eye and signalled ‘do something!’ with every sinew.
He didn’t respond. Either he found the thought of Petal and Molly screaming and getting on chairs amusing, or he couldn’t do sign language.
She caught Ben watching her silent panic. ‘Perhaps I should warn you, Molly,’ he said. ‘Whelping bitches can make an awful lot of mess. I don’t suppose you’d like it and I expect Lara would appreciate a little peace as well.’
‘What sort of mess?’ asked Petal with horrified fascination.
‘Oh, you know, blood, water, black slime,’ Ben went on. ‘It stains everything it touches. Oh, look, she’s having a contraction.’
Rory, obviously amused by the general expressions of horror, finally took the hint. ‘Why don’t I take everyone off to the pub? We can get a bite to eat there and Lara could have her pups quietly on her own.’
‘You can’t leave her on her own to have her pups,’ protested Thea.
‘Well, make up your mind, woman,’ said Rory. ‘First she needs peace and now she needs company.’
‘No,’ Ben said. ‘The pub’s a good idea. Rory, you take Molly and Petal while Thea and Toby and I see to the pups.’
‘That’s a good idea,’ Thea agreed. ‘Can you fit everyone in your Land Rover, Rory?’ She movednearer him so they could speak in private. ‘And see if they do B&B – we can’t put everyone up here.’
Rory went into his room to get a coat and Thea found herself being edged into a corner by Molly. ‘Darling, I had to get you on your own, just for a moment.’
Thea didn’t feel on her own, she felt herself in a room full of people, but Molly had an earnest expression which bordered on the worried. ‘What is it? Nothing’s really wrong at home, is it?’
‘Oh, I don’t know. What I wanted to say is… I mean … there’s no need for you to … you won’t mention to Derek that I had a little flirtation with Gerald, will you?’
Thea really did wonder if she was awake – it was all so bizarre. ‘Molly, we’re in the middle of Ireland – well, on the edge of Ireland – Aix seems a lifetime ago.’ A terrible thought occurred to her. ‘Don’t tell me, you’ve left Gerald in the car and you’ve run away from Derek.’
‘What utter nonsense you talk! Of course I haven’t left Gerald in the car! And I certainly haven’t run away from Derek. Why would I do that? And Aix was only last week.’
‘Well, I’d completely forgotten about it. Even if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t dream of telling Derek about something I assumed was perfectly innocent.’
‘Oh, it was! Perfectly innocent. I just thought … I just wondered if you’d got the wrong end of the stick, that’s all.’
Just as Thea realised that Molly had possibly come all the way to County Mayo merely to tell her there was nothing going on between her and Gerald, Petalscreamed.
‘That’s it,’ said Ben. ‘Rory, Molly, one of you, take everyone away and let this poor dog have some quiet.’
He didn’t actually raise his voice, but Molly instantly picked up her bag and her car keys.
‘To the pub, then. I haven’t had anything to drink, so I’ll drive. Come along, Petal. At least they’ll have a decent bathroom. Rory, you sit in front and direct me. Toby will want to stay with Daddy, I expect. Are you coming, Thea? Hurry up, Petal.’
Petal, who had been looking round, seemed relieved to be hustled out. The cottage was obviously far too remote and primitive for comfort.
‘I’m not going,’ said Thea firmly. Glad as she was of Ben’s masterful stand, she didn’t want him being masterful with her. ‘I’m going to help with the puppies. After all, Lara knows me.’
‘The puppies will make a dreadful mess,’ Ben told her. ‘Our last bitch to whelp managed to break her waters on every piece of furniture on the ground floor and left green slime everywhere. It took ages to clear up.’
‘Mess doesn’t bother me,’ said Thea.
Ben suddenly almost smiled. ‘Nor it does. I
He didn’t respond. Either he found the thought of Petal and Molly screaming and getting on chairs amusing, or he couldn’t do sign language.
She caught Ben watching her silent panic. ‘Perhaps I should warn you, Molly,’ he said. ‘Whelping bitches can make an awful lot of mess. I don’t suppose you’d like it and I expect Lara would appreciate a little peace as well.’
‘What sort of mess?’ asked Petal with horrified fascination.
‘Oh, you know, blood, water, black slime,’ Ben went on. ‘It stains everything it touches. Oh, look, she’s having a contraction.’
Rory, obviously amused by the general expressions of horror, finally took the hint. ‘Why don’t I take everyone off to the pub? We can get a bite to eat there and Lara could have her pups quietly on her own.’
‘You can’t leave her on her own to have her pups,’ protested Thea.
‘Well, make up your mind, woman,’ said Rory. ‘First she needs peace and now she needs company.’
‘No,’ Ben said. ‘The pub’s a good idea. Rory, you take Molly and Petal while Thea and Toby and I see to the pups.’
‘That’s a good idea,’ Thea agreed. ‘Can you fit everyone in your Land Rover, Rory?’ She movednearer him so they could speak in private. ‘And see if they do B&B – we can’t put everyone up here.’
Rory went into his room to get a coat and Thea found herself being edged into a corner by Molly. ‘Darling, I had to get you on your own, just for a moment.’
Thea didn’t feel on her own, she felt herself in a room full of people, but Molly had an earnest expression which bordered on the worried. ‘What is it? Nothing’s really wrong at home, is it?’
‘Oh, I don’t know. What I wanted to say is… I mean … there’s no need for you to … you won’t mention to Derek that I had a little flirtation with Gerald, will you?’
Thea really did wonder if she was awake – it was all so bizarre. ‘Molly, we’re in the middle of Ireland – well, on the edge of Ireland – Aix seems a lifetime ago.’ A terrible thought occurred to her. ‘Don’t tell me, you’ve left Gerald in the car and you’ve run away from Derek.’
‘What utter nonsense you talk! Of course I haven’t left Gerald in the car! And I certainly haven’t run away from Derek. Why would I do that? And Aix was only last week.’
‘Well, I’d completely forgotten about it. Even if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t dream of telling Derek about something I assumed was perfectly innocent.’
‘Oh, it was! Perfectly innocent. I just thought … I just wondered if you’d got the wrong end of the stick, that’s all.’
Just as Thea realised that Molly had possibly come all the way to County Mayo merely to tell her there was nothing going on between her and Gerald, Petalscreamed.
‘That’s it,’ said Ben. ‘Rory, Molly, one of you, take everyone away and let this poor dog have some quiet.’
He didn’t actually raise his voice, but Molly instantly picked up her bag and her car keys.
‘To the pub, then. I haven’t had anything to drink, so I’ll drive. Come along, Petal. At least they’ll have a decent bathroom. Rory, you sit in front and direct me. Toby will want to stay with Daddy, I expect. Are you coming, Thea? Hurry up, Petal.’
Petal, who had been looking round, seemed relieved to be hustled out. The cottage was obviously far too remote and primitive for comfort.
‘I’m not going,’ said Thea firmly. Glad as she was of Ben’s masterful stand, she didn’t want him being masterful with her. ‘I’m going to help with the puppies. After all, Lara knows me.’
‘The puppies will make a dreadful mess,’ Ben told her. ‘Our last bitch to whelp managed to break her waters on every piece of furniture on the ground floor and left green slime everywhere. It took ages to clear up.’
‘Mess doesn’t bother me,’ said Thea.
Ben suddenly almost smiled. ‘Nor it does. I
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