Page 48 of A Brambleberry Manor Christmas
The week is drawing to a close. Soon, I’ll be driving awayfrom Brambleberry Manor for the very last time. The thought lingers in my mind,making me feel oddly wretched as I serve the three-course dinner alone, withoutFlo to organise me.
At last, everything is cleared away and I’m ready to go. Itold Fen earlier that I’d just get a taxi home, but she wouldn’t hear of it. SoI quickly phone her and she says she’ll meet me out front in five minutes.
As I’m standing by the main entrance, there’s a scuffling behindme and Wilbur comes flying down the stairs, scoots over to me, skidding alittle on the parquet flooring, and starts licking my shoes, which must becovered in tantalising scents from the kitchen.
Rhoda and Bob bring up the rear, Bob swinging a lead, both ofthem muffled up in big coats and scarves. And then Melanie runs down, back from her outing with Noah, also suitably dressed to give Wilbur his last doggy walk of the day.
‘Could you hold on to him, Jenny, while we get our wellies on?’asks Rhoda.
‘Of course!’ I take the lead she holds out with a smile, andWilbur immediately starts trying to drag me towards the door, clearly desperatefor his ‘walkies’ to get underway without further ado.
At last, the little party are ready to brave the chillynight and go out into the snow.
‘Why don’t you come with us?’ says Rhoda. ‘It’s a clearnight and there’s a full moon. We’ll hardly need torches if we stay on thelawn.’
I’m about to tell her I’m waiting for a lift. But then Fenappears at the top of the stairs and calls down, ‘Go with them if you like,Jenny. I think Noah and Fergus are planning to join you as well, Rhoda.’
‘Yes, they are,’ calls the older woman. She smiles. ‘Alittle too much whisky was drunk, I think, so I suggested they get some freshair.’
Bob snorts amiably. ‘Press-gangedthe poor lads intoit is more accurate.’
‘Yes, well, I really want them to see what we…’
‘The full moon!’ roars Bob, waggling his bushy eyebrows athis startled wife. ‘Yes, of course. Everyone likes gazing at the moon when it’sfull.’
Rhoda casts a glance at Melanie, who’s opening the door, andcovers her mouth with her hand, as if she almost gave the game away.
Fen, observing all this, laughs. ‘What on earth are you upto, Bob?’ She’s clearly as puzzled as I am by Rhoda and Bob’s odd behaviour.‘Right, I’m just getting changed, Jenny,’ she adds. ‘I’ll get the car out and I’lltake you back when you’re ready.’
‘Okay, thanks,’ I call back, and we all troop out into thesnow after Melanie, with Wilbur straining on his lead.
‘Ooh, it’s so spooky, isn’t it?’ murmurs Melanie in delight.I’m almost expecting a dark shape to emerge from the woods and scare the livingdaylights out of us.’
‘Like the Yeti, you mean?’ growls Bob in her left ear,making her shriek and hold her hand over her heart.
Wilbur is looking askance at Bob, clearly not used to hismaster making such a loud noise, and Melanie laughs. ‘Aww, Wilbur, it’s okay.Don’t worry. Bob’s just being very silly.’
‘That’s Bob all over,’ agrees Rhoda with a smile, and Idetect a hint of pride in her tone, which makes me feel all warm inside. Thosetwo are soulmates. No doubt about it.
Will that ever happen for me?
I thought I’d found my soulmate in Harvey, but now I think ofhim as more of asolemate – very fishy indeed…
‘Would you like to take Wilbur, Melanie?’ asks Bob, who’scurrently restraining the delightful little monster.
‘Ooh, yes, please. Come on, you.’
She reaches for the lead, but somehow, she misses it – andthe puppy, on the loose now, starts lolloping across the snowy vista, clearlydelighted to be free.
‘Oh, no,’ cries Melanie. ‘Don’t worry! I’ll grab him.’ Andshe starts running after him, her progress a little clumsy because of the snow.
‘Do your work, Wilbur,’ murmurs Bob with a mischievous glanceat his wife.
Rhoda smiles at my confusion. ‘You’ll find out in a minute.Bob’s been creating an art installation in the snow, especially for Melanie.She challenged us to scare her, and we couldn’t resist taking her up on it.’
‘We left a trail of treats for Wilbur so he’ll lead Melanieto the field,’ explains Bob.
‘The field?’
