Page 47 of Escape to the Country

Chapter 17

As Megan worked part-time cleaning at Willow Tree Hall on Monday and Friday, Eleanor was able to hitch a lift to the house with her the following morning.

After her accident the previous day, the bicycle was now completely unusable, which she was secretly quite grateful for. However, she was still a bit battered and bruised from her pole vault over the handlebars.

‘I never heard from Annie yesterday,’ she told Megan as she got into the car. ‘What with stray dogs and mangled bicycles. Any idea how much the walk raised?’

‘No idea yet,’ said Megan. ‘It’s probably good that Tom took the dog off your hands anyway. Especially with Mrs Briggs nosing over the back fence.’

Eleanor was confused. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘Didn’t your mum tell you?’ Megan sighed. ‘You know what old Mrs Briggs next door to The Forge is like. Such a nosy parker. Anyway, apparently she’s complained to Arthur about the number of animals your mum’s keeping these days.’

Eleanor felt a flush of embarrassment. ‘Oh God. I’ll have to have a word with Mum. It’s getting out of hand. But you know how much she loves having them all.’

‘But it is a lot of work for her,’ said Megan. ‘Especially since she hurt her ankle.’

‘Well, I’ve been helping out for the past fortnight.’

‘Yes but you’ll be gone again soon and then she’ll be trying to deal with it on her own, as usual.’

As usual. Eleanor tried but she couldn’t ignore those last two words, even though there had been no malice behind them. There was so much she had left behind trying to pursue her career. So much that her mum had had to carry for herself, she knew.

They pulled up outside the house. Megan knocked on the huge red front door and then let herself in.

‘You have a key?’ asked Eleanor.

‘No, but it’s always open during the day,’ said Megan. ‘Everyone just lets themselves in. Anyway, this time next week it’ll be full of builders once again.’

They went into the huge entrance hall and Megan hollered out a ‘hello!’. There came a replied shout from Annie that she was on the patio at the back of the house. They found her sitting at a dilapidated table and chairs, with a large pot of coffee and some cups.

‘Come and have some caffeine,’ said Annie, in between yawns and gesturing lazily for them to sit down.

‘I hope that’s Sam keeping you awake all night,’ said Megan, giving her a nudge.

‘Another male, unfortunately,’ said Annie, blushing. ‘Dylan howled for most of the night until Tom smuggled him up to his bedroom.’

‘Oh no, those lovely new carpets,’ said Megan, shaking her head. ‘Oh well. So where is this famous, filthy pooch?’

‘Yeah, where’s Dylan? And Tom?’ asked Eleanor, looking around.

‘Keen, aren’t you?’ said Megan.

‘To give a dog a bath? Not particularly,’ said Eleanor quickly. ‘I was just asking.’

‘Yeah, yeah.’

Actually, she was a little disappointed that Tom wasn’t there, a thought which wasn’t making her feel any less awkward. Mainly because she suspected that her disappointment was nothing to do with the story she was supposed to be writing on him.

‘Sam’s taken Tom to his doctor’s appointment,’ said Annie. ‘Dylan went along for the ride as well. Not that anyone had much choice about that. I think he and Tom are going to be inseparable.’

‘You don’t mind him staying here until the owner comes forward?’ asked Eleanor. ‘Or rather if someone comes forward.’

‘No,’ said Annie, before taking a sip of coffee. ‘He’s such a cutie. He’s won us all over already, despite his desperate need for a bath. And at least it takes my mind off the walk.’

Eleanor was confused. ‘I thought it was a huge success?’ she asked.

Annie shrugged her shoulders. ‘No idea, unfortunately. But Mrs Havers, our old headmistress, is popping in to tell me the grand total later on.’ She gulped. ‘What if not much money has been raised?’