‘You can give him a carrot too,’ offered Theo.
I barely had time to take it from him before Heathcliff had snatched it away and devoured it. I laughed.
‘They’re your favourite, are they, Heathcliff? I’ll have to get some more next time I go to town.’
Finally, I was rewarded with a proper smile from Theo.
‘I thought you’d like him.’
‘I like all animals, but he is super. He’s very furry.’
‘It’s his winter coat, it’s not so big in the summer.’
‘Talking of winter coats, I’m getting cold, aren’t you?’ He nodded. ‘Shall we go back to the house for that tea Coco’s making?’ He nodded again and I whistled to Runcible, who gladly came running over, giving Heathcliff a wide berth. We set off. ‘I’m sorry to hear that he was badly treated,’ I said. ‘And I’m glad your aunt rescued him. I don’t understand why people are unkind to animals.’
‘Neither do I!’ replied Theo fiercely. ‘Animals are much better than us – they aren’t cruel or confusing.’
There was a slight pause as we trudged over the hard ground.
‘Do you?’ I asked. ‘Find people confusing, that is?’
He shrugged.
‘Sometimes.’ He bent down to pick up Runcible and started muttering into her hairy ear. I sensed that I wasn’t going to get a lot more out of him this afternoon, but at least he seemed happier now. I pushed open the back door to see Alexander sitting at the table with Coco. He jumped up when we came in, a worried expression on his face.
‘Oh, there you are. Is everything okay?’
‘Yes, fine,’ I replied. ‘Shouldn’t it be? Oh, gosh, I’m so sorry, I borrowed your coat. I hope that’s all right.’
I quickly shrugged it off and handed it to him.
‘Thank you, of course I don’t mind. I mean, well, Theo, are you all right?’
He nodded.
‘Yes, I’m okay. I took Fallon to meet Heathcliff and she gave him a carrot. Can I go and watch TV?’
‘Yes, yes, of course.’
Theo disappeared and Alexander turned to me, a look of amazement on his face.
‘What on earth did you do?’
‘Do?’Had I upset him by going out alone with Theo?‘Sorry, we just took Runcible out for a quick walk and met that lovely donkey. I’m really sorry if you’d rather I hadn’t.’
I took a very welcome hot cup of tea from Coco and sat down.
Alexander looked at Coco, who raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
‘No, Fallon,’ he said. ‘It’s not that at all. I’m happy that the two – or should I saythree– of you went out. It’s just that, well, Theo had a hard time this morning with his friend, as you know, and it can sometimes take him a couple of days to get over something like that happening. Not only do you seem to have snapped him out of it, but he’s taken you to meet Heathcliff. He never, ever takes anyone there: none of his friends, no one.’
I was starting to feel awkward and stood up again.
‘Well, I’m glad he’s all right. And I didn’t do or say anything special; I wouldn’t know how to. I think I’ll take this upstairs – it’s not long before I need to get ready for the party.’
I nipped out quickly, before I could be asked any more questions about what had just happened. I walked past Theo contentedly watching a programme about hawks, and out into the hallway, which was a different scene from when I had last gone through it twenty minutes ago. Now the front door stood open, and I could see a large van outside, from which people were ferrying crates of glasses, chairs and, unsurprisingly inthe circumstances, a life-size cutout of Sean Connery. I swerved around them and jogged up the stairs, grateful that I didn’t have to get involved. As I reached my room, there was a movement by my feet, and I saw Runcible there.
‘Come on,’ I said. ‘Let’s get some rest before tonight.’
