Mr Badger and the Magic Mirror (6 page)

However, instead of plunging down into the water, Algernon caught Mr Badger and tossed him in a giant arc across the sky…

…bouncing him right through the magic mirror, away from Boubles-land, and safely out of harm's way.

It was amazing. Mr Badger was back where he'd begun.

Lady Celia was on the warpath.

At precisely the moment Mr Badger landed on his feet at the top of the stairs, Lady Celia Smothers-Carruthers came puffing along the corridor.

‘You haven't seen my granddaughter, have you, Badger?' she demanded. ‘Sylvia's been gone quite some time, the mischievous little monster. And that tour group from Australia has, as I expected, eaten all the scones!'

Lady Celia was beside herself.

CHAPTER 10

Back at the
Boubles Grand Hotel

T
hat afternoon, in spite of his extraordinary adventure, Mr Badger was ready as usual to meet and greet the visitors pouring into the foyer of the Boubles Grand Hotel. Naturally the guests included Lady Celia and, yes, Sylvia Smothers-Carruthers – who had mysteriously reappeared – for afternoon tea in the lounge.

‘How do you do, Lady Celia?' inquired Mr Badger, polite as ever.

‘Fine, Badger,' came a rather rude reply as Lady Celia brushed past.

‘Good afternoon, Miss Sylvia,' said Mr Badger to Lady Celia's grumpy granddaughter, who turned up her nose and looked away.

He could tell that Lady Celia had a lot on her mind: little Sylvia was in one of her moods, tugging on her grandmother's arm and pointing.

‘No, we are
not
going to the top of the stairs,' snapped Lady Celia. ‘There is no such thing as a magic mirror! It's teatime, and I've ordered a special fig jam for my scones.' With that, she dragged Sylvia into the lounge.

For a moment, Mr Badger was more than a little stunned.

He walked up the stairs and gazed at the mirror.

‘Good afternoon, Mr Badger,' said a voice from behind. ‘I see you're admiring my mirror.'

‘Good afternoon, Mr Badger.'

Mr Badger turned to find Sir Cecil Smothers-Carruthers smiling at him.

‘My wife wants me to throw it out,' said Sir Cecil, ‘but I know for a fact that
some
people appreciate it. And, Mr Badger, I've a feeling that you may well be one of them.'

Mr Badger nodded in agreement as he accompanied Sir Cecil down the stairs towards the dining room, where Sir Cecil was to join Lady Celia and little Sylvia for tea and scones.

‘Isn't life full of surprises!' said Sir Cecil with a chuckle, waving his walking stick merrily at Algernon, who was standing in his glass case in the foyer wearing a brightly coloured shirt with palm trees on it.

‘Yes, indeed it is,' replied Mr Badger. ‘And, Sir Cecil, I can truly say that many of them are right here in the Boubles Grand Hotel.'

‘So true,' said Sir Cecil with a wink. ‘So true.'

CHAPTER 11

A Tale to Tell

A
s if through a fog, Mr Badger heard, very faintly at first, another voice. A warm and familiar voice. It seemed to come from far away, and yet it sounded strangely close…

‘I really think it's time for bed, dear.'

Mr Badger blinked and opened his eyes. He was sitting in a chair with a book on his lap. Next to him were two little badgers snuggled in bed, darling daughter Berenice and baby Badger, too, wrapped in each other's arms.

‘I really think it's time for bed, dear,'
said a familiar voice.