Page 30 of The Wedding Dress Repair Shop
‘I know, that’s why I was about to ring you, because of Golightly: will you be down before I leave, so you can take him back with you?’
There was a slight pause. ‘I was ringing because I hoped you could take him on,’ she said. ‘He can’t come here because my sister has Patterdale terriers and they’re little devils for chasing cats. Anyway, to be honest, I’m not that fond of him! As you know, he just came unexpectedly with the flat.’
‘Oh,’ I said blankly. ‘Well, that’s a non-starter now I’m moving too, so whatareyou going to do with him?’
Golightly had oozed back in and was sitting bolt upright on the other armchair, giving me a narrow-eyed look as if he was aware we were discussing his future.
‘I really don’t know … unless perhaps you could take him to a cat rescue place before you go?’ she suggested.
I looked at Golightly again and he pulled one of his hideous faces at me, which was not the kind of thing that would endear him to potential new owners. Besides, he was an old boy and had already had to start again with Miss McNabb when his previous owner left him behind.
‘Or … perhaps you could take him with you,’ she suggested hopefully.
‘Take him with me? I don’t think he’d like that, especiallysince I’ll be living in a small cottage in a town centre with no garden.’
‘But he can’t get down into the garden now, and he isn’t really an outside cat,’ she pointed out, which was true because the fire escape was the sort that had to be let down manually from my level to the ground.
‘But he likes sitting on the fire escape and watching what’s going on,’ I said. ‘And he wouldn’t even have that. And you know what he’s like – he hates change of any kind and would probably scream his head off for days, if not weeks.’
‘Oh, well, it will have to be a cat rescue centre then,’ she said. ‘If you could possibly take him I’d be very grateful, and I’d pay for a taxi, of course.’
It all sounded a bit cold-blooded and, at that inconvenient moment, I suddenly realized I’d managed to become attached to the weird creature who haunted my flat. I wasn’t sure I could bear to stuff him into his travel basket and dump him in a cat rescue centre, probably never to be adopted.
Before I knew what I was saying, I’d agreed to take him with me to Lancashire.
I must have lost my senses, though the cheerful young man who came to view the flat the very next morning hadn’t, because he said he’d give me the full asking price, so long as Golightly, who had been deterred from his usual escape by heavy rain, was not included.
Rosa-May
Piers released me immediately and, though I was relieved to be free, I felt the utmost mortification at being found in such a situation. Without staying to hear what the squire might say, I fled for home.
The squire rode down after dinner and was closeted with Papa in the study for some time.
I was extremely apprehensive, but when the expected summons came, I was not called upon to defend myself, for Piers had taken the whole blame on himself – as well he might! He had told his father that he had fallen headlong in love with me on the evening I played the role of Titania and, on coming upon me alone in the rose garden had, with no encouragement from me, decided to declare his undying passion on the spot.
It was fortunate that Mr Taggart had arrived in time to see me box his son’s ears and my attempts to repulse him, for it lent truth to the tale.
‘His intentions may have been honourable, but Piers, as a younger son with his education to complete and his way to make in the world, is in no position to marry, even were the match a suitable one,’ said the squire.
‘I certainly do not aspire to such an unequal match and, I assure you, I have never shown Piers the least encouragement. The thought never even entered my head,’ I said, my voice trembling despite my best efforts, for Papa still looked like the Wrath of God. ‘I hope nothing I inadvertently said gave him to believe I would welcome his attentions, sir.’
‘No, I don’t expect you did,’ the squire said, looking at me kindly. ‘The trouble is, you have suddenly turned so deuced pretty, you have turned the silly young cub’s head!’
When he had gone, Papa gave me a long and severe lecture on all the faults he perceived in my character and demeanour, but otherwise did not punish me.
But the upshot was that my schoolroom days were at an end: I was no longer to share in Kitty’s lessons, but instead stay home until a suitable situation could be found for me.
My godmother, Lady Bugle – a distant relation of Mama’s – was appealed to for advice and she being at that time without a companion, I was to be packed off to Bath forthwith, to fill this post.
I had only once met Lady Bugle, despite her being my godmother, and on this occasion she had struck me as autocratic and coldly formal in her manner, although my heart had been somewhat softened towards her by the gift of a topaz cross on a gold chain, which was still my only ornament.
This recollection made me hope that she had a warmer heart than appearances suggested.
*
Piers having been sent to visit friends for the rest of the Long Vacation, I was permitted to go to the Grange to say goodbye to Kitty, after which I had a brief interview with Squire Taggart, who, tomy complete astonishment, bestowed upon me a purse containing ten guineas as a parting gift! This seemed to me such riches beyond compare that I could barely stammer out my thanks.
He seemed pleased, though, and pinched my cheek, saying I was a taking little puss, before adding, on hearing Mrs Taggart’s voice outside the door, that we need not tell his good lady of the money: it would be a little secret between us.
