go back into the stairwell until I call you again.’

The children scattered. There was a loud smash followed by the sound of glass shattering onto the flagstone floor.

Alice-Miranda peered into the room.

‘Can you get me a towel or something?’ Braxton called. ‘And be careful when you come out again.’

Edgar raced upstairs and quickly returned with an old sheet and a blanket.

The children followed him, picking their way through the glass that littered the floor.

Braxton poked his head through the window. ‘What happened to you lot?’

‘Mr Langley nailed the window shut,’ Lucas informed the man.

‘Langley? What would he do that for?’

‘We don’t know, Mr Balfour, but we need to get back to the palace immediately,’ Alice-Miranda urged.

‘Hang on a tick and I’ll just make sure that there’s no glass sticking out of the frame. May I have that blanket please, Master Edgar?’

The boy stood on an old chair and handed it to the man, who used it to prise loose some small shards of glass, which he dropped outside. He then used it to line the inside of the window frame. ‘All right, then, out you come.’

One by one the children clambered out of the window. As they gathered outside the tower, Millie noticed a woman standing just a little way off. She nudged Alice-Miranda.

‘Is that the lady we saw with the raven?’ Millie whispered.

The child peered into the darkness. ‘I don’t know. It could be.’

‘Now, what’s all this about Her Majesty being in danger?’ Braxton Balfour asked.

Alice-Miranda quickly explained about Fiona and Mr Thripp.

‘And there’s someone else involved too – a woman,’ Millie said. ‘We think it might be Marjorie Plunkett.’

‘And don’t forget about Langley. He locked us in here,’ Edgar snapped.

‘I’m sure Her Majesty must be worried sick about all of you.’ Braxton shone his torch on his watch. ‘It’s after eight o’clock.’

‘No wonder I’m starving,’ Sloane said.

‘Who’s that?’ Caprice pointed at the cloaked woman.

‘This is Lydie,’ Braxton said, ‘but I don’t have time to explain about her now.’