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  For Jacob and Samuel

  Chapter One

  A Day by the Sea

  Bea skipped down the beach with a picnic basket in one hand and a bucket in the other. It was a perfect summer’s day, and seagulls were circling around the fishing boats as they chugged across the sparkling sea into the harbor. A warm breeze swept across the bay, lifting Bea’s hair and making the waves dance.

  “Come back, Bea!” yelled Natasha, Bea’s older sister. “We don’t want to eat the picnic so close to the water. We’ll get soaked when the tide comes in.”

  Bea dug her toes into the warm sand. She couldn’t wait to go swimming with Keira, her best friend, who had joined them for the day. They had all set off from Ruby Palace with their buckets and shovels and swimming towels, accompanied by Nancy, one of the palace maids.

  Bea was the middle one of the three royal children. Alfie, her little brother, had been bouncing around the palace with his fishing net since six o’ clock that morning. Bea wasn’t surprised that their dad, King George, had looked so relieved as he waved them off from the front steps. He’d glanced at Bea sternly just before they left. “Remember, Beatrice! No bringing home stray dogs or cats or hamsters. In fact, don’t pick up anything furry at all!”

  Bea had made a face. Everyone knew she was animal-mad. She was always on the lookout for animals that needed her help, and she had already rescued a kitten and a puppy, as well as a tiny reindeer called Marshmallow and a pony named Sandy. Each time she rescued an animal the king would say, “Beatrice, the palace is no place for a pet!” But Bea knew in her heart that she would never be able to resist a creature in trouble.

  “Hurry up, Bea!” Natasha shouted. “Alfie says he’s hungry.”

  “All right—I’m coming!” Bea swung the basket as she walked back up the beach.

  Natasha began laying out the picnic blanket. Keira helped Bea to unpack all the rolls and cakes, and the big bottle of lemonade. “My mom and dad sent some food, too.” She unzipped a large lunch bag. “There are samosas and pastries, and homemade chocolate-chip cookies.”

  Alfie made a dive for Keira’s bag at once. Keira’s parents ran the Sleepy Gull Café on the cliff top, and everyone knew their food was the best in the whole of Savara.

  “Alfie, don’t grab like that,” scolded Natasha. “You’re a prince, not a puppy.”

  Keira giggled. “It’s all right! My mom and dad sent plenty.”

  “That’s lucky with Alfie around,” Bea joked, giving her little brother a nudge.

  After finishing the picnic, Bea and Keira walked down to the shore. They were wearing bathing suits under their clothes, so they pulled off their shorts and T-shirts and jumped straight into the warm water. The sea made a gentle shooshing noise as it rolled onto the sand. Bea leapt over each wave, splashing water everywhere. Then the girls dived right in, pretending they were mermaids as they swam through the shallows.

  “Nancy!” Bea called up the beach. “Can we go to Silver Rock Bay and look at the caves?”

  Silver Rock Bay was a smaller cove just around the corner from the main beach. The sand there was a beautiful pale color, and there were exciting caves to explore. Bea had been allowed to play there before, as both she and Keira were strong swimmers and had gotten their grade three first-aid certificates. The cove could only be reached at low tide when the water rolled back, leaving room to walk past the rocky headland.

  “Yes, you can, Princess Bea,” Nancy called back. “But please be sensible.”

  Bea and Keira put their shorts and T-shirts back on and walked around the rocky headland. The seagulls wheeled over their heads. Little tufts of yellow and orange flowers bloomed on the cliff face.

  The girls rounded the corner into Silver Rock Bay. Pink-and-white shells were strewn across the gleaming sand. Rows of dark caves lined the back of the beach, and around the edge were the silvery rocks that gave the bay its name.

  “Look at those shells!” cried Bea. “I’ve never seen so many pretty ones.”

  “They’re lovely!” Keira picked up a curly shell and held it to her ear. “I can hear the sea!”

  Keira and Bea played in the waves for a while before exploring the largest cave at the back of the beach. It was dark and cool inside, and when they called loudly, it made a brilliant echo. The girls climbed over the rocks at the cave entrance, looking into the rock pools for little crabs and tiny fish.

  “We’d better go back,” Keira said after a while. “We don’t want to get trapped in the bay once the tide comes in.”

  They walked back to the shore. The breeze had grown stronger, and the sea was dotted with thousands of tiny white-flecked waves.

  Bea shaded her eyes and stared at the far end of the beach. “What’s that funny shape? Do you think someone left their picnic bag behind?” She pointed to a little white blob on the rocks.

  Keira frowned. “I think it moved!”

  Bea started running, calling over her

  shoulder, “I’m going to see!” She sped across the sand, slowing down as she drew closer to the shape. Keira ran after her.

  The shape was curved and covered with downy-white fur as soft as a cloud. Bea’s stomach swooped with excitement. “It’s a little seal pup! But what’s it doing here all alone?”

  “My dad says baby seals feed on their mother’s milk,” Keira told her. “But after a few weeks the mother goes back out to sea. Then the pup follows her later.”

  “But seal families usually gather together on the same beach, so why is this pup the only one here?” Bea knelt down on the sand, and the seal pup turned its big black eyes to her. Lifting its whiskery nose, it gave a tiny little yelp.

  “Oh, poor thing!” Keira crouched beside Bea. “Do you think it’s waiting for its mother to come back?”

  “I guess so.” Bea touched the pup’s snow-white fur. He was the softest, most beautiful animal she’d ever seen.

  “Your dad told you not to even pick up anything furry,” Keira reminded her.

  “I know.” Bea sighed. “But this baby seal is much too small to be here by himself. I wish I knew how to help.”

  Just then, Nancy appeared around the rocky headland leading back to the main beach. Waving her arms, she shouted, “Princess Bea! Keira! The tide’s coming in and Prince Alfie’s banged his knee.”

  “We’d better go!” Bea made a face. “Bye, little seal pup.”

  The baby seal pulled himself forward with his flippers. Sliding into a shallow rock pool, he lay there splashing and yelping happily. The girls laughed. Then, reluctantly, they hurried across the beach and around the headland.

  Bea looked back as she turned the corner. She could just make out the furry white shape beside the rocks. She wished more than anything that she didn’t have to leave the baby seal pup all alone.

  Chapter Two

  HMS Bouncing Barnacle

  The following morning, King George decided to take Bea, Natasha, and Alfie on a boat trip.

  They walked down to the harbor and climbed aboard the royal boat, the HMS Bouncing Barnacle. Bea fizzed with excitement as she walked down the gangplank to the wooden deck.

  “Where are we going today, Dad?” asked Natasha.

  King George, who was dressed in his navy sailing suit and cap, untied the mooring rope. “We’re going to visit somewhere very special called Nala Island.”

  “Ooh, an island!” Alfie’s eyes lit up. “Is it special because there’s buried treasure? We could pretend we’re on a pirate ship and we’ve returned to the island to get our gold.”

  “No, there’s no treasure, but there’s lots of wildlife at this time of year and that’s why it’s such an extraordinary place.” King George didn’t notice Alfie’s disappointed pout. He pulled in the gangplank, stowing it safely on the deck. “Let’s raise the anchor and go!”

  Mrs. Stickler, the palace housekeeper, left the picnic basket in the cabin before handing around orange life jackets. Then the Bouncing Barnacle glided smoothly out of Savara Harbor. The king turned the wheel, guiding the boat toward a small rocky shape in the distance.

  The Bouncing Barnacle had a powerful engine, and sometimes Bea felt as though they were flying across the water. Natasha liked to sit inside at the small cabin table, but Bea preferred perching at the front to watch the prow of the boat cutting through the water and throwing up sparkling rainbow spray.

  The Bouncing Barnacle slowed down as they drew closer to Nala Island. Bea leaned over the prow to gaze at the clear turquoise water. Shoals of little silver fish swam away from the approaching ship, and the fronds of scarlet sea anemones swayed gently.

  A wide sandy b each came into view, with a tall cliff behind it dotted with nesting seabirds. Bea stared at a cluster of gray and white shapes lying on the sand. “Look!” she burst out. “Seals with their pups!”

  King George smiled. “At this time of year the Nala beaches are full of seals and their young. It’s quiet here, and there are plenty of fish to eat when they return to the sea.”

  Their dad continued explaining how the seals made their home on Nala Island, but Bea wasn’t listening. She twisted around, looking back toward Savara. Next to the main beach was Silver Rock Bay, where she’d found the seal pup the day before. She wondered whether the baby seal was all right and if his mother had come back to find him.

  King George switched off the engine, and they glided quietly toward the island until their dad lowered the anchor. “We mustn’t disturb the young seals and their mothers,” he explained. “So we won’t take the boat any closer, but you can swim right here if you like!”

  Alfie gave a cheer. Then he pulled off his life jacket and shorts, leaving just his swimming trunks, and jumped in. Natasha took off her life jacket and climbed sedately down the ladder.

  “Now listen, Beatrice,” the king added. “Don’t get any ideas about bringing a seal back to the palace.”

  “No, Dad!” Bea was still thinking of the seal pup as she followed Natasha down the ladder. She had really wanted to take him home, but perhaps his mother had come back for him. She dipped her toes into the warm water before sliding in. At once a gray whiskery face popped up close by. The seal watched Bea curiously for a moment before diving below the water.

  “Look at me!” Alfie called. “I’m swimming with the seals.”

  “Shh, Alfie!” Natasha said, paddling up to her brother. “We’re not meant to disturb the ones on the beach, remember?”

  Bea loved the way the seals twisted and turned, pulling themselves along with their powerful flippers. When they bobbed up to the surface, the sunlight gleamed on their silky coats. The beach beyond was full of furry white seal pups. Bea smiled as she listened to their yelps and the deeper barking replies of the mother seals.

  “Come back now, children. It’s lunchtime,” called Mrs. Stickler sharply.

  Bea swam reluctantly back to the boat, climbed up the ladder onto the deck, and wrapped a towel around herself. A growling engine noise started up just as she took a cheese-and-ham roll from the picnic basket.

  “What on earth is that?” King George looked up in surprise. “Boats shouldn’t be fishing this close to the island.”

  Bea ran to the bow and saw a small red boat chugging into view. It sailed right up to the nearby beach, and two men jumped out carrying fishing rods. The larger seals began barking loudly, and some of the seal pups wriggled away in alarm.

  “They’re scaring the pups!” cried Bea.

  “They shouldn’t have landed there at all.” King George frowned. “The rule is: keep away from mother seals with their young because they shouldn’t be disturbed. Stay here, children. I shall go and speak to them.” He unloaded the inflatable dinghy and set off for the shore.

  “Honestly! I thought everyone knew you shouldn’t disturb the wildlife here,” said Natasha. “It’s an important nature reserve. Pass the cookies please, Bea.”

  “Maybe Dad’s going to arrest them!” said Alfie, his eyes big and round.

  “That’s enough silliness,” said Mrs. Stickler.

  King George spoke to the men on the shore, and they set off in their boat again. When the king returned to the Bouncing Barnacle, everyone continued enjoying their lunch, except for Bea, who studied the beach worriedly. Each of the baby seals had returned to their mother except for a tiny one that sat forlornly by the water’s edge. Was he lost? What would happen when the tide came in if he wasn’t ready to swim?

  Bea suddenly wondered if the same thing had happened to the seal pup she’d found the day before. Maybe he wasn’t meant to be in Silver Rock Bay at all. Maybe he’d been swept away from his real home. “Dad, can I talk to you about something?” she asked.

  King George was pouring himself a cup of tea from a flask. “I really must arrange for some signs to go on that island,” he said to Mrs. Stickler. “Then everyone will understand that landing on those beaches is not allowed.”

  “That’s a good idea, sire,” Mrs. Stickler replied. “People are very thoughtless at times.”

  “Dad?” Bea tried again. “I saw something yesterday and I think you should know—”

  “Just a minute, Beatrice. I’m talking to Mrs. Stickler,” her dad said. “Now, what do you think the signs should say?”

  Bea huffed a little and leaned against the side. There was no point trying to get her dad’s attention when he was busy thinking about something else.

  The seal pup beside the water’s edge moved back up the beach again. Bea watched in relief as the little pup stopped beside a large gray seal and cuddled into her side.

  King George started the engine and steered the Bouncing Barnacle back toward the mainland. Bea stared over at Silver Rock Bay as they crossed the waves. The bay was easy to make out, with its row of dark caves at the bottom of the cliff, but she couldn’t see the baby seal anymore. Was he still there, or had he found the strength to swim away? He could be camouflaged against the silvery white rocks.

  Bea held the side of the boat tightly as they bounced through the waves. She needed to know that the seal pup was all right. As soon as they landed, she would go to find out.

  Chapter Three

  A Fish or Three

  Bea wanted to hurry over to Silver Rock Bay the moment they drew up to the harborside, but Mrs. Stickler wouldn’t let her go. She seemed to have an extra sense for when Bea was about to dash off somewhere.

  “Please take this, Princess Beatrice.” She handed Bea the picnic basket. “I need some help carrying everything back to the palace.”

  Bea tried not to frown as she took the basket handle. “Yes, Mrs. Stickler.”

  The harbor was full of people washing the decks of their boats and mending their sails. The king waved to people cheerily as he went by. A row of stalls by the harbor wall were selling freshly caught fish. Soon the fishing boats would return to the sea to make their catches for the next day.

  Bea trudged up the hill behind Natasha and Mrs. Stickler. She wished she could escape to the beach. If she didn’t go soon, the tide would come in and cut off Silver Rock Bay. Then it would be too late to check on the seal pup.

  When they reached the palace, she left the picnic basket in the royal kitchen and hurried back to the front door, hoping for a chance to slip away.

  “Princess Beatrice, I expect you need a bath after all that swimming in the sea.” Mrs. Stickler stood at the palace entrance, blocking the way.

  “Alfie should go first!” Bea said quickly.

  “All right, then.” The housekeeper marched over to the stairs, calling, “Prince Alfred! Where are you?”

  As soon as Mrs. Stickler disappeared upstairs, Bea dashed to the back door. She ran through the palace garden and raced all the way down the hill to Savara, stopping to catch her breath as she reached the seafront.

  The beach was empty. A strong breeze blew in from the sea, sending a piece of seaweed dancing across the sand. Bea took off her sandals and raced to the water’s edge. Splashing through the rock pools, she hurried around the headland into Silver Rock Bay.

  Far away across the sand, she spotted a little white shape lying between two rocks. The seal pup hadn’t moved very far since the day before, and there was no sign of his mother.

  Bea ran to him and knelt down on the sand, gently stroking his fluffy white coat. The seal lifted his head a little and gave a tiny yelp. His eyes looked duller than before, and Bea frowned. “You poor thing! I’m sure it’s not right that you’re here all alone.”

  “Bea!” A hand tapped Bea’s shoulder and she jumped.

  “Keira!” Bea scrambled up. “I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

 

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