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Gran wandered over to our table.“Now isn’t this the life?” she said with a wistful sigh. We were leaving for Hampton Cove next week, and I could tell she would have preferred to stick around for a couple of weeks more.

“It’s pretty sweet,” I agreed.

“Lizzie is going to make me a dame,” said Gran. “Can you believe it? Dame Vesta Muffin. Wait till I tell my friends back home. Wait till I tell Scarlett!”

Scarlett Canyon is Gran’s nemesis. And the fact that she could upstage her probably meant more to Gran than all possible royal honors combined.

Odelia and Chase also wandered over, accompanied by Marge, Tex and Uncle Alec.

“You guys did great,” said Odelia, not for the first time. “And so did you,” she said as she held up her glass in a salute to the corgis.

“Aw,” said Sweetie, in an uncharacteristic display of modesty.

“See?” said Gran. “The Queen of England has her corgis, the Queen of America has her cats, and together they make history.”

A voice startled Gran.“Did I hear my name?” the Queen asked.

“I was just saying how one can tell a real queen from a fake one by the way she communicates with her pets,” said Gran.

The Queen smiled.“It’s true! Like the night we caught that nasty Otis Robbins. The moment that horrid man filled the screen with his horrible visage, Sweetie, Fr?ulein and Molly told me immediately. ‘That’s the one!’ they said. ‘That’s the man who kidnapped us!’ So naturally the first thought that popped into my head was that I had to warn dear Tessa. Luckily you were there to pick up the phone and the rest, as they say, is history!”

“Is this going to be in the history books?” asked Tex, curious.

“I doubt it,” said the Queen. “No one would believe it. And the ones that do would think their precious monarch had gone a little soft in the head.”

“But… you can actually talk to your dogs?” asked Chase.

The Queen smiled enigmatically.“Is that so hard to believe?” she said, and walked off.

Stunned, the others all stared after her.

“I knew it,” said Gran. “I just knew it! And that’s why I need to be crowned Queen of America!”

“Yeah, that’ll happen,” said Uncle Alec.

“Now don’t be a Negative Ned, Alec,” said Gran. “It will happen because I want it to happen.”

“It would definitely be an improvement,” said Marge.

Tex raised both eyebrows. He clearly wasn’t in agreement.

“Would that mean you have to move to Washington?” asked Dooley.

“Of course. I’d have to move into the White House. You’ll all be invited to stay, of course. I’ll make sure there’s plenty of space for the whole family.”

Tex was smiling now, the prospect of his mother-in-law finally moving out of the house doing much to warm him to the prospect of calling her Queen.

“I would like to live in the White House,” said Harriet. “And be First Cat.”

“I think I’d be First Cat, though,” said Brutus. “I am the most handsome.”

“Obviously the First Cat would be the prettiest cat,” said Harriet with a laugh. “In other words: me.”

“I think the First Cat should be a hero,” said Brutus. “Someone like me.”

“And I think the First Cat should look good on Instagram.”

“The First Cat should be butch. An inspiration to all the cats in America.”

“Oh, give me a break,” said Harriet. “You? An inspiration? As if.”

“Oh, dear,” said Marge. “Here we go again.”

“What are they talking about?” asked Chase.

“They’re arguing about who gets to be First Cat once Gran becomes America’s queen,” said Odelia.

They all laughed, even though for Brutus and Harriet it was clearly no laughing matter.

“You both get to be First Cats,” said Gran. “We’ll do it in rotation.”

Tessa and Dante now joined us, Tessa carrying the baby.“Having a good time?” said Tessa with a smile.

“A great time, thanks,” said Odelia gratefully.

“I can’t thank you guys enough. I’ll never forget this.”

“The queen is giving us all honorary KBEs,” said Odelia. “Which is so great.”

“Yeah, I asked her,” said Dante. “No one deserves it more than you.”

‘Wait, you’reall going to be dames and knights?” asked Gran, appalled.

Odelia and Chase nodded.“Yup,” said Angela. “I’m going to be a dame, too. Can you imagine? When I tell my friends they won’t believe me.”

“Oh, for crying out loud!” Gran said, shaking her fist.

And as the humans drifted off to scoop some more food onto their plates, Dooley said,“Do you think they’ll make us dames and knights too, Max?”

“I doubt it,” I said. “That seems to be a thing for humans only.”

“She’ll do you one better,” said Fr?ulein.

“Yeah, she told us she’ll give you all PBEs,” said Sweetie.

“What’s a PBE?” I asked.

“Pet of the Order of the British Empire,” Fr?ulein explained. “It’s a secret society the Queen launched shortly after her coronation. Only the bravest pets are members. And all of her corgis, of course. Now you’ll be inducted, too.”

Sweetie gave us a warm smile.“You know what? You’ve earned it—all of you.”

“Did you hear that, Max?” said Dooley. “We’re going to be knighted!”

“Well, congratulations, Sir Dooley,” I said.

“Why, thank you, Sir Max,” he said.