Page 115 of Meet me at the Seaside Cottages

Verity comes bouncing over and stands in front of Essie, looking up at her.

‘Goodbye,’ she says, out loud, slowly and carefully. Thalia scowls.

Essie takes two fingers to the side of her nose and signs, ‘See you soon.’ And then they hug and Janey watches.

As the car drives off, Lowell is by her side. He can’t speak. She takes his hand and squeezes it firmly.

‘I just miss her so much,’ he says.

‘I know,’ says Janey. ‘But I once tried to keep something together that shouldn’t have been together. And that didn’t really work.’

He squeezes her hand back, and she sees tears glistening in his eyes. ‘I know,’ he says.

‘I think she’ll be up a lot more,’ says Janey. ‘Now she’s seen you’re not trying to cut her brain open.’

‘Oh, no, I did that, that’s why she’s so cheerful now.’

‘Lowell!’ and Janey is giggling. Although her smile fades a little as Ahmed comes up the path.

‘Okay,’ she says, ‘you’re about to get your house back. Are you going to miss them?’

The puppies are all trying to eat the bees that are buzzing around the wildflowers that have sprung up as Lowell has been short of time to work in the garden.

‘Am I going to miss sharing my space with seven farting carthorses? Not really,’ says Lowell.

‘Are you absolutely sure you’re not tempted?’

He shakes his head.

‘Really?’ Janey is sad. They’ve told the village that if anyone wants a dog, they should show up at two. There are already quite a few bids in for Freuchie.

‘Apart from Argyll, you mean?’ says Lowell, with another smile, and bends down. Argyll has her wet nose on his trousers. Janey hadn’t even noticed her. She seems to stick two inches away from her master at all times.

‘I never even saw her,’ says Janey. Lowell picks her up lovingly, even though she is now extremely ungainly, even as the smallest in the litter. She has a grey fringe over her eyes and a snout so long she looks like a cartoon and she gives Lowell several licks. He holds her gently while Ahmed gives the jabs with speedy efficiency, and stills her surprised whimper with soothing words and cuddles, while Felicity pads around the vet, looking confused and slightly irritated.

‘And you?’ he says in return.

‘Mum, you promised,’ says Essie.

‘Did I nothing promise!’ says Janey.

Essie picks up Bute, with her big fat flolloping bum, and brings her over. Bute is wildly excited by this turn of eventsand scrabbles around excitedly, clawing Essie thoroughly in the process.

‘Mu-um,’ says Essie in her most wheedling tone. ‘Can we have a dog? Can we? Can we?’

Excited, Bute barks loudly.

‘Oh, lord,’ says Janey. ‘I thought my life was supposed to getquieter.’

‘Great,’ says Essie. ‘Oh, I have to take Freuchie too.’

‘What?’

But before she can ask any more, Essie has disappeared with both dogs.

Janey and Lowell look at each other.

‘Who’s left?’ says Lowell. ‘Eriskay?’

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