‘No, really, I don’t think so.’
‘Oh, please. It’s so unfair. Daddy treats me like a prisoner. At least in hospital I could see the other children on the ward. Sometimes I wish I was still in hospital.’
‘You don’t mean that, Caroline,’ Laura said, sounding upset.
‘Don’t I? I didn’t like being so ill, but at least it wasn’t boring.’
For a minute, Laura stood there in the doorway, blocking my entrance, looking down at me but blinking fast like she had dust in her eyes.
‘OK, Oliver,’ she muttered suddenly, standing back so that I could run inside. ‘If he finds out, and starts on me again like last time, he can have my notice.’
I didn’t know which notice she was talking about. One of the ones on the notice board, I supposed. I didn’t care. I was just glad to be in the warm, cuddling up to Caroline again and seeing her smile.
So now I reasoned I was safe to go back to the Big House again, as long as I went in the middle of the day. And Caroline and I had such a lovely time in that nice warm room with the thick carpet and the comfy sofa. We played with a cotton reel, and a pencil tied to a length of string. Despite all the sophisticated cat toys your humans might buy you, Charlie, you can’t beat a good old-fashioned bit of string for some jumping up with all four paws off the floor, or some rolling on your back with your paws in the air. You know the kind of thing. When Caroline got tired, we snuggled together on the sofa under the pink blanket and listened to Laura reading us a story. I was just happy to be allowed to cheer her up again.
That Saturday, I didn’t see much of Daniel, because he’d gone off with his new box of tools in his car, to work on the farmer’s truck. I spent a bit of time with Nicky to keep her company. She seemed happier. She told me she’d been round to Louise and Dave’s house to meet their children, and that they seemed ‘lovely’.
‘We’ve decided I’m going to accept the job, Ollie,’ she said, giving me a hug. ‘Oh, I do hope we’re doing the right thing. I’ve got to hand in my notice at the nursery. I feel a bit sick thinking about it, but Dan says it’s going to be the best thing for me and the baby, and I’m sure he’s right. It’s just such a big change. I can still hardly believe I’m doing it. I wonder what my parents will say,’ she added in a different tone of voice. ‘They’re bound to think I’m mad to give up such a good job.’
I was still at their house, asleep in the chair nearest the fire again, when Daniel finally arrived home just as it was getting dark.
‘You must be worn out,’ Nicky sympathised. ‘Did you manage to finish the job?’
‘Yep, all done, road tested and left in perfect running order,’ he said happily, pulling off his boots. ‘The guy was so pleased, he not only paid me, he’s promised us a free turkey too.’
‘A free turkey?’ Nicky echoed.
‘Yes, he’s a poultry farmer. I’ve got to pick it up on Christmas Eve. It’ll be plucked and oven ready for us.’
‘Oh, Dan, that’s wonderful. I’d been doing a reckon-up of our bills and trying to work out whether we could afford to get a cheap one from the supermarket.’
‘This’ll be much nicer, Nick, and bigger. It’ll last us all week. Now we’ve got the turkey, the pudding and the wine,’ he said, giving her a hug. ‘I wonder what I can get from my next client.’
She laughed. ‘Well, don’t count your chickens – or should I say your turkeys. You haven’t got another client yet. Although, if you put that advert up…’
‘Actually,’ he said, a note of pride in his voice, ‘I’ve got another job lined up already. Rob, the farmer, has recommended me to a friend of his. He’s a gardener and handyman whose van needs a bit of attention. Should be a quick, easy job. I’ve got a day’s leave to take before Christmas so I’ll book him in in a couple of days’ time.’
‘Oh, Dan, that’s amazing. Each job has led to another one. You must be doing something right.’
‘Well, it’s made me realise how nice people are, around here. They’re all saying they like to give work to local people and help each other. I’m just really grateful for the chance to do a bit of my tinkering again.’
‘And get paid for it. Anyway, go and have a hot bath, and put those greasy clothes in the washing machine. I’ve got a shepherd’s pie ready to go in the oven.’
‘Lovely. I’m starving.’ He kissed her. ‘You’re an angel.’
She giggled. ‘And you’re freezing cold, and filthy dirty. Go on, clean up.’
He was whistling as he went upstairs. I was actually really pleased to hear it.
So a couple of days later, when I was making my way up the drive of the Big House to play with Caroline, I noticed a car parked by the garage that looked exactly like Daniel’s. When I got a bit closer, I nearly jumped in the air with surprise. It was Daniel’s! And there he was, standing just inside the garage doors, talking to the man called Harry. I hid under a shrub and wriggled closer so that I could hear what they were saying.
‘Really pleased you could fit me in so quickly, mate,’ Harry said. ‘Rob told me you did a fantastic job on his truck. Good to know there’s someone in the village now that we can call on. Been in the business long, have you?’
‘Well, to be honest,’ Daniel said, ‘it’s not my full time job. Kind of a sideline, really.’
‘Pity. I bet you’d get a lot of work around here if you set yourself up in business. There’s no one else local, and who wants to take their car to those rip-off big companies in town? Anyway, look, the van just needs a tune-up for now, but there’s a bit of bodywork damage here that I wouldn’t mind getting sorted out at some point. Do you get involved with that? Panel beating and respraying?’
‘Absolutely,’ Daniel said, sounding so excited, anyone would think he’d been offered a bowl of meaty-chunks. ‘Would you like me to quote you for doing that, while I’m here?’
‘Yeah, would you do that, please, mate? I’d be glad to get it done. Right, I’ll leave you to it, then – I’ve got to get on. His Lordship wants some holly and ivy cut today to decorate the place for Christmas. And there’s a Christmas tree to carry indoors. Bloody Jack-of-all-trades here, I am. Still, he’s generous with the pay, so I’ve got no complaints.’
He turned in my direction to head towards the wooded area of the grounds, just as I’d sneaked out from under my shrub to run across the lawn to the house.
‘Morning, Oliver,’ he called out cheerfully.
Laura had obviously let him in on the secret that I was visiting again. The angry father wouldn’t be there today, I was sure of it, but for a minute I froze, looking from him to Daniel and back again, swishing my tail anxiously.
‘Ollie!’ Daniel said in surprise. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Is he your cat?’ Harry asked.
‘No, he belongs to the pub, but my neighbour and I are looking after him, between us, until it’s rebuilt. I didn’t realise he wandered this far.’
‘Oh yes. We keep it quiet, mind.’ Harry laughed. ‘He comes to visit Caroline.’
‘Who?’
‘The daughter. She’s been ill, in hospital for ages – leukemia, poor kid. On the mend now, but her father’s kind of over-protective. He went potty when he found out Laura – that’s the nurse he’s hired for Caroline – had been letting the cat in. Thinks they carry germs, or something. But Oliver cheers the kid up so much, Laura gave in and let him in again. Caroline’s lonely, you see. She doesn’t see a soul, stuck in this house all day every day. For God’s sake keep this to yourself, or Laura will probably lose her job.’