In their bedroom, Jessie went to her camp bed and knelt down whilst Dave had a good sniff about. Jessie put her hand in her pillowcase, had a little rummage around, pulled out her hand and held up a diamond ring. The light caught it just at that moment making it sparkle like a star.
‘Bloody he … Where did you find that?’ asked Zach, attempting to snatch it from Jessie’s fingers. Jessie pulled her hand away quickly and the ring pinged out of her grasp and sailed into the air. They all watched it spin, fall, bounce on the carpet and land between Dave’s front paws.
‘Noooo!’ yelled Zach, making a dive for the ring as Dave bent his head towards it.
Zach landed half on the camp bed, sending it toppling over on top of him, but, as it did so, he managed to close his hands around the ring and roll over like a cricketer taking a crucial catch. He grinned up at Lottie and a confused-looking Dave and Jessie. ‘I got it,’ he said from underneath the camp bed.
‘Brilliant,’ said Lottie, lowering her voice. ‘I have an idea for your proposal – and it might just work.’
Chapter Thirty-Six
A taxi pulled into the snowy driveway and crept up to the house. Lottie saw its headlights from an upstairs window so she was waiting at the front door by the time its doors opened. Dayea stepped out, paid the driver and scurried inside.
‘Is everything okay?’ asked Lottie, trying to read Dayea’s face.
‘Yes, yes,’ said Dayea. ‘My Bernard is getting better.’ Lottie was relieved. She shut the door behind Dayea as she stamped her feet to remove the snow. ‘I needed my car,’ she said, pointing over her shoulder.
‘But you’ll have a cup of tea first and update us, won’t you?’ asked Lottie.
Dayea checked her watch. ‘I do not have long. I don’t want to miss visiting.’
‘Of course.’
‘Hello,’ said an overly jolly Zach as he strode through the hallway brandishing a toolbox. ‘I’ve got a trellis to fix,’ he added and Dayea gave him a puzzled look. It wasn’t an obvious job to be doing at dusk in December.
‘Here,’ said Lottie, handing him a large cardboard box. ‘You’ll need to check them all first.’
‘Got it,’ he said, taking the box from Lottie and disappearing.
Dayea was frowning after him. ‘Don’t worry about him,’ said Lottie. ‘You warm up by the fire and I’ll bring you a drink.’
Dayea shook her head. ‘Bernard needs some more of his things,’ she said. She went upstairs and Lottie went to make yet more drinks.
After a few minutes Dayea joined Lottie in the kitchen and plonked down Bernard’s old case.
Lottie nodded at the case. ‘Just a few things?’ she said, passing Dayea her drink and offering her a biscuit.
‘He does not want to come back here. He calls it …’ She squinted with thought and Lottie wondered what she was about to say. ‘Time for new start.’
Lottie was relieved. ‘Yes, I think that’s very wise.’
‘Bernard is worried about Duchess.’
‘Oh, she’s fine,’ said Lottie, glancing around the kitchen. She hadn’t seen her since the cake squashing incident, but she expected she was about somewhere. She was touched that in Bernard’s current state he was thinking about Nana’s cat.
‘Bernard worries they’ll give her to a cat rescue.’
Lottie involuntarily drew in a deep breath. It hadn’t crossed her mind but Bernard was probably right. Neither Daniel or Angie were known for their caring sides. It wasn’t just Bernard and Lottie who were about to be made homeless. ‘I’ll look after her, Dayea. Please tell Bernard not to worry.’ Lottie wasn’t sure how because she had nowhere to go either. But she wouldn’t see the poor cat dumped in a rescue centre. And anyway, Lottie was fond of cats. She admired their egocentricity. Shewished she could be just a little bit like the Duchess and occasionally put herself before everyone else. And at least when she was talking to the cat she didn’t appear quite as crazy as she would if she was talking entirely to herself.
‘Or Duchess could come live with us.’ Dayea peeped over her mug.
‘Oh,’ said Lottie. ‘Well I’m sure she’d love that too.’
Dayea beamed. ‘I can take her now. Then she be there to welcome Bernard.’ It appeared she had thought this through.
‘Um.’ It all felt too quick to Lottie. ‘I’m not sure where she is.’And I don’t want to be completely on my own when everyone departs tomorrow morning, thought Lottie, feeling a bit selfish. ‘How about you get Bernard settled first, then I’ll bring her over?’
‘If you think that is best.’ Dayea looked disappointed. Lottie wasn’t entirely sure how two people and a cat in one tiny caravan would fit, anyway.
