Chapter 2

Miranda and Valerie sat on the plane as it taxied into Heathrow Airport.

Valerie Hampton was the biological daughter of Robert and Sonya Hampton.

The Hampton's were the last foster home in which Miranda had been placed when she was 16. It wasn't easy for any of them, with Miranda's past and her distrust of people it was quite an undertaking to get Miranda to open up to them and feel at home. It was Valerie that eventually broke through the walls that Miranda had built up around herself and they have been best friends ever since.

Neither of them had ever left the states and they were excited to be going on such an adventure. Miranda however, could not shake the feeling that there was more to this inheritance than met the eye.

Still taking in the sights as they left the plane, they had almost missed the gentlemen standing holding a sign that read:

Miranda Adler
And
Guest

The limousine ride to the Raddison Edwardian Hotel was uneventful.

They enjoyed the sights, the tall buildings, and old Victorian homes on the way. The Raddison Edwardian is a 5 star Hotel off the A4 road near Heathrow, very expensive and glamorous. This had to have been the most impressive sight either of them had seen yet on this journey. That is until they saw their room. Upon entering they were in a large seating area with 2 plush chairs and a couch. To the right was a fully functional and stocked kitchen and to the left the bedroom with large king sized 4 poster bed. Just off the bedroom was the bathroom. This was no typical bathroom either. Where a tub/shower should be there was what appeared to be a small swimming pool sized structure that easily could seat 8 or so people along the edges without touching.

Valerie tipped the bellhop then closed the door behind him. The two girls just stood and stared at each other in disbelief for a few minutes then both grabbed a suitcase and headed for the bedroom.

"Valerie, I was going to jump in the tub for a soak. It would be a shame to waste all that water on just myself. Why don't you join me?" Miranda winked at her companion, then turned and headed into the bathroom.

Adjusting the water to just the right temperature, she started to get undressed. As she pulled her sweater over her head she noticed a brass knob on the wall. "What does this do?" She muttered to herself out loud, then turned the knob. Slowly the water in the tub started to bubble up and the more she turned the knob the faster the bubbling got. Then she noticed another knob and turned it as well.

She found that depending on which way she turned it, the lights over the tub would dim or get brighter. She adjusted the water to a medium bubble and the lights to a low romantic glow then finished undressing and got into the tub.