Page 36 of The Secret Christmas Bookshop
‘Yes, Sophie,’ Fiona said. ‘Get Harry to come and retrieve his rampaging goat.’
Sophie looked at the sweetly dressed animal chewing happily on his carrot, and stifled a laugh as she took out her phone and found Harry’s number.
He picked up on the third ring. ‘Sophie!’ He sounded out of breath.
‘Um, Felix is on Birdie’s shed roof,’ she said. ‘Hello, by the way.’
‘Fuck,’ Harry said emphatically. ‘He’s chewed through the fence again. I was searching for him, but I didn’t know where …’ He exhaled. ‘Birdie’s shed is a whole lot better than I thought it would be, but still.’
‘Fuck?’ Sophie tried.
‘Exactly that. Give me five minutes.’
‘See you soon.’ They hung up, and Sophie realized everyone was watching her. ‘He’ll be here in five minutes,’ she announced, and Dexter’s shoulders sagged with relief.
‘Have you got Harry Anderly at your beck and call?’ Fiona asked, amused. She still had her arms wrapped around Lucy, who was looking worriedly up at Felix.
‘He’s hardly at my beck and call,’ Sophie scoffed. ‘He’s only coming because his goat has escaped.’
‘He dotes on little Felix,’ Birdie said. ‘After Oliver, Felix’s brother, died so young, I think he let him live in the house.’
‘Felix had a brother?’ Sophie glanced at the goat. ‘Poor thing.’
‘I was only going to make one jumper, but Harry likes to indulge him and I love to knit, and—’
‘And now he’s repaying you by eating your veg,’ Dexter said, joining them on the patio.
Felix had lain down and was looking serene, like a fluffy white king on his shed throne.
‘A tiny proportion of my veg,’ Birdie said. ‘He’s done no harm, really. It’s good to see my harvest being appreciated.’
‘Your harvest is always appreciated,’ Fiona said.
‘Do you want a stall at the street festival?’ Sophie asked.
Birdie peered at her. ‘You mean I can sell my chutneys and jams?’
‘Anything you want,’ Sophie said.
‘Not your herb … concoctions,’ Fiona cut in. ‘Not unless they’re harmless.’
‘All my concoctions heal,’ Birdie said. ‘None of them are harmful. But I will stick to the jams and chutneys. Thank you for asking me – Winnie never let me.’
‘Winnie thinks you’re a practising witch,’ Dexter said matter of factly, then his face fell as Lucy, who was supposedly still agonizing over Felix, gave the older woman a curious look.
‘Awitch?’ Her voice was breathless with excitement.
‘No, Luce—’ Dexter started.
‘Do you want me to show you my book of magic?’ Birdie asked.
‘Ohmygod yes please!’ Lucy squealed. Her dad tipped his head back and groaned.
‘All harmless.’ Birdie patted Dexter’s arm, and he shot her a look that was half irritated, half amused.
Birdie held her hand out and Lucy abandoned Fiona, and her distress about Felix, to go inside with her.
‘I don’t think Birdie’s as worried about Felix being here as we are,’ Fiona said, once they’d disappeared.
