‘Food? Larder?’
Ella nodded. She risked a look at Tess, in her bed, her head resting on her legs watching the two of them. The amber eyes looked up at her, trust shining in their depths.
Ella stared back at the furry black face and Tess tilted her head to one side with a quizzical look, the mobile eyebrows wriggling in consternation, the tongue lolling out of one sideand the black nose twitching with suspicion. Tess always seemed to know when something wasn’t right. Although she probably missed her owner and Mrs Bosworth probably missed her.
Tess rose and shook herself, crossing the kitchen floor to nuzzle at Ella’s hand.
‘Are you OK, dear?’
‘I-I just wasn’t expecting you to . . . You haven’t given me much notice. Her things . . . ’
Her mother tutted. ‘How much notice do you need? Honestly.’ She shook her head with amused exasperation. ‘It’s not like packing for a trip. She’s a dog, dear.’
‘It still would have been useful to know,’ Ella said petulantly, knowing she sounded ridiculous. ‘We might have been out on a walk. She might have needed cleaning up.’ Ella regretted not letting Tess jump in the water this morning.
‘But you weren’t,’ said her mother being totally, and completely annoyingly, reasonable.
‘But I might have been.’
Her mother pursed her lips. Ella knew she was pouting. It was like an unspoken tug of war.
‘Ella, you’re just being difficult now. I’m very grateful that you helped out with Tess. Clearly you didn’t want her and in hindsight it was a lot harder work than I first imagined. I still can’t believe she ate the whole of the rest of that joint. What a pickle. I know it’s been really tough on you and I’m sorry, we shouldn’t have asked you to have her without any warning. But it’s done you some good. You look great. And now she’s going back, which will make things so much easier for you. At least you’ve gained a bit of a glow with all that exercising her. So that’s one good thing.’
Ella scowled. Why was it her mother managed to make her feel about fifteen again?
‘Does she have to go now? Can’t I bring her over later?’
‘No. Pauline, Mrs Bosworth’s sister, drove up yesterday. She’s driving back to Kent this afternoon.’
‘Maybe I could take Tess down later.’
‘Why would you want to do that, Ella?’
‘Just to give Tess time to get used to the idea.’
Her mother stared at her as if she’d gone off her rocker.
‘Well . . . ’ Ella shrugged. ‘She’s clever. She knows.’
Her mother raised a sceptical eyebrow. ‘Really?’ She tapped her watch. ‘I need to get back.’ She softened her voice. ‘I’m sure you’ve got used to having her around but just think, you won’t be tied any more. No more crying in the night.’
‘She doesn’t do that now.’
‘No more stealing food, then.’
Ella looked down at Tess and raised her eyebrows at the dog. Never going to happen. Tess was always going to be an opportunist.
‘You can go off and do whatever you want. Besides I should think poor Mrs Bosworth is desperate to see her.’
Tess licked her hand and Ella remembered those heart-rending howls of the first few nights. Poor baby had been scared. Missing Mrs Bosworth. Not in her own home. Lost and afraid.
‘Sorry, Tess,’ she whispered, her fingers stroking the velvet softness of her ears as Tess leaned against her. She was being selfish. Tess already had an owner who loved her. Ella blinked back the stupid tears. She wasn’t being very fair. Mrs Bosworth had had Tess a lot longer than she had. She’d probably missed her dog terribly.
‘I’ll get her things,’ she said, not wanting to step away from the comforting weight against her leg. ‘Just let me wash these up. I bought her a new bowl. She was gulping her food down so quickly, which is why she always wanted more immediately, although she is a Lab,’ She ruffled the fur on Tess’s head. ‘Onebowl is never enough, is it?’ Ella carefully rinsed the new food bowl before drying it off.
‘Is that hygienic? I’d put that tea towel straight in the wash if I were you.’ Her mother eyed the cloth dubiously.
‘Devon recommended it. Make sure you tell Mrs Bosworth. It slows Tess down when she’s eating, so there’s time for her brain to send the signal that she’s had some food and it’s much better for her digestion.’
