Mystery of the Queen's Jewels Read Online Free Page B

quickly and then looked up. “It says the queen also has some other houses. But see that flag?” Jessie pointed to the middle of the building. “That flag is flown whenever the queen is here.”
    In front of the palace were several soldiers, standing stiffly at attention. They were wearing brilliant scarlet coats with a line of gold buttons down the center. They had on dark blue pants, white gloves, and tall furry black hats. They carried rifles on their shoulders.
    â€œAre those soldiers guarding the palace?” Benny asked.
    â€œYes,” said Jessie.
    â€œHow do they stand so still?” Benny wanted to know.
    â€œThat’s their job. They’re not allowed to move or talk or even smile while they’re on duty,” Henry explained.
    â€œI wouldn’t like that job,” Benny said.
    â€œCan we go inside the palace?” Violet asked.
    â€œWe can see the staterooms,” Jessie said. “But we can’t see where the queen actually lives.”
    â€œLet’s go!” said Henry.
    The Aldens waited in line to buy tickets and tour the palace staterooms. While they were waiting, Violet looked at the other people in line. Most were noisy groups of tourists with cameras. They were speaking many different languages. She could tell from their clothes and hairstyles that they came from all over the world. Everyone seemed to be happy and excited.
    Then she noticed someone who didn’t fit in. It was a person in a raincoat, standing alone and looking at the ground. The person had a hat pulled low over his or her face.
    Violet wondered if that could be the same person she’d seen in the cab behind them earlier that morning. That person had been wearing a hat pulled low on his face, too. But before she could point him out to her sister and brothers, they had reached the front of the line and were being ushered inside the palace.
    Violet soon forgot about the stranger as she looked around at the magnificent palace. The rooms were elegantly decorated with antique vases, carved furniture, and beautiful paintings of former kings and queens.
    After leaving the palace they entered the Royal Mews, where the horse-drawn carriages were kept. The children had never seen carriages like these before. They were fabulously decorated with jewels and gold.
    â€œIsn’t it wonderful?” Violet said. “Royal carriages, just like in a fairy tale!”
    Jessie was more interested in the horses. “Look at that big chestnut horse, and the white one with the long mane! They’re so beautiful!”
    â€œLet’s go back to the front of the palace now,” suggested Henry as they left the Mews. “They’re going to be changing the guard soon.”
    â€œWhat does ‘changing the guard’ mean?” asked Benny.
    â€œRemember the royal guards we saw in front?” Henry reminded Benny. “The same soldiers don’t stay there all the time. When a new group of soldiers comes to take their place, they call it the ‘changing of the guard.’ ”
    As the children walked, Violet happened to look back over her shoulder. That was when she realized that the mysterious stranger was still behind them. But just then, Henry called out, “Hurry, it’s starting!”
    Violet ran to catch up with the others. What she saw when she got to the palace amazed her. There were no longer just a few guards standing stiffly at attention. Now long lines of guards were marching across the courtyard in front of the palace. They marched across the courtyard, lifting their knees high, in step to rhythmic drumbeats. It was very exciting to watch.
    â€œThat was great!” Jessie said when the guards were done marching.
    â€œI’m going to be one of the queen’s guards when I grow up,” said Benny. He marched back and forth along the iron fence, lifting his knees high just as the guards had done. He pretended to carry a rifle on his shoulder. The