LITMIR.BIZ

      ‘Hope it hasn’t been too boring for you two,’ Jonathan said, as everyone breakfasted together on our last full day of the holiday.

      ‘Nah,’ Christopher replied.‘It’s been good.’ He looked a bit sheepish, but then he was a teenage boy and apparently they are all somewhat monosyllabic.

      ‘I’ve enjoyed doing nothing,’ Daisy answered.‘If it all goes to plan I’ll be busy with work when we get back.’

      ‘According to Polly, you’re going to be the next Kate Moss,’ Claire said.

      ‘If I could be just a fraction as successful as she is, I’ll be overjoyed,’ Daisy laughed. She didn’t realise how stunning she really was, I thought – a bit like Snowball. Although Snowball had been aloof when I first met her, it wasn’t because she thought she was a beauty, and even now she was still unaware of the effect she had on other cats and people. Like Roddy, most male cats started drooling like dogs when they first saw her. Myself included, I have to admit.

      ‘So what shall we do today?’ Karen asked as she buttered another piece of toast.

      ‘How about we hang out here, maybe go for a walk, and then have lunch at home?’ Tim suggested.

      ‘Sounds nice,’ Claire said, trying and failing to spoon cereal into Summer’s closed mouth.

      ‘TOAST,’ Summer shouted. Claire looked exasperated but Jonathan laughed indulgently.

      ‘I wish she could learn to say fruit or porridge at least,’ Claire said.

      ‘My girl knows her own mind,’ Jonathan replied.‘Chip off the old block.’ Claire swiped at him with her arm.

      ‘God, then I’m in trouble,’ she joked.

      ‘I’m going to do some computer stuff,’ Christopher said, looking bashful. He was turning out to be quite a chip off his old block himself, if that means what I think it does. He was following in his father’s footsteps by being a computer genius, or something along those lines.

      ‘Hey, Claire, I know you’ve got that book you keep trying to read, so I’ll take Summer out round the farm this morning. She loves the animals and you can stick your head in your novel,’ Jonathan said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

      ‘My God, now I remember why I married you.’

      ‘I’ll come with you, Jon,’ Karen said, and Tim nodded.

      I looked at Snowball. It would be just the two of us again; maybe we could go for a romantic meander in the garden. After our adventure on the farm the other day we had stayed close to the holiday house, and I wasn’t sure that it would be a good idea to explore.

      For a while, Snowball and I stayed in the garden, close to where Claire sat in a lawn chair, reading. Chris was inside, Daisy had gone for a run, and the others had gone for a walk. As the morning drew on we decided to visit the hens. We nodded at them in greeting – I was no longer afraid – and they wobbled their heads in response. I knew they weren’t scary now. Being in the country was an education about other animals, ones we didn’t really get in London.

      ‘All right, city cats,’ said Roddy, suddenly appearing from behind the hen enclosure.

      ‘Hey, Roddy,’ said Snowball.

      ‘We need to thank you again for the other day,’ I said, remembering my manners.

      ‘You’re welcome. Anyway what are you guys up to?’ Roddy asked.

      ‘It’s our last day here, we leave tomorrow,’ I explained, feeling relaxed and friendly. I definitely found the country enjoyable, though I missed many things about London, like my friends, especially Tiger, and my other families. I also missed the hustle and bustle, the constant noise. At night here, it was eerily quiet, but back home I could hear cars, voices and the odd siren. Silence took a bit of getting used to.

      ‘In that case, how about I take you to my favourite place?’ suggested Roddy.

      ‘What is it?’ Snowball asked.

      ‘You’ll see, it’s lovely. Come on, come with me.’ He ran off and we sprang after him. As we crossed a different – and thankfully cow-free – field, I realised how nice the country smelled. I breathed in deeply, enjoying the fresh scents. I was happy that we were having a last adventure and with Roddy with us there was no danger involved. Well, I hoped not anyway.

      We set off and took a route that we were more familiar with, passing the outskirts of the field where we’d met the giant cow. There were a few cows there, but they were at the other end of the field and were so busy eating grass they didn’t pay us much attention. I can’t say I was sorry.

      ‘Come on, let’s keep going,’ Roddy said, as we followed close behind him.

      I blinked at Snowball and she blinked back as we came upon a stream.

      ‘I am not a fan of water,’ I stated.

      ‘Nah, me neither, Alfie. But look, there’s a bridge just up here. Come on.’ Roddy led us across a small wooden bridge and then came to a halt. As I looked around, I almost felt my breath being taken away. We were standing in a clearing on the edge of a wood, trees densely surrounding us. Sunlight glinted between the branches and reflected off the leaves, it was beautiful.

      ‘It’s a forest,’ Snowball exclaimed.

      ‘Yeah, it’s my forest,’ Roddy said, although I was pretty sure it wasn’t.

      ‘Wow, it’s beautiful,’ I stated.‘Almost as beautiful as you.’ I nuzzled Snowball. She smiled coyly and raised her whiskers.

      ‘It reminds me a bit of my old home,’ Snowball said. ‘We had a big wood just outside our garden and I would chase squirrels, although they could be mean. They were particularly protective of their nuts.’

      ‘I can see why you’d miss it,’ I conceded. As much as I loved Edgar Road and London, I did see the beauty of this place.

      We stood at the bottom of a large tree. Roddy said that if we climbed up it we would see the most spectacular view. Snowball looked at me questioningly and gestured towards the tree. I shook my head – I was staying on the ground. I’d been stuck up a tree in the past, twice in fact, and it wasn’t fun. So I stayed put and watched as Roddy and Snowball climbed higher and higher, feeling a little bit jealous and half wishing I could join them. But ultimately I was glad to be on firm ground where I found some leaves to play with.

      After a while I saw Snowball scaling back down and I was relieved that she was managing it easily.

      ‘Right, let’s get back before you’re missed,’ Roddy said, bounding off.

      He took us a different route home, and I felt so energised by the journey, with the wind in my fur, the warming sun above and the tickly green grass beneath my paws, that I started fooling

Скачать книгу