‘Hooray, hooray, hooray, it’s nearly the holiday!’
But instead of feeling excited, I felt sad. George had said he’d be back again to see us before Christmas, hadn’t he, and now I was wondering whether he wasn’t coming after all. Had he forgotten all about me? Decided he’d got used to not having a cat and wouldn’t bother to have me back when the pub was mended? I mewed to myself miserably at the thought of it.
‘What’s wrong, Ollie?’ Sarah asked. ‘Cheer up, it’s nearly Christmas!’
I didn’t feel like cheering up. But I supposed I should go and see Caroline as usual and cheer her up, at least. I waited until Sarah was having her lunch, and then meowed a goodbye as I popped out of the cat flap and set off for the Big House.
* * *
Caroline didn’t look particularly cheerful either, although Laura was doing her best to sound bright and chirpy. The room looked lovely, with a really big Christmas tree like we used to have in the pub, and lots of pretty decorations, but Caroline had a long face like a cat with a toothache.
‘I’m so bored,’ she moaned.
‘But Oliver’s come to play with you,’ Laura said.
‘I know. But I want friends to play with. It’s not fair. I never get to see anyone. When can I start the new school? I won’t have any friends there – nobody will know me.’
‘You’ll soon make friends when you’re well enough to go. Hopefully before too long.’
We played together as usual, although Caroline didn’t quite seem to have her heart in it and I found it difficult to keep myself from jumping up and having a play with the baubles on the lower branches of the Christmas tree. I did manage one quick swipe while Laura wasn’t looking, but Caroline whispered No, Oliver, you mustn’t! so I reluctantly left it alone. Then, just as we’d both snuggled down for our rest, there was a sudden loud banging noise that made me jump up out of Caroline’s blanket in fright. At least it made her giggle.
‘It’s only the door knocker, Oliver!’ she said. ‘Who’s that, Laura?’
‘I’ve no idea.’
Laura left the room, and I hid back under the blanket. I was still supposed to be a secret, remember, and we’d never had other visitors before when I was there. We both lay quietly, listening to Laura talking to someone at the front door.
‘Oh!’ she was saying. ‘Well, that’s very kind of you. Um … did Mr Smythe tell you about her illness? Only, I know he doesn’t talk to many people about it.’
‘No,’ said the other voice – and I popped my head out of the blanket in surprise. It was Sarah! ‘To be honest, we heard … from another source. I don’t want to get anyone into trouble for gossiping or anything, if it’s supposed to be kept quiet, but, well, we felt so sorry for the little girl – being ill, and new to the area, not having any friends. Especially at this time of the year.’
‘You’re very kind,’ Laura said again. ‘Would you like to come in and meet Caroline?’
‘Are you sure that’d be all right?’
‘Well, I think it’d be nice for her. She’d love to have some visitors.’
Caroline and I were blinking at each other in surprise. And the next thing we knew, there they were, in the room with us – not just Sarah but also Grace, and little Rose, still in their school uniforms, and clutching some wrapped-up parcels!
‘It’s Ollie!’ Grace said, staring at me.
‘Yes.’ Sarah smiled. ‘We heard he’d been visiting.’
‘Oh, so you’re the family he’s staying with! Harry – our handyman – said he’d found out Oliver was the pub cat and was being looked after for the landlord since the fire.’ Laura reached out and stroked my head. ‘Caroline loves seeing him. But I’m afraid I’d get into trouble with her father if he found him here again.’
‘We won’t tell anyone, will we, children,’ Sarah said very seriously, and they both shook their heads. They were staring at Caroline. I suppose they were surprised by the lack of fur on her head.
‘It’s all right,’ she said, sitting up on the sofa. ‘My hair fell out because of the medicine they gave me to make me better, but it’s starting to come back now.’
‘So are you better now?’ Rose asked shyly.
‘Getting better,’ Caroline said. ‘I’m just bored now.’
‘These are for you.’ Grace held out one of the wrapped-up boxes. ‘They’re for Christmas, from us.’
‘Oh!’ Caroline went all pink. ‘Thank you! Should we put them under the Christmas tree, Laura?’
‘You can open them now if you’d like to,’ Sarah said. ‘If Laura says that’s all right.’
Grace and Rose crowded round and the three girls laughed together as the paper was ripped off the boxes. Me, I had a great time rolling on the floor with the ribbon they’d been tied up with, and jumping after the screwed-up wrapping paper, which made them all laugh even more. I think we were all feeling more cheered up, then. Sarah and Laura sat on the other sofa together drinking coffee and chatting, and the girls played with the new toys and talked about school and hospital and Christmas and Brownies – and eventually I fell asleep in front of the fire. It was lovely. I must have got there later than usual, and it was now at least halfway through the afternoon because the girls had finished school. But I didn’t realise quite how late it was, until I woke up with a start to hear the front door opening.
‘Oh my God!’ Laura gasped, jumping to her feet. ‘He’s home early.’
‘Shall we go?’ Sarah asked – but there was no time for anyone, even me, to go anywhere. Caroline’s angry father was already there, in the doorway, looking around at us all, going redder in the face every minute.
‘What the hell…?’ he began, but Laura went to stand in front of him, her paws on her hips.
‘Don’t start, Julian!’ she said, in a very cross voice. ‘Don’t you dare start, in front of these kind people who’ve come, out of the goodness of their hearts, to visit your bored, lonely daughter and bring her these presents because they understood – yes, they understood better than you do – how she must be feeling.’
‘What?’ he stuttered.
‘Yes! Look at her. Look at how happy she is, how much healthier she looks, just from having some company, some children to play with for a couple of hours. It’s what she needs now, Julian, and I’m not going to apologise for allowing it, nor for allowing the cat to come back, either. He’s living with this lovely family, and he’s not dirty, or carrying germs, he’s a nice little cat and he does Caroline good. If you don’t like it, you’d better sack me right now, because I refuse to carry on keeping your daughter languishing here on her own for one single day longer.’
As she finished, she suddenly clasped her paw to her mouth and took a step backwards, like she’d only just realised who she was talking to. We all stood still, frozen like statues, staring at the Julian man.
‘We’d better go,’ Sarah said again. ‘Come on, children.’
‘No,’ he said, putting out a paw to stop her. ‘Don’t.’ His voice sounded like a cat being strangled. ‘Please, don’t rush off. It was kind of you to call on Caroline, and … thank you for the presents. Please don’t think me horribly rude. I’m just…’
‘He’s just been worried about Caroline,’ Laura said, in a shaky voice now, staring at him. ‘That’s all.’
‘Yes. I have. Worried sick. But Laura’s right. I’m sorry. I should have let Caroline have some company. I can see how much happier she looks today. I’m sorry, darling,’ he added with a funny choking noise like he was going to cry – and he ran to take hold of Caroline and hug her really hard. ‘I’ll try to be different.’
‘It’s OK, Daddy,’ she said. ‘I know you were just trying to look after me. But I’m getting better now.’
‘I know you are. Thank God.’ He made the choking noise again. ‘Her mother…’ he added, looking up at Sarah. ‘You see, I lost her mother, and then, when Caroline got sick too…’
‘I’m so sorry to hear that,’ Sarah said, putting a p
aw on his arm. ‘It must have been an awful time for you. I’m so glad to hear Caroline’s getting better, but if you’d prefer us not to come again…’
‘No. Please – if I haven’t frightened you off,’ he said, with a little sad smile, ‘please do bring the children again. Caroline does need to make friends, and Laura’s right, it was kind of you to visit. Thank you.’
I followed Laura as she showed Sarah and the girls to the front door, apologising quietly for the scene, as she called it.
‘Please don’t worry,’ Sarah said. ‘I do understand.’
I took the opportunity to scoot out of the front door myself. But as they walked off down the drive, I slunk round to the big windows where I normally went in and out. I wanted to make sure Julian wasn’t going to tell Laura off after everyone had gone.
But, to my surprise, there was a totally different kind of scene going on in the room. While Caroline was engrossed with her new Christmas toys, Julian put both front paws round Laura and pulled her very close to him. I couldn’t hear what he was saying – he was talking right into her ear. But she was quite pink in the face and smiley. And his mouth was moving slowly down from her ear to her lips …
At least he didn’t seem to be angry anymore. I went home feeling much happier!
* * *
It didn’t take long for word to get around. Sarah got on the phone to Anne, the one they called Brown Owl, and next thing I knew, she turned up with a couple of the other Foxes and their mums, and everyone started chatting about how they could take the children to visit Caroline.
‘I’m going to draw a picture for Caroline,’ Rose said, getting out her crayons.
‘I’m going to make her a Christmas card,’ Grace said.
‘Me too,’ said one of the other Foxes, and the children all clustered around the table, sharing out paper and crayons and pens.
‘We should stagger our visits,’ Anne said. ‘We don’t want to overwhelm the poor child by all turning up together.’
‘That’s a good idea,’ Sarah agreed. ‘Let’s get our diaries out and get ourselves organised.’
‘It will be lovely for Caroline to make some friends before she starts school,’ Anne said. ‘And perhaps she’ll be well enough to join Guides by the time Grace moves up. They can start together. Thank goodness her father’s seen sense. She must have felt so isolated, poor thing.’
‘I can understand it, though,’ Sarah said. ‘He was beside himself with worry about her. I don’t think he’s really a miserable person at all. He’s just had a lot of unhappiness.’ She grinned suddenly. ‘But do you know what? I think that nurse, Laura, has a soft spot for him. And he might not show it, but I suspect he feels the same way.’
I lay back in my hammock, purring to myself with a secret happiness. I didn’t know where Laura’s soft spot might be, but I knew for sure that it was true they liked each other. I was the only one who’d seen the evidence with my own eyes.
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
Later that evening, after dinner, I was paying my usual visit to Nicky and Daniel’s house, when Sarah turned up to share the news with them about what had happened at the Big House.
‘Poor little girl,’ Nicky sympathised. ‘But how lovely that you’re taking all the children round there to play with her now.’
‘Yes. I actually feel sorry for her dad, too, now.’
‘I’ll be meeting him myself soon,’ Daniel said. ‘I haven’t had a chance to tell you this yet, Nick, but the handyman, Harry, apparently recommended me to him after I did the work on his van. Mr Smythe wants me to service his car. Well, he’s actually got two cars – a Mercedes, and a smaller one he uses to commute to the station. Harry called me today to say he wants me to go over there after Christmas to talk to him about it.’
‘Oh, well done, Dan, that’s great.’ Nicky gave him a kiss. ‘Maybe he’ll want them both serviced regularly – and you’ve got the bodywork on Harry’s van to do, too.’
‘I’m really pleased for you.’ Sarah smiled. ‘It all helps, doesn’t it. And you enjoy doing it, anyway. Perhaps you’ll have a look at our car when you get the chance. Martin keeps complaining that it turns over too slowly, or something.’
‘Of course I will.’ Daniel looked like the cat that got the cream. I knew exactly how that felt.
* * *
The next day was the children’s last day at school, and Sarah brought them along to the Big House again after they’d finished. I was already there, of course, cuddled up with Caroline, and at first I was horrified to hear the Julian man coming home early again. But Laura and Caroline just smiled at each other and told Sarah that it was absolutely fine now, and he was home early because he was doing something called winding down for Christmas.
Sure enough, he was like a completely different human. He came into the room full of smiles, giving Caroline a big hug and kiss, and touching Laura on her paw in a way that made me think he wanted to stroke her.
‘Good to see you again,’ he said to Sarah and the children. ‘And our little furry friend there.’
I nearly fell off the sofa in surprise. Was this really the same male who’d half-strangled me and called me a dirty, flea-ridden animal? I thought he hated cats?
‘I actually quite like cats, you know,’ he went on as if I’d spoken out loud in Human. ‘At least, I used to, before I became so … well, overly obsessed with hygiene, I suppose, because of Caroline’s illness.’
‘Oh, Daddy, can we have one?’ Caroline said. ‘I love Oliver so much, and it’s so lovely that he comes to see me, but he’s not mine, and I’d love a little cat of my own.’
‘Well, I don’t know about that.’ He frowned. ‘I’ll have to think about it. Maybe after Christmas.’ He turned to Sarah, obviously keen to change the subject. ‘Apparently some of the other little girls are coming to visit Caroline tomorrow. Children from the Brownie pack.’
‘Yes. They’re in the same Six as Grace and Rose.’
‘Caroline’s been so excited about it,’ he said. ‘She used to love Brownies, didn’t you, darling?’
‘Yes, Daddy. And I want to join this Brownie pack, now I’ve met Grace and Rose and heard all about it. Can I? Please?’
‘We … e … ll…’
‘She is getting stronger,’ Laura said. ‘Perhaps, after Christmas, I could take her along to a meeting, at least, and stay with her? She could just watch – she wouldn’t have to run around or anything.’
‘That would be lovely,’ Sarah said, ‘but the Brownies aren’t having proper pack meetings now. We’re just having meetings for each Six, separately, in each other’s houses, because…’
‘Oh, yes – because of the fire. Grace told me,’ Caroline said. ‘There’s no village hall for them to meet in, Daddy.’
‘Oh, of course, the pub fire. I’d forgotten the hall was damaged too.’ He looked down at his paws. ‘I’m afraid I don’t often go into the village. I’ve found it difficult to meet people, to be honest. I didn’t know how I’d handle it if they started asking questions, so I kept out of their way. I realise now how stupid that was. Everyone must have thought I was being stand-offish.’
‘Oh, well, I wouldn’t say that…’ Sarah began, but her mouth was twitching at the corners.
He smiled and shrugged. He looked so much nicer when he smiled.
‘I can’t blame them. But now you and the children, and the other families, are being so good to us, I’ve realised, well…’ He hesitated, then admitted, ‘I guess it wasn’t just Caroline who was desperately in need of some good neighbours. You must let me know if I can do anything in return.’
‘There’s no need, honestly. We’re happy to help.’
‘Thank you, again.’ He turned to go. Halfway out of the door, he swung round and looked back at Sarah.
‘So there’s nowhere for all the Brownies to meet together? Nowhere else in the village?’
‘No. Not just the Brownies. None of the groups and clubs have anywhere to meet. But it’s funny how we
’ve all somehow managed to get around it. People in the village have become so good at improvising and co-operating with each other – we’ve actually all benefited from the situation, in a way. Small groups have been getting together in each other’s homes, drawing up rotas, even making new friends.’
‘But we can’t have a Christmas party this year,’ Grace said sadly.
‘No.’ Sarah shook her head. ‘All the Christmas parties and meals have had to be cancelled. The pensioners, the WI, the playgroup, mums-and-babies group – obviously nobody has room to cater for the numbers that would be involved.’
‘I see.’ Julian paused, looking around him. ‘But we do.’
‘Pardon?’
‘I said, we do.’ His eyes went suddenly brighter, like he’d just seen a nice juicy mouse running past. ‘We’ve got empty rooms in this house, rooms that I haven’t even got around to furnishing. We’ve got an enormous great ballroom, for God’s sake! All the clubs could have their parties in there, and it still probably wouldn’t be crowded. In fact,’ he went on, sounding so excited now, Caroline had sat upright in surprise, and Laura and Sarah both had their mouths hanging open, staring at him, ‘in fact, why don’t we just have the whole village here together? Make it a huge village family party? Let’s do it! I’ve got a colleague who used to moonlight as a DJ – he’s still got all his equipment. I know he’ll do me a favour if I ask him. Let’s start at teatime, so all the children can come. How about Christmas Eve? A lot of people will have finished work early.’
‘Oh, Daddy!’ Caroline was squealing. ‘Can I come? Please, please, can I come? I won’t even have to leave the house. And Laura will be here to look after me. And I can see Grace and Rose and the other Brownies.’
‘Yes, of course you can. But you’ll have to remember you still get very tired. You won’t be able to run around like the other children.’
Oliver the Cat Who Saved Christmas Page 18