LITMIR.BIZ

       Chapter One A DAY TO REMEMBER

      MRS BROWN STARED at Paddington in amazement. “Harold Price wants you to be an usher at his wedding?” she repeated. “Are you sure?”

      Paddington nodded. “I’ve just met him in the market, Mrs Brown,” he explained. “He said he was going to give you a ring as well.”

      Mrs Brown exchanged glances with the rest of the family as they gathered round to hear Paddington’s news.

      Harold Price was a young man who served on the preserves counter at a large grocery store in the Portobello Road, and the events leading up to his forthcoming marriage to Miss Deirdre Flint, who worked on the adjacent bacon and eggs counter, had been watched with interest by the Browns, particularly as it was largely through Paddington that they had become engaged in the first place.

      It had all come about some months previously when Paddington had lent a paw at a local drama festival in which Miss Flint had played the lead in one of Mr Price’s plays.

      A great many things had gone wrong that evening, but Mr Price always maintained afterwards that far from Paddington causing a parting of the ways, he and Miss Flint had been brought even closer together. At any event, shortly afterwards they had announced their engagement.

      It was largely because of Paddington’s part in the affair, and the numerous large orders for marmalade he’d placed with Mr Price over the years, that all the Browns had been invited to the wedding that day; but never in their wildest dreams had it occurred to any of them that Paddington might be one of the officials.

      During the silence which followed while everyone considered the matter, he held up a small, bright metal object. “Mr Price has given me the key to his flat,” he announced importantly. “He wants me to pick up the list of guests on the way to the church.”

      “Well, I must say it’s rather a nice idea,” said Mrs Brown, trying to sound more enthusiastic than she actually felt. “It’s really a case history repeating itself.”

      “Remembering what happened last time,” murmured Mr Brown, “I only hope it doesn’t repeat itself too faithfully.”

      “Everything turned out all right in the end,” Mrs Brown broke in hastily, as Paddington gave one of his hard stares. “Harold’s play did win first prize and he was very glad of Paddington’s help when the sound effects man let him down.”

      “I think he’s been let down again, Mrs Brown,” said Paddington earnestly. “He’s got no one to keep quiet during the ceremony.”

      “No one to keep quiet?” echoed Jonathan. Paddington’s thought processes were sometimes rather difficult to follow, and his present one was no exception.

      “I’ve no doubt that bear will do as well as anyone if he sets his mind to it,” said Mrs Bird, the Browns’ housekeeper, as Paddington, having startled everybody by announcing that he was going to have a special bath in honour of the occasion, disappeared upstairs in order to carry out his threat. “No doubt at all. After all, it’s only a matter of lending a paw and showing people to their right places in the church.”

      “Knowing the usual state of Paddington’s paws,” replied Mr Brown, “I think I’d sooner find my own way.”

      “He is having a bath, Daddy,” reminded Judy. “He’s just said so.”

      “He may be having a bath,” retorted Mr Brown grimly. “But he’s still got to get to the church. All sorts of things can happen before then.”

      “’Ush!” cried Jonathan suddenly. “I bet he thinks being an usher means he has to keep ’ush during the service.”