"This was the Queen's hidden route to take when she had to arrive at the sabha (royal court)," said Kunta Bai, head of housekeeping at the Ahilya Fort Heritage Hotel. She was giving me a personally guided tour of the royal property, with stories about all its nooks and quarters. Kunta Bai had been with the family for over 40 years, having also raised Prince Yeshwant Rao Holkar, son of Prince Richard Holkar who restored the fort to its current state. "You can ask me anything you want to know about this place," she gave me an indulgent smile before leading the way.