Starcross Read Online Free Page B

candle to it for opulence and luxury. Fountains tinkled, chandeliers twinkled and startling works of modern art by Mr Rossetti and Mr Millais hung in gilded frames upon the walls. A herd of hoverhogs with the hotel’s coat-of-arms painted on their spotless flanks snuffled about amid the finery, the faint poot-pooting sounds of their exhalations drowned out by the gentle voices of hanging baskets full of song flowers.
    ‘Well!’ said Mother. ‘This is very grand!’
    We approached the reception desk, a block of Martian mahogany polished like a mirror. An automaton behind it lurched to life as we drew near, and I heard clockwork whirr, and a needle drop on to one of the wax cylinders inside his head. But before he could speak, a human voice quite unlike the drone of an auto-servant, cried out, ‘Mrs Mumby! And Miss Myrtle and Master Art as well!’
    A door near the reception desk had been flung open, and a large, ruddy gentleman with black side-whiskers, tinted spectacles and a bottle-green coat came hurrying out to bow low before us and kiss my mother’s hand.
    ‘Mr Titfer, I presume?’ said Mother.
    ‘The very same, dear lady,’ said the Titfer in question, straightening himself and beaming at us all, whiskers aquiver.‘How very glad I am that you chose to accept my humble invitation. You’ve seen the promenade, I take it? As fine a stretch of sea frontage as a body could find anywhere in British Space.’

    ‘Indeed, it is most picturesque,’ said Mother. ‘Tho’ we could not help noticing the lack of –’
    ‘Oh, here at Starcross you will lack for nothing!’ boomed Mr Titfer. ‘You need only ask! My hotel has a great number of staff, all eager to do your business. Not nasty, fallible human staff, mind, who would forever be falling in love with visiting valets and stealing the cufflinks of the Duke of ——. No, every last maid and bellboy has been manufactured for me by Rain & Co. Why, even the manager is automatic! I am spending the summer here to ensure that everything is running smoothly, but once I return to London I expect the place to tick along quite nicely without any human guidance at all.’ He checked his fob watch, and said hastily, ‘But I must not detain you,for it is very late and I am sure you will wish to rest after your voyage. The auto-porters will take you to your rooms, and at breakfast you shall meet the other guests. The sea should be back by then, too.’
    ‘Why, whatever do you mean?’ asked Mother, smiling sweetly, as if she expected him to make a joke.
    But Mr Titfer was in earnest. ‘The sea, dear Mrs Mumby. I hope you do not think I had lured you here with the promise of a beach holiday only to make you look out at this dreary, desolate scene for your whole stay? No, no. My word is my bond. Starcross offers the finest sea bathing anywhere in the known worlds. It is simply that, ah, the tide is out at present.’

    Still smiling, Mother turned to look out through the crystal windows at the promenade, and at the bone-dry, bone-white sandscape stretching away towards that hard horizon. A fitful breeze was blowing dust devils between the wheels of the bathingmachines which waited mournfully in the starlight at the desert’s edge. All else was as dry and still and silent as the land of Death.
    ‘How long has the tide been out?’ she asked.
    ‘About one hundred million years.’
    ‘And when does it come back in?’
    ‘Oh, every twelve hours or so.’
    ‘How very intriguing,’ said Mother.

Chapter Four

    In Which I Have a Curious Encounter, and a Light Breakfast.
    Our suite of rooms was at the very top of one of Starcross’s airy turrets. One reached it by climbing a long spiral of stairs, a perfect cataract of blood-red carpet, barred with gilt stair-rods. You would hardly believe the view which we had from our sitting room! I flung wide the windows and stepped out on to the wrought-iron balcony outside, gazing up in wonder at a skyfull of tumbling asteroids.