Page 3 of Atticus Arnott's Great Adventure
‘Alright,’ Ali laughed. ‘Maybe the cow will jump over the moon before your dad leaves hisland.’
‘He’ll only leave in the back of a hearse and return to be scattered over the hills,’ Mungo added.
‘Don’t dwell on the past,’ Ali said with a reassuring smile. ‘Barn Hill Farm is thriving, and it’s all thanks to you. The local community is grateful for all the jobs you’ve created.’
Mungo looked at Ali and couldn’t imagine what he’d have done without her. Atticus refused to get involved in the business and the responsibility for Mungo weighed heavily.
In her fifties, Ali had retired from a successful career as a finance director at a London bank after the sudden passing of her husband, a lawyer. Needing a complete change, she moved to Cumbria, but living on the land wasn’t the country dream Ali envisaged, and bored with gardening and coffee mornings, she’d jumped at the chance when Mungo offered her a job. She missed the pace of business and told friends, ‘My job keeps me young and my mind sharp.’ Relishing the opportunity to keep the farm’s finances in check, Ali ran everything smoothly.
‘I’m looking forward to seeing Mary again,’ Ali said, glancing up from her computer. ‘What time does she arrive?’
‘Late afternoon.’
‘Is she driving?’ she asked.
‘Aye, she has more baggage than any airline can handle,’ Mungo replied.
‘Four kids for a month takes a lot of juggling,’ Ali said with a grin. ‘But Mary landed on her feet when she crossed the Irish Sea.’
‘I don’t think a weekend at a gourmet food festival in Kindale was meant to include marriage, but she certainly did well,’ Mungo agreed.
He remembered how upset he’d been when his sister finished her studies in business management, went off for a girls’ weekend, and never returned. They’d been close growing up, but once Mary left home and Mungo went off to pursue his career in computing, the pair became distant. When Mary fell in love with her husband, Conor, at the food festival, it led to her working with him. As their love blossomed, so did Conor’s estate agency business.
‘Good for her,’ Ali added. ‘It’s great that she returns to Cumbria each summer, so you’ll all be together.’
Mungo nodded. Ali was right. Having Mary backwasgood, and the kids loved having their cousins around. Mary and Helen were the best of friends, too.
If only his dad could summon the same enthusiasm when the family reunited.
Mungo spotted Atticus crossing the yard and tapped on the window, waving to get his attention. Ness wagged her tail, but Atticus stomped his boots on the cobbles, oblivious to everything around him. Pushing open the door to his cottage, he disappeared inside.
Mungo sighed, picked up a pen, and turned to Ali. ‘Before we are overwhelmed with visitors from across the sea, shall we get on with the day?’
Chapter Two
‘Kids, get in the car!’ Mary Murphy yelled at her brood, shoving the last suitcase into the back of her Range Rover before leaning on the door with a sigh. She patted the pocket of her faded blue jeans to check for her phone, then headed to the driver’s side, where Finn was slouched.
‘Back seat, pal,’ she said, gesturing with her thumb and gently nudging her son.
Finn, bleary-eyed, let out a long yawn. ‘I wanna ride upfront,’ the nine-year-old grumbled.
‘Not happening,’ Mary replied. ‘Caitlin’s already claimed the passenger seat, and she’s helping me with directions.’
Finn scowled at his older sister as he climbed in beside Maeve and Declan, who were fighting over a bag of sweets. Caitlin, as smug as only a sixteen-year-old can be when winning a war over a younger sibling, stuck out her tongue. But Finn was irritable and, wrenching five-year-old Declanout of the way, punched Caitlin on the shoulder. Declan began to howl and kicked out at Finn, who returned the assault with an elbow in Declan’s tummy.
‘Mam! Mam!’ Declan shrieked, squeezing tears from his blotchy eyes.
‘Belt up, all of you, now!’ Mary yelled. ‘Maeve, hand out those sweets.’
Maeve tossed the sweets to Finn. ‘You’ll all get fat,’ she remarked, flipping open her phone to examine her pouting reflection. At thirteen, Maeve was always aware of her appearance and glued to social media, where her dream of becoming an influencer consumed most of her thoughts.
‘All set?’ Mary asked, straightening the collar of her cream silk blouse. She turned her head to check that the seatbelts were fastened as her children settled in for the journey ahead. Satisfied, she started the engine and eased the Range Rover slowly out of the driveway of Belvedere House.
‘Why can’t Daddy come?’ Declan whined, clutching his teddy as he gazed out of the window. He waved the stuffed animal at his father, who stood in his pyjamas, bleary-eyed on the front steps, watching them leave.
‘Because your daddy needs more sleep and has to go to work.’ Mary raised her hand and blew a kiss to Conor, her husband.
‘I wish Daddy was coming too,’ Caitlin griped, wriggling further into her seat as she folded her arms.
