Gustav waved at them as their ship came slowly into dock.
“Gustav, old boy!” Archie called down to him from the height of the deck. “Love the outfit!”
Francis could understand the benefit to wearing mostly white. He felt jolly hot in his wool suit and layers already. He longed to take his jacket off and feel the breeze through his linen shirt, but he dared not arrive so casually.
Protocol.
“Archie.” He nudged his friend’s arm to remind him to hold the parasol. “Don’t let me burn.”
“Sorry, sir.”
Archie and Maddie jostled with their parasols to shield Francis from the sun, which felt dangerously warm despite the breeze.
When the ship was safely tied to the quay and the gang plank lowered, Francis and his party were first to disembark.
“Your royal highness,” Gustav said, bowing his head. “I trust your journey was a pleasant one?”
“Apart from the sun,” Francis replied. “Speaking of the sun, can we get out of it swiftly? Granny won’t forgive me if I show up to the palace red faced.”
“Oh. Yes, certainly, your highness. If you would please follow me.”
Gustav turned to walk away, and Francis couldn’t help admiring his new clothes and feeling a tad jealous.
The dock workers and local sailors looked rather fabulous as well, wearing similar white or light-coloured linens, their trousers were baggy above the knee, then nipped in at the calves and ankles. The men wore dainty slippers in varying colours, matching colourful waistcoats or coats, and a variety of headgear from turbans to little round hats, or sometimes loose hair.
A young family with children passed by, on their way to another ship. Probably important people, judging by their clothes. Francis noticed the variety of fashion among the women: beautiful flowing clothes in different colours, a loose headscarf worn by one woman, and no headscarf worn by another in favour of a sun hat in a bonnet style, her dark curls blowing in the breeze.
“Where’s our carriage, Gustav?” Maddie said, snapping Francis out of his daydream.
“No carriages, as such, ma’am,” Gustav replied. “We just walk up here to the platform and wait for the tram.”
Maddie and the others turned to Francis with perplexed expressions, as if he’d magically have the answer.
But Francis had no clue, so he shrugged.
“Gustav,” Archie said. “What the devil is a tram?”
Chapter 4
The tram turned out to be a marvellous invention. Francis had never seen anything like it, and neither had his friends.
A two carriage, open door train, ornately styled in gold and white painted wrought iron, by his guess. The inside compartment was furnished with wooden bench seats across which plump cushions were secured. A luxury train indeed.
Gustav informed them that this was the royal tram.
“Oh, how interesting!” Maddie said, collapsing her parasol. “And there’s a roof, Francis. You’ll be in the shade.”
Francis stepped onto the small platform and inside the carriage.
Archie offered Maddie his hand, and she got on next. Christian followed, swatting Archie’s hand away when he offered it jokingly.
“Does it matter which carriage we’re in?” Archie asked.
“Either is fine,” Gustav replied. “The guards will ride in the second one and operate it.”
Archie elected to get on the first carriage, leaving Gustav to clamber inside the second. The carriages were joined together, and Gustav sat close to the front so he could still speak to them.
“Hold on!” he advised.
