The Original Taylor Daughter

New Home

January 1977

"Dad. Where are we?" Alice grumbles, waking up from her car journey nap. She looks out the window to see a very large house/mansion.

Roger doesn't want to tell Alice they're moving house yet because he doesn't think she'll take it very well, "We're in Surrey, a few miles out of London."

That means nothing to her, she frowns, "Why are we here?"

"To have a look, Queen might be filming a music video here," That's not a lie, Queen will be filming here but they're actually here so Roger can see if Alice likes her new home.

The estate agent shows them around and it's as the man is talking that Alice twigs onto what is going on, "Dad, are we moving?"

Alice is a smart girl so he can't try and cover it up now, "Yes, we are. With Queen's popularity growing, the press is outside our door a lot lately and I can't guarantee your safety anymore. Moving here, there's a secure wall around us and it's out of the way."

"I'll leave you two to talk for a moment," The estate agent leaves the room feeling a tension forming.

"But what about school and my friends?" Alice is happy at her school and she has Rami and Hazel, they're her best friends.

"I'm not taking you out of your school, I know your happy and settled there." It will mean travelling to get there but he knows he'd be pushing the boat too far if she moved schools, "I wouldn't take you away from your friends. Putting that aside do you like this place?"

"It's very big when there's only me, you and Biscuit."

"Well, it's not going to be just us three. Dominique is moving in with us too." That was the other thing he needed to tell her, things have been going really well between the couple and once the house is his, Dominique will be moving in.

"Oh," Alice mutters unsure how she feels about that but she makes her dad happy so she doesn't say anything, "Which room would be mine?"

Roger smiles, still not entirely convinced she's okay with Dominique moving in but it will do for now, "Whichever one you like, just not the master bedroom. Have a look around and meet me at the front door in 20 minutes, I'll go speak to the man."

She rushed off to explore and he didn't see her again for the full twenty minutes, "I've found my room," Alice grins, running back down the stairs to meet where he said.

"Yeah, which one?"

"The room at the top of the house."

The surprises him, he's seen the rooms himself and the room at the top of the house is not small but it's one of the smaller rooms, "Why that room?"

"Secret," She whispers, "Also only uncle Freddie can help me decorate my room."

He eyes her suspiciously, "Why?"

"Because I trust him to keep my secret." She kept her mouth tight shut after that not saying anything till they got home and she'd go quiet if he asked.

A week later they're back at the mansion in Surrey, Roger's offer on the house was accepted and they're waiting on the paperwork to be completed.

But Roger, Dominique and Alice are here to see what needs decorating and what furniture can go where. Roger had invited Freddie to see the place since Alice has been asking for him.

"Uncle Freddie!" She pulls him aside as he comes in the door.

"Hello lovie, your dad said you requested my presence," Freddie doesn't mind the summonses, he wonders if perhaps John is starting to lose his title as the favourite