It was lined with rich tapestries and paintings of formidable women wearing tiaras and old-fashioned dresses – the princess’s ancestors, by the look of them.Patchcoat pointed to a large door decorated with a gold crown.“Her Highness’s private quarters, I reckon,” said Patchcoat. “Can you hear anything, Cedric?” whispered Sir Percy.I put down the tray and stuck my ear to the keyhole.“All quiet, Sir Percy,” I said.But I spoke too soon. At the far end of the landing was another set of stairs, much grander than the ones we’d come up. And someone was climbing them in a hurry!There was no time to hide. Patchcoat and I just managed to swivel Sir Percy round so that he was facing the other way when the High Steward appeared at the top of the stairs.Patchcoat and I bobbed hasty curtsies and looked firmly at the ground. I guessed we had five seconds at the most before the High Steward called for the guards. So we were surprised by what came next. “Your Highness!
