Mum laughed. ‘They needed a break from looking after your grandfather. It was your cousin Fay who suggested Karen and Robert fly out for Christmas.’
Aunty Karen held aloft her cocktail. ‘Cheers, Rachel, and Merry Christmas.’
Uncle Robert chuckled as he held his drink up. ‘Be a good girl, Rachel.’
Irritation at my family made me prickle. I was here in Harp Brook with Grandpa, confined to the Manor House with a mad dog and a head full of worries about my sister, and they were all partying in Tenerife. I opened my mouth to start shouting about my cousin Fay when Grandpa yelled something from the kitchen. ‘Got to go, Mum. Bye.’
After ending the call, I went to shut the front door. It was an old, cumbersome door and tough to close. As I battled with the door something shot past my legs in a flash of chocolate brown. ‘Humphrey!’ I yelled, but it was too late. Maddie’s dog raced away up the driveway.
CHAPTERTEN
I chased Humphrey but gave up after he disappeared into a flurry of snowflakes. ‘Grandpa, Humphrey has escaped,’ I groaned, walking into the kitchen.
‘Sorry, Rachel,’ Grandpa said, ‘Humphrey stopped playing ball with me and his ears went up like two satellite receivers.’ Grandpa held up his two index fingers and wiggled them about. ‘That dog scooted out of the kitchen, and I knew he was about to run away.’
Layla giggled at Grandpa’s description. Resting my elbows on the marble work surface I placed my face into my hands. ‘They’ve been gone six minutes, and Maddie’s dog has run off.’
‘Ah, well,’ chuckled Grandpa, ‘leave him. He’ll come back when he’s hungry.’
‘He’s a dog, Grandpa, not a cat,’ I said, blowing the air out of my cheeks. ‘You can’t let dogs wander about anymore. I am blaming my mother, Fay, and that stupid door for this.’
‘What have your mother and Fay got to do with the dog?’ Grandpa asked, rising from a chair he’d been sitting on.
‘Mum rang me whilst I was watching Maddie and Frank leave. You’ll never guess what’s happened?’
Grandpa stared at me.
‘Aunty Karen and Uncle Robert have gone to Tenerife to spend Christmas with Mum and Gary. Fay suggested the idea. She’s so annoying. Why can’t she mind her own business in Australia?’
Grandpa walked over to the work surface where the kettle was. ‘You know where I would rather be?’ He turned and smiled. ‘Having tea with you two. Let’s have a cuppa and if the dog’s not back, the search party can begin. Layla – do you want a cup of tea?’
Her smile began to disappear. ‘I should be cleaning. Mr Baxter said…’
Grandpa waved his hand at her. ‘Mr Baxter has gone on holiday for three weeks. Rachel and I are in charge now. You look like you need a cuppa.’
I cast Grandpa a worried look. ‘Do you think we should be going after Humphrey?’
Grandpa was taking out three cups. ‘He might have nipped to the loo outside.’
The image of Humphrey bolting down the gravel drive, his large ears rotating as he ran, giving him more speed, appeared in my mind. ‘Humphrey was not going to the toilet.’
Grandpa gestured for me to take a seat. ‘Calm down, Rachel. Let’s have a cuppa.’
After taking a few sips of Grandpa’s tea my hunched shoulders sunk. ‘You have always made good tea.’
Layla took a sip and gave Grandpa the thumbs up. He nodded before taking a mouthful. ‘Tea making is one of my many talents. Being a Christmas dog sitter is going to be tough, so I’ll make sure we all have plenty of tea inside us.’
‘Tough?’ I exclaimed. ‘Grandpa, Humphrey has already bolted, and this is day one.’
Layla smiled and fiddled with the gold chain around her neck. I noticed a tiny L hanging from it. She had striking dark eyes that reminded me of black coffee. Her nails were long and a bold pink colour. On top of her head her black hair was coiled into a tight bun. The sides were perfect and smooth with not a strand out of place. She was wearing a pink sweatshirt, blue jeans, and white trainers.
‘Do you live locally, Layla?’ I asked, keen to know more about her.
She shook her head. Her young face had become creased and shadowy. ‘If you’d asked me a month ago, I would have said yes and that I live with my boyfriend, Ryan, in the flat above the Harp Brook Inn.’ Pausing, her fingers returned to playing with her chain. I sensed she was nervous. ‘We’ve split up and…’ She took a breath. ‘He threw me and my baby son out two weeks ago.’ After wiping her sweaty forehead, she took a mouthful of tea. ‘Zac’s biological dad never wanted to be involved so it’s always been just Zac and me.’
‘What?’ I gasped, glancing at Layla and her baby son in his travel cot. ‘Your boyfriend did that to you right before Christmas?’
‘That’s terrible,’ said Grandpa. ‘I’m so sorry, Layla.’
