Recap: Akiva and Estee are rescued from the house with help from the dog Star. The earthquake caused a fire. When their Zeidy and aunt come back home, everyone realizes that Ernest is missing.
Jordie and Zevi stop reading the journal at this point. They are still hiding in the closet in Buckingham Palace, waiting for a signal from someone.
“How long do you think we should stay here?” I whispered. The closet was small, and I was feeling cramped and uneasy.
“We can’t leave until we know the coast is clear. They must have spotted someone suspicious.”
“That man who was following us.”
All of a sudden, we heard footsteps.
“Shh!”
Jordie pulled the door closed and we were enveloped in darkness.
The footsteps drew nearer.
I thought I would faint from fright.
What if he came into the room? I held my breath. What if I sneezed?
My heart was racing. For sure he would hear my heart pounding.
We waited. The footsteps drew closer.
“I think this is the room where they left it,” a man said with a British accent.
“I’m glad it’s here. It’s an expensive watch. It must have fallen off my wrist.”
The men’s voices grew softer as we heard their footsteps receding.
I wanted the door opened but I was afraid to say anything. We had to be perfectly still and quiet.
I wondered who those men were.
Finally, Jordie opened the door a crack. “I think those were just workers.”
“What should we do?” I whispered. “We can’t stay in this stuffy closet forever.”
“Let’s wait a bit more. We should get a message. I sent your aunt our location and what’s going on. She’ll forward the information.”
A short while later, Jordie pointed to his phone. His voice was very low. “We got a message to go to the pool area.”
“Pool area?” I asked softly. “The palace has a pool?”
Jordie rose and I followed him out of the closet. “They sent me a map of the castle. The pool is on the North side. There’s a guard who’s going to meet us.”
Just then, a man wearing a traditional royal guard uniform – a red jacket and high black fur hat – approached. “I’ll take you to the pool area,” he said.
“You are royal guests if anyone asks.” He handed us ID cards.
I was Theodore Brown and Jordie was William Sackson. We were distant relatives of King Charles’ wife.
It was a long walk past many, many rooms and offices until we reached the North area. The guard didn’t say anything until we reached the pool. It was a long rectangular indoor pool with pristine aqua water surrounded by white pillars.
“Wait here until I signal you,” he whispered and strolled away.
A group of people who appeared to be workers passed by. We were well hidden by a thick pillar. Then, a tour group strolled ahead.
We slunk further back behind a pillar.
The tour guide guard stopped by the edge of the pool and waited for everyone to gather close. Then he began speaking. “King George VI commissioned the construction of the pool in 1938 as he was adjusting his family to its public role. While they were still living at Piccadilly, the Princesses had been enjoying swimming lessons at the Bath Club and no one had taken much notice of the two little girls in their regulation swimming costumes.” He paused.
Where had that guard gone? Why wasn’t he coming back?
How did Jordie stay so calm? Sweat beaded on my forehead.
The tour guide began speaking again. “Princess Elizabeth was heir to the throne that attracted too much attention. So, in summer 1938…”
He droned on and on and I stopped listening.
I kept glancing around to see if that man was still following us.
The guard droned on. “In 1938, architect James Jack Roberts drew up plans for Buckingham Palace’s north-west pavilion to be converted into a pool, and by spring 1939, the pool was completed.
“When Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose returned to Buckingham Palace with King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth from Balmoral recently, they found a big surprise awaiting them in the Palace grounds. The surprise was a new swimming pool, which was specially constructed for the two little princesses so they could have their weekly swimming lessons next year at their own home. The pool was bombed and destroyed during World War II. It was rebuilt after the war.
“It’s edged in black mosaic. The walkway to the pool is glazed white vitreous mosaic. When King Charles was young, he sailed toy boats across.”
“It’s interesting,” Jordie murmured in my ear.
I couldn’t concentrate on it. I just wanted to be on my way to Israel already.
Jordie was staring at the tour group.
I followed his gaze.
We both spotted her at the same time. “It’s her!” I whispered. We both inched farther behind the pillar.
Jordie put his finger on his lips. How in the world did she get here?
The lady with the black burka was part of the tour group. How had she ended up here? Was she following us?
“It can’t be her,” I whispered. “What if she sees us?”
“Shh!”
Just then, the tour guide was handing out pamphlets to the tourists, and when the woman with the burka took hers, Jordie gasped. He whispered in my ear. “It’s her. I can tell because she’s got the mole on her forefinger. That’s Alihah Ahmar.”
She was on the plane to Israel. How did she end up here? It didn’t make sense.
“She must’ve seen us get off and somehow followed us.”
I felt a chill up and down my spine.
Jordie handed me his phone. “Listen, you go find a hiding place. There are so many rooms and offices. Hide and text your aunt what happened.”
Why was he handing me his phone? Why was he telling me to go find a hiding place. “Aren’t you coming with me?”
He shook his head impatiently. “Hurry!” he hissed.
I froze. I didn’t want to go hide in this huge place alone.
Then Jordie stepped out from our hiding spot. He strode over to the edge of the pool and, in one swift motion, and to everyone’s amazement, he dove into the pool.
“Stop! You can’t do that. You are not allowed in the royal pool.” Two guards appeared.
I glanced behind me in time to see Alihah Ahmar jump in after him.
Was Jordie crazy?
I didn’t have time to think. I just zoomed away from the pool area and headed towards the nearest staircase. There were so many rooms. I kept going. I was breathing heavily and wondering where in the world to hide. Why had Jordie done that? I didn’t want to be alone. What would happen to him now?
To be continued…
By Susie Garber
