The French Gardener(59)
“Serves her right, silly girl,” Verity sniffed. “Shouldn’t have that silly slogan on her shirt.”
“That’s Lizzie, Mummy.”
“They both look the same to me. Too much eye makeup and not enough up top and I don’t mean hair.” She touched her beehive affectionately. “Fortunately, that dreadful lip gloss has been licked off during lunch. Young girls wear too much blue eyeliner these days. It’s dreadful. That crumble was delicious, by the way. Was that one of yours?”
“No, Mrs. Marley made it.”
“She’s a gem, isn’t she? Always cheerful. I do love cheerful people. Delicious roast potatoes. Very crisp. What’s her secret?”
“Oil infused with herbs from the garden.”
“Ah, that explains it. You wouldn’t make up a little doggie bag for me, would you? I’d love to take some home, for your father’s lunch tomorrow. You know how he loves potatoes, especially yours.”
“Why don’t I make you a basket, put some carrots and broad beans in, too?”
“Darling, you’re wonderful. To think you’re mine. I wouldn’t believe it if you didn’t look so like me.” She cast her daughter a sidelong glance. “Before you grimace, let me just say that I have jolly good bones and have aged well. You know where you’re going, looking at me, and it isn’t a bad place. Can’t think why your father has to drool over those young things. It’s quite unbecoming and very foolish. They only laugh at him.”
“It makes him feel young,” Ava replied kindly. “Actually, they don’t mind. I think they’re flattered—an intelligent, gentle man like Daddy taking time to ask them about themselves. They should be grateful. It’s not like they’ve got an awful lot to say, have they?”
Ava and Verity walked around the garden calling for Heinz but the little dog remained elusive. Donald heard them shouting for him and relaxed. It would be a while before they found the damn animal. It hadn’t been his idea to buy a sausage dog small enough to get lost down any rabbit or badger hole. He would have bought a big dog like Bernie. At least one didn’t have to watch where one put one’s feet all the time!
After ten minutes Ava appeared in the doorway, red-faced and out of breath. “We need help,” she exclaimed. The room fell silent. “We’ve lost Heinz. He’s nowhere to be found.”
“Good God!” Donald huffed, pushing himself up. “Sorry, Samantha. You’re now going to have to race over the grass in those pretty shoes of yours.”
“I don’t mind,” she replied. “I’d like to see what Jean-Paul has done in the garden!” Samantha giggled. “I know nothing about flowers. Maybe he can show us around.”
“With any luck he’ll be stuck down a hole and that’ll be that!” Donald continued under his breath. “Never liked the damned thing.” He turned to Jean-Paul. “Come on. You must know every corner of the place by now.”
Jean-Paul shrugged. “I’m getting there. It’s a big estate. Let’s get the children to help. If we make it into a game they’ll enjoy it.”
“And with any luck they’re small enough to check out all the rabbit holes,” added Phillip, conjuring up such a funny image in his mind that he chuckled.
“Good idea,” said Ava, hurrying through the hall to shout across the field to the hollow tree. At their mother’s summons the children tumbled out like bees from a hive, flying across the grass, yelling for Heinz.
Verity was getting frantic. Heinz was her baby. “If he’s dead, I’ll never forgive myself,” she wailed, wringing her hands. By now her beehive was coming apart, sticking out around her head like a furry dandelion clock. Her face suddenly looked gaunt, framed by such a large spray of hair.
“If he’s lost I’ll open a bottle of Dom Perignon,” muttered Donald to Phillip. It was beginning to get dark.
Toddy turned her thoughts to Mr. Frisby. She hadn’t seen him since before lunch. Not that she worried. He always came back. Mr. Frisby knew which side his bread was buttered. She went around to the front of the house to check in the boot of the Land Rover. There, snuggled up among old blankets and Toddy’s riding boots, were Heinz and Mr. Frisby, both exhausted from their morning’s activity in the hollow tree. “Oh Lord,” she sighed, guilty that her pet had abducted Verity’s. “How am I going to break this to Verity?” She needn’t have worried, Verity was so relieved her darling Heinz was alive and well that she thanked Toddy profusely, pressing a bewildered Heinz to her bosom.