A Brambleberry Manor Christmas - Rosie Green Page 0,48

three-course dinner alone, without Flo to organise me.

At last, everything is cleared away and I’m ready to go. I told Fen earlier that I’d just get a taxi home, but she wouldn’t hear of it. So I 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 behind me and Wilbur comes flying down the stairs, scoots over to me, skidding a little on the parquet flooring, and starts licking my shoes, which must be covered in tantalising scents from the kitchen.

Rhoda and Bob bring up the rear, Bob swinging a lead, both of them 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, and Wilbur immediately starts trying to drag me towards the door, clearly desperate for his ‘walkies’ to get underway without further ado.

At last, the little party are ready to brave the chilly night and go out into the snow.

‘Why don’t you come with us?’ says Rhoda. ‘It’s a clear night and there’s a full moon. We’ll hardly need torches if we stay on the lawn.’

I’m about to tell her I’m waiting for a lift. But then Fen appears 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. ‘A little too much whisky was drunk, I think, so I suggested they get some fresh air.’

Bob snorts amiably. ‘Press-ganged the poor lads into it is more accurate.’

‘Yes, well, I really want them to see what we…’

‘The full moon!’ roars Bob, waggling his bushy eyebrows at his startled wife. ‘Yes, of course. Everyone likes gazing at the moon when it’s full.’

Rhoda casts a glance at Melanie, who’s opening the door, and covers her mouth with her hand, as if she almost gave the game away.

Fen, observing all this, laughs. ‘What on earth are you up to, 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’ll take you back when you’re ready.’

‘Okay, thanks,’ I call back, and we all troop out into the snow 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 living daylights 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 his master 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 I detect a hint of pride in her tone, which makes me feel all warm inside. Those two 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 of him as more of a solemate – very fishy indeed…

‘Would you like to take Wilbur, Melanie?’ asks Bob, who’s currently restraining the delightful little monster.

‘Ooh, yes, please. Come on, you.’

She reaches for the lead, but somehow, she misses it – and the puppy, on the loose now, starts lolloping across the snowy vista, clearly delighted to be free.

‘Oh, no,’ cries Melanie. ‘Don’t worry! I’ll grab him.’ And she starts running after him, her progress a little clumsy because of the snow.

‘Do your work, Wilbur,’ murmurs Bob with a mischievous glance at 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 Melanie to the field,’ explains Bob.

‘The field?’

‘Where the aliens await us,’ says Bob.

‘What’s that about aliens?’ asks a voice, and we turn to find Noah and Fergus right behind us.

‘You’ll see,’ says Rhoda, winking at them. ‘With a bit of luck, Melanie should be coming face to face with our extra-terrestrial friends