Posh Frocks & Peacocks - Tracie Podger Page 0,30
that led to the art group’s private area. As I walked I saw someone and only from behind. But they looked familiar. I recognised the haircut.
“Oh no,” I said, probably too loudly as it caused the man ahead of me to turn.
“Darling, how lovely to see you,” my dad said.
I covered my eyes quickly. “Dad! I thought you’d left already,” I said.
“Oh no, your mum wanted a couple of days doing art. Didn’t she tell you?” He did seem a little perplexed when he’d asked. Obviously, I couldn’t see him but the hesitancy in his voice had me worried a little.
“No, clearly not. Is she here as well?” I asked. I had no desire to see my mother naked any more than I wanted to see my dad in the same state.
“Oh yes, her and…I forget his name, are painting the…landscape.” Dad chuckled as he spoke, and I wondered if Big Cock had her painting him again.
“I think I know what you mean. Will you join us for lunch or dinner?” I asked, still with my hands over my eyes.
“I’ll ask your mother. She doesn’t want her life at risk with your animals,” he said, laughing at the thought.
“The animals live on the grounds, so she’s more likely to encounter one here than in the house. Tell her to stop being so silly and to call me. I presume you’ve got your phones on you?”
“Where would we put them? We don’t have pockets, Lizzie.” Dad laughed yet again.
That time I chuckled along. “Okay, but get Petal to call me then.”
“Were you coming to the camp?” Dad asked.
“I was, but I just remembered somewhere else I’m meant to be.” It was a cop out and it wasn’t about not seeing my mother after her tantrum, but not seeing them both naked if I could help it.
I turned and walked away, shouting over my shoulder for one to call me about meeting up. I also added, if they didn’t have the time—and I sort of hoped they didn’t—then to at least let us run them to the ferry.
“Will do,” Dad called out, and his voice was so jolly that it actually pricked my heart. He was a lovely man and I wondered why he didn’t stand up to my mother sometimes.
I sighed and walked. A rustling in the bushes beside me had my heart, initially, racing until I saw Colleen.
“Hello, you,” I said, clucking my tongue at her. She walked beside me and I placed my hand on her neck. “You always turn up at the right time. I wonder who you were in a previous life.” Gerald raced from the woods, presumably having only just realised Colleen had left, and I wondered where Piggy was. “All right, we weren’t ignoring you,” I said to Gerald, as he butted the back of my legs.
The three of us made our way back to the courtyard. Ronan was in one of the sheds with a piece of machinery, a log towing thingy, in pieces. He’d hook the machine up to the back of a quad when they felled trees and it would drag it all the way back.
“Guess what?” I asked as I approached.
“You saw your dad naked in the woods?” he asked, looking at me all innocent and with earnest.
“How did you know that?” I asked, disappointed I couldn’t shock him with the news.
“He called me,” Ronan replied, laughing. “They can’t make dinner because apparently your mum is teaching meditation to the group this evening. However, they would appreciate the lift to the ferry in the morning. She’ll call you to make arrangements.”
I snorted in response. “Will she now?”
Ronan stood. “Baby, come on. You know your mother. She has to make a statement. She’ll be back when she wants a holiday, don’t you worry.”
I knew he was correct, of course, but it seemed rather extreme to ignore us when all that had happened was a couple of animals pooped on her dresses. There had to be more to it, I thought. Anyway, I wasn’t going to stress over it any longer. We had a business to run and we hadn’t thought about when to sneak off for a honeymoon. We’d booked out Christine because we thought it might be fun but then other estate matters seemed to rear their heads.
“Want to get away for a couple of days?” he asked, as if reading my mind.
“We can’t. We’ve got the film crew back tomorrow and God knows what’s going to happen with Bonnie and