Queen BEE

Evie was a worker without a job — but a day out would leave her buzzing

- Amanda Batham

On Tuesday night, Evie Marshall had an unusual dream. She awoke just before seven and nudged her husband Keith, who yawned beside her.

'I've just dreamt we were partying with Queen Victoria,' Evie babbled. 'I wonder what it means.'

'You and your dreams,' Keith laughed. He leant over and kissed his wife on her sleep-flushed cheek.

'I know you think it's all a load of mumbo jumbo,' Evie said.

'Not at all.' Keith knew his wife placed great emphasis on the power of the subconscious, and he'd learnt it was best to humour her. 'Tell me more.'

Evie sat up and proceeded to relate the dream...

She and Keith had been invited to some sort of royal function.

'You'll have to wait for the song to finish,' a royal attendant said, leading them into an enormous circular room which was draped with chandeliers and dominated by a dance floor. 'She won't be budged for anyone when she's dancing.'

Evie and Keith were dumbstruck to see Queen Victoria really going for it on the dance floor. She had her voluminous satin skirts hitched up above her knees in order to perform some sort of jitterbug. Her crown wobbled precariously on top of a flowing lace headpiece as the dancers around her took it in turns to twirl her amongst them. Evie noted, with a pang, that one of the dancers was her father.

When the song finished, the Queen (looking a little flushed) spotted Evie and Keith and hurried over, as if she'd been expecting them.

Evie felt horribly tongue-tied and inadequate, especially when she realised she was wearing a Kermit the Frog T-shirt, and Keith, standing open-mouthed beside her, was in his Scooby-Doo PJs.

Her Majesty, however, offered them her hand quite affably, seemingly completely unfazed by her guests' inappropriate evening attire.

'You must be Evie Marshall and her husband Keith,' she said, smiling politely.