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‘Oh, god!’ exclaimed Emily when she saw Donut bounding down the stairs behind Clarissa. She’d forgotten all about Clarissa bringing her rather large, and very playful, St. Bernard dog.One small, well-behaved pet was allowed in the guest house. That rule had already gone out of the window when Alice had arrived, although at least her three pets were well-behaved.
‘Oh, you brought a dog too!’ said Alice.
Donut seemed to sense a dog lover in his sights, and made straight for Alice, bouncing in front of her, looking like he was fit to burst with excitement. ‘Well, aren’t you a lovely boy?’ She looked at Clarissa. ‘Boy or girl?’
‘Oh, he’s a boy.’
‘And what is your name, you lovely boy?’
Emily smiled at the crazy dog. ‘Alice, meet Donut.’
Donut calmed down just long enough for Alice to reach out and stroke his head.
Emily looked over at her dad. When she’d booked Clarissa a room, she had failed to mention that Clarissa’s dog would be coming too. Her dad didn’t seem to mind. But it wasn’t her dad she was worried about. If her mum walked in … well, Emily didn’t want to think about that as she watched Donut run up to Gerald and get a fuss.
Donut then sniffed the air and darted back to Alice. Hester was hiding behind her legs – or trying to.
The large dog skirted around Alice, playfully crouching on his front paws, his behind in the air, tail wagging furiously. He barked at Hester.
Emily winced. Bloody hell, his bark’s loud, she thought.She looked over at her dad. ‘Where’s Mum?’
‘She’s out. Said she had some errands to run.’
Emily was just breathing a sigh of relief when the guest house door opened.Oh, god. Is that Mum?
Clarissa had a ball in her hand. Before Emily could stop her, she threw the tennis ball across the hall.
Two dogs darted after it. They all arrived in an excited heap, skidding on the wooden floor just as the front door opened.
Emily’s mum nearly dropped her shopping bag in surprise. ‘What the …!?’ Her eyes drifted to Emily. ‘Emily – a word please.’
‘I’m just showing Clarissa to her room.’
‘Now!’
Emily frowned. Perhaps Clarissa staying there hadn’t been the best idea.
An awkward silence followed, interrupted by Gerald. ‘Ahem. Well, I think I’ll take these cases upstairs.’
‘Emily – I still want a word.’
Emily frowned at her mum as she followed her down the hall.
When she returned to the reception desk, after a grilling from her mum, Clarissa was sitting on the bottom stair waiting for her. ‘I’m guessing you didn’t tell your mum Donut was staying too.’
Emily shook her head. ‘Talking of which – where is your dog?’
‘He followed Gerald upstairs.’ Clarissa stood up. ‘I want to see my room.’
Emily followed her up the stairs.
‘You know, I signed the guestbook, and I saw Joss’s name above your other guest’s. I didn’t realise how long he’d been here.’
‘Yeah, it’s been a while,’ Emily replied. She was pretty sure she had told Clarissa.
‘Well, there’s someone with a story to tell. I mean who stays in a guest house for weeks on end, and obviously has the means to do it?’
Emily rolled her eyes. ‘Clarissa, you are not on a busman’s holiday.’ Her best friend was still in journalist mode, looking for a story. ‘You are here to have a break and not think about work.’
