Read Online ICAP 2 - The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Wood - Free Book Online

guard’s head. Cassiopeia curled into a tight crouch, ready to spring at the poor fellow. Alexander bared his teeth and emitted the most vicious growl imaginable.
    â€œAhbearrrrrrrrrrrr!”
    As one, they pounced.
    â€œNo! Children, stop! Do not attack!” Penelope was sick with fear. For the guard, being a guard, was armed with a musket. The weapon was now at his shoulder, and the muzzle was aimed straight at the Incorrigibles.
    Without thinking about the consequences, Penelope, too, hurled herself at the guard.
    â€œThey are only children!” she cried. “Do not shoot!”
    â€œChildren? A pack of wolf cubs would be more like it.” It was the guard speaking from someplace close by; for some reason Penelope could no longer see him, for she was suddenly in the dark. “Listen up, miss. It’s my job to guard the queen’s palace, and guard it I will. I’m on strict orders not to converse with the tourists, so you’ve already got me in trouble. Easy there, little fella! The hat’s pure Canadian brown bear, and they cost a king’s ransom. I’d hate to explain to my commanding officer why I need a new one.”
    Only then did Penelope realize that her eyes were squeezed shut in terror. Very slowly, she opened them, whereupon she beheld an astonishing sight: Cassiopeia had all four limbs wrapped around the guard’s leg, with her teeth sunk into his trousers. Alexander dangled from the musket as if it were part of a jungle gym, while Beowulf was perched on the man’s head, wrestling vigorously with the hat.
    â€œAhbear?” Cassiopeia asked curiously, gazing upward.
    â€œIt was a bear, once. Would you like to pet it?” The guard reached up and removed the hat, Beowulf and all, and held it out to the girl.
    Alexander slid off the musket barrel and dropped to the ground. “Pardon me,” he said, bowing to theguard. “How do you do?” Then both boys bowed, and Cassiopeia curtsied.

    â€œThey are only children!” she cried. “Do not shoot!”

    â€œThe pleasure is mine, woof !” she said, in her piping voice. The guard was clearly impressed.
    â€œThat’s very well said. I wish my boy had nice manners like you lot do.” He turned to Penelope. “I can’t help you with the queen, but if you have a suggestion, leave it in the suggestion box. That’s the best I can do.”
    â€œAnother time, perhaps. Thank you. I apologize for the disturbance.” Penelope shepherded the three Incorrigibles away from the gate and across the plaza, until she spotted an empty park bench in a quiet spot. There she sat down, for her knees were shaking beneath her skirt, and she did not want the children to know.
    The children, on the other hand, were now wonderfully energized. They argued about where go next.
    â€œSt. James’s Park!”
    â€œBig Ben!”
    â€œThe British Mew-eezum!” Cassiopeia suggested, adorably mispronouncing the word.
    â€œYour enthusiasm is admirable, children.” Penelope patted her forehead with a handkerchief. “But I must confess, I have had quite enough sightseeing for one day.”
    It was possible that a delayed-onset case of holidayfatigue was finally catching up with the usually plucky young governess. Or perhaps the sight of the three Incorrigible children once again facing down the barrel of a musket (just as they had on the fateful day when Lord Fredrick Ashton discovered them running wild in the woods of Ashton Place, and was prevented from shooting only by the quick intervention of Old Timothy, the enigmatic coachman)—well, it was simply too much for Penelope to bear, if one will pardon the expression.
    The children were clearly disappointed. But their governess had made up her mind, and that, they knew very well, was that. In any case, it had been a good while since breakfast, and all four of them were in need of tea and something sweet to nibble on.
    So,