‘But, what if we get into trouble?’ Toby was still afraid of doing anything wrong. Claire and Jonathan often said they wished that he would, because it would show he felt safe with them. I wondered if that was why George was naughty, because he certainly didn’t listen to me, but maybe he feltsafe with me? It was a strange kind of logic but I found humans tended to that.
‘I’ll say I made you come with me, don’t worry.’ Henry was generally a well-behaved boy, and the fact he was willing to take the blame for Toby showed that.
‘OK, but only for a little while?’
I toyed with the idea of following them to the beach, but there were a couple of things stopping me. Firstly, George had fallen asleep under the bush, when he was supposed to be looking for Chanel, so I didn’t want to be too far from him. And secondly, I felt that if anything happened to the kids, I should be nearby so I could get an adult quickly. I took up my place on the lawn, and had a lovely view to where the children were building elaborate sandcastles. I saw Henry leading a hesitant Toby across the road. I was pleased to see how they looked both ways before doing so. I had learnt to cross the road the hard way — almost getting hit by cars is no fun, I can tell you. I saw Aleksy look a bit reluctant as they joined them and the local children, but in the end both boys got onto their knees and started digging.
All my children were bronzed by the sun, they all looked so healthy, and I could see what Claire meant about this seaside living. I sat up a bit straighter as I saw the group being approached by Savannah and Serafina. Of course, despite my excellent hearing I couldn’t make anything out but I saw them looking cross, folding their arms. I saw Aleksy standing in front of Tommy, who could be a little aggressive when pushed. I saw Toby’s face crumble — he hated any kind of argument — and the local children looked as if they didn’t know what to do. I thought about moving closer but then I thought, perhaps I should get an adult. Before I had time to decide, one of the girls had thrown sand at Toby and he was crying. Aleksy grabbed him in a hug and I saw Tommy throw sand back at the girls. I ran as fast as I could inside the house. I saw Franceska first, and I meowed, yelped and yowled, running round in circles as fast as I could, which was my way of telling them they were needed. Summer and Martha were watching television and I guessed Claire and Polly were still upstairs sorting out the mess.
‘What’s wrong, Alfie?’ Franceska said and I ran outside. I knew she would follow me. As she did, she stood on the lawn and I yowled again.
‘Oh goodness, what’s going on?’ she said as she saw them. Toby was crying in Aleksy’s arms and Savannah and Serafina were running off. ‘Those boys were not supposed to leave the garden,’ she added.
She ran across the road and I saw that she said something to all the children before she took Toby and Henry’s hands and started back towards the house. Aleksy and Tommy followed her, looking downcast. I saw the other children wave them off, looking sad.
‘What’s wrong?’ Claire asked, coming out to the garden. ‘I saw you out of the bedroom window, Toby, you weren’t supposed to go to the beach without a grown-up.’ She grabbed Toby and hugged him, as her words gushed out.
‘It’s my fault,’ Henry said. ‘I made him come with me.’
Polly had joined them by now.‘Henry, you are in big trouble,’ she said. ‘Go inside and up to your room to think for now and I’ll be up in a bit.’
Henry slunk off.
‘What happened, Aleksy?’ Franceska asked, sounding concerned.
‘Henry and Toby came over and I told them they shouldn’t but they begged us to stay. And we were building this really cool sandcastle but the mean girls came over and they were taunting us all, being horrible, and then they threw sand at Toby and it went in his eyes,’ Aleksy explained.
‘So I threw sand back and then they said that we were horrible and they couldn’t wait until we all left,’ Tommy added.
‘Come on, Toby, let’s go and get your eyes washed out,’ Claire said, lifting the crying boy up and taking him inside. ‘But that’s why you shouldn’t go to the beach without an adult,’ she added.
‘The thing is, Mum,’ Aleksy said when Toby was inside. ‘I think that they knew Toby was the most likely to get upset, as they kept picking on him.’
‘That’s not nice. Do you think we should go and see Andrea?’ Franceska asked.
‘Hey, I think I’ll go,’ said Polly. ‘You know Claire gets so upset for Toby and, well, I’m better at confrontation. Can you go and check on Henry for me? Tell him I will deal with him later.’
‘Of course, come inside now, boys, Summer and Martha are in the living room, so can you go and sit with them,’ Franceska said, taking them inside.
Polly took a deep breath and walked off. I went to the hedge where George had woken up and resumed his vigil.
‘Have you seen her?’ I asked.
‘No, I must have fallen asleep.’
‘Right, well Polly is going to see Andrea, there’s been a huge drama with the kids.’ I explained everything to George. We both decided to risk going nearer the house, as soon as Polly arrived, but we stayed hidden behind a rose bush by the front door. Polly knocked on the door.
‘Hello.’ Andrea opened the door. She was wearing a pink dress, high heels and full make-up and in her arms was Chanel. The Persian must have sensed us as she tensed and sniffed around.
‘She’s so pretty,’ George breathed before I shushed him.
‘Andrea. We have a problem. Your daughters threw sand at one of the children, who is now having his eyes washed out. They also said some horrible things. Now I know you want Seabreeze Cottage and you don’t like us but children should not be dragged into this.’ Polly didn’t hold back or beataround the bush. I was proud of her.
‘My girls wouldn’t have done that. And anyway, your children are being mean to them. They are playing with their friends and excluding them,’ Andrea replied.
‘Surely you’re not that stupid? They’ve tried to stop the local children playing with them, they’ve been saying terrible things and also now throwing sand. I know this is what happened and let me tell you, if it happens again I’m—’
‘What? Are you threatening me?’ Andrea interrupted. Chanel had spotted George’s tail and was yowling and yelping like her owner.
‘You’re not going to win, and neither are your children,’ Polly hissed, sounding as upset as Chanel.
‘We’ll see about that. If your children are scared of mine, well then they won’t want to stay in the house, will they?’
‘God, I knew you were a witch but someone who will involve their children in something like this is despicable.’
‘I want that house, and nothing is going to stop me getting it.’ Andrea’s brows furrowed furiously — even I was scared.
‘We’ll see about that.’ Polly turned and stormed off.
Chanel managed to hiss at us before Andrea carried her back inside and slammed the front door.
That evening Seabreeze Cottage was not a happy place. The children were downhearted by what had happened that day: Toby was still upset, Henry sorry that he’d gone to the beach when he shouldn’t, and Aleksy and Tommy were sad that their lovely afternoon playing with their new friends had ended so badly. Only Summer, Martha and George were happy but they didn’t really understand what had gone on.
The adults weren’t faring any better. Liam was still fixing the wall in Claire’s bedroom when the children were put to bed, and so Polly asked him and Colin to leave. Claire would have to sleep in one of the smaller rooms for the night, as would I. When they’d gone, the three of them sat in kitchen drinking wine.
‘God, that woman. I swear she is so calm and cold, and she acts as if she’ll stop at nothing to get this house,’ Polly fumed. She hadn’t mentioned her encounter with Andrea until the children were safely in bed.
‘God, she’s ridiculous, fancy involving the children. What kind of person does that?’ Claire stormed.