The Swallow and the Hummingbird(60)

‘Do we have to?’ she protested, enjoying the pictures of her childhood.

‘I really think we should,’ he repeated. ‘Rita, Maddie, we’re going home.’

Hannah recognized the impatience in his voice and dutifully closed the book. She stood up and followed him out into the hall where Megagran was on her hands and knees with Emily and Ruth, playing with the cats.

As Humphrey and his family were on the point of leaving, a loud shriek erupted from the drawing room. ‘Good God, what’s that?’ he exclaimed, marching back into the house. Hannah, Rita and Maddie ran after him for the cry was that of a woman in mortal danger. However, the sight of Antoinette besieged by at least twenty cats was an amusing one for Humphrey and Rita who couldn’t have thought of a more appropriate revenge themselves. ‘Get the buggers off me!’ she cried hysterically. They clawed at her nylons, jumped on her dress and one was astride the crown of her head, pawing her hair into a terrible mess. ‘Mother!’ she wailed, but there was nothing Mrs Megalith could do to stop them. Only Eddie knew why they had set upon her aunt and she wasn’t telling.

‘Eddie,’ demanded her father, trying hard to contain his amusement. ‘What did you do to those cats?’

‘How do you know it was me?’ she asked innocently, hanging up her coat, happy to be home. She wandered over to the kitchen cupboard and opened the biscuit tin.

‘Because of the mischievous look on your face,’ he replied.

‘What did you do?’ asked Rita, wishing that she had thought of it first.

‘I didn’t do anything,’ she protested. ‘How on earth could I control all those cats?’

‘Exactly, the idea is preposterous, Humphrey,’ said Hannah, taking the biscuit tin from her daughter. ‘It’s not tea time yet, dear.’

‘Just one biscuit. I’m hungry. That lamb was disgusting.’

‘Oh, all right,’ she sighed. ‘Just one then.’ Eddie plunged her hand in and drew out three oatmeal biscuits with a large grin.

‘Well, whatever happened to Antoinette, she thoroughly deserved it,’ said Humphrey, taking the papers to the sitting room.

‘I think you’re all horrid to Aunt Antoinette,’ Maddie said sulkily, sticking out her bottom lip. ‘I like her.’

‘We all like her, dear. But she was unkind to Eddie and Rita.’

‘No one likes Harvey!’ Maddie argued to Eddie’s fury.

‘That’s not true, is it Mummy? You like Harvey?’

‘Of course I do. From a distance.’

‘Rita’s just oversensitive,’ Maddie continued. Rita rolled her eyes and followed her father down the corridor and into the sitting room. Maddie stomped upstairs to reapply her lipstick and flick through her magazines. Hannah turned to Eddie.

‘What did you do to those cats?’ she asked in a quiet voice. Eddie narrowed her eyes and made sure that they were alone.

‘All right, I’ll tell you. As long as you don’t sneak to Megagran.’

‘I promise I won’t.’

‘I asked them to.’

Hannah screwed up her nose. ‘You asked them to?’ she repeated incredulously.

‘Yes, I just spoke very clearly to the big black one. I think he’s the king, you see.’

Hannah nodded slowly. ‘I see.’

‘He understood and immediately went to tell the others. Megagran always says that if one bothers to talk to animals telepathically they will understand. I was so cross with Aunt Antoinette, I tried it.’

‘Well, it worked,’ said Hannah, not knowing whether to believe her. She had grown up with a witch for a mother, but she couldn’t quite reconcile herself to the fact that she might have one for a daughter.

‘No one speaks ill of Harvey and gets away with it,’ Eddie added menacingly. Hannah was taken aback, for when she spoke in that tone the colour of her eyes changed, just like Megagran’s.

‘Good God!’ she exclaimed. ‘I’ve bred a witch!’

Eddie’s face crinkled into a wide smile. ‘I’d love to be a witch then I could fly. Do you have a broomstick?’

‘Not one that flies,’ her mother replied, running a gentle hand down Eddie’s hair.

‘But can I try?’

‘If you want. It’s in the cupboard. Why don’t you see if you can sweep the kitchen at the same time?’

Eddie shook her head and giggled. ‘Nice try. It’s flying or nothing,’ she replied, skipping off to fetch it.

Maddie was irritated by Rita. She moped around like a lovesick puppy, walking up and down the bleak and windy beach, and refusing company. Aunt Antoinette was right. If George really loved her he wouldn’t have left her again, not for a year. She doubted he would return. He would most probably fall in love with someone out there. Latin women were famous for their beauty. Rita was weak. She should have told George to marry her or else. There were plenty of other men around. Maddie could vouch for that.