‘You’re heaven-sent, and sensible too. My taxi comes for me in just two hours. I’m trying to get the children organised—you’ve no idea…You’d like a cup of coffee, I expect?’
Araminta put down her case and took off her coat. She was wearing a tweed skirt and a blouse and cardigan, and the sensible shoes which needed replacing. ‘I’d love one. If you will show me where the kitchen is, I’ll make coffee for everyone, shall I? And, while we drink it, you can tell me what you want me to do.’
‘Through here—everything’s in the cupboard in the corner. I’ll see how the children are getting on with their packing. It’s only for a week…’
Mrs Gault disappeared and Araminta put on the kettle, found coffee, sugar and milk, assembled four mugs on the kitchen table and opened a tin of biscuits, and when that was done she got her notebook and pen from her handbag and laid them on the table too. She had a good memory, but she imagined that Mrs Gault would have a great many instructions to give her.
Mrs Gault came back again then, and the children with her. The boy, Jimmy, was tall and thin, with fair hair and a look of mischief about him; Gloria was younger, barely thirteen, but already very pretty. She was fair too, and she looked friendly. She was holding a large tabby cat in her arms and a Jack Russell trotted beside her, barking loudly.
She said at once, ‘Tibs and Mutt are coming with us to Uncle Jason’s.’
‘Why not?’ agreed Araminta, smiling. ‘They couldn’t possibly be left alone, could they?’
‘He might mind,’ said Jimmy.
‘Well, if they are already there I don’t suppose he’ll object.’ Araminta swallowed some coffee and picked up her pen. ‘I assume there’s a train this afternoon, Mrs Gault? We leave after you, I expect?’
‘Yes, there’s a train just after four o’clock. You’ll need a taxi. Leave a note for the milkman, will you, and turn off the gas—I suppose we could leave the electricity on? Jimmy—what do you think?’
‘Of course. Did you stop the papers? When is Patty coming back?’
His mother frowned. ‘I phoned but there was no answer. Will you ring from Uncle Jason’s?’ She turned to Araminta. ‘Will you leave the fridge and freezer on and be sure to lock up and see that all the windows are shut? Does Jason know what time you’ll be back in London?’
‘No, he asked me to ring his housekeeper as soon as I knew the train time.’
‘Yes, of course. I’m sorry this is all such a muddle, but I suppose you’re used to this kind of job.’ Mrs Gault hesitated. ‘I suppose you couldn’t get some sort of meal for us all? Just anything,’ she added vaguely. ‘I’ve mislaid my sunglasses—I’m sure to need them. Gloria, finish your packing, darling, and, Jimmy, write a note for the milkman, will you?’
The three of them hurried away and Araminta, with Tibs and Mutt getting very much under her feet, flung open cupboards and fridge. Omelettes, oven chips and peas, she decided, since there wasn’t time to cook anything elaborate. The animals needed to be fed too. She dealt with them first and, with them satisfied, set about getting the food ready.
She had the table in the kitchen laid after a fashion and the meal just ready when Mrs Gault and the children came back, and this time they were dressed ready to leave.
There was a great rush at the last minute: things missing, messages forgotten, and Mrs Gault, worried to death about her husband, hating to leave the children, spilling instructions until the final moment as she drove away in the taxi.
If Araminta had worked hard before Mrs Gault left, she found the rest of the afternoon even more arduous. Jimmy and Gloria were nice young people, but she was quick to see that they intended to reduce her to the level of a superior servant given half a chance. Only she didn’t give them that; there was still a lot to do before they could leave. She toured the house with Jimmy, making sure that he watched her closing windows and locking doors before they all piled into the taxi.
The train was nearly empty. Mutt sat on Jimmy’s knees and Tibby slept in her basket. The children didn’t say much; now that the rush and bustle were over they were despondent, talking together quietly, ignoring her, and she for her part was glad to be left in peace, for she was tired now; her day had started early and was by no means over yet.
She had phoned the professor’s house before they left Tisbury, and Buller had assured her that there would be an early supper and their rooms would be ready for them. ‘Professor Lister will probably be late home, miss,’ he had told her, and she hoped that that would be the case. She suspected that after a hard day’s work at the hospital he relished his quiet evenings. It would be nice if she could get the children to bed before he returned.
It was quite a short journey from Paddington to his house, and Buller was waiting for them. The children treated him as an old friend and went at once to the kitchen to see Mrs Buller, leaving Araminta with the animals and the luggage. ‘Now just you leave everything, miss,’ said Buller kindly. ‘There’ll be a tray of tea in the sitting-room at the back of the hall in five minutes, and I’ll get the bags upstairs. The children are on the right at the top of the stairs, miss, and your room is on the opposite side, if you care to go up.’
The stairs opened on to a square landing, with doors on either side and a passage leading to the back of the house. There was another smaller staircase too, but she didn’t stop to look around her but opened the door Buller had pointed out and went in.
The room was fair-sized, light and airy and charmingly furnished, and there was a bathroom leading from it. She registered a strong desire to tumble on to the bed and go to sleep, but she took off her outdoor things, tidied her hair and did her face, and went downstairs again.
Buller was in the hall. ‘Jimmy came for Tibs and Mutt,’ he told her. ‘Tea is ready for you, miss.’
She thanked him. ‘Do you suppose the professor will mind about the animals?’ she asked.
‘I think not, miss. We have two dogs—golden Labradors. They are at present being exercised by Maisie, the housemaid. They are mild-tempered animals, however, and I foresee no trouble.’
He led the way to the small cosy room where he had set the tea-tray. There was a bright fire in the steel grate and comfortable chairs drawn up to it.
‘I’ll send the children to you, miss,’ said Buller.
They came presently, not over-friendly. Araminta handed round tea and buttered toast, sandwiches and little cakes, and said in her sensible voice, ‘When we’ve had tea, perhaps you would unpack your things and put them away? I don’t know what arrangements are to be made about Tibs and Mutt—perhaps you’ve already seen to that?’ She looked at Jimmy. ‘Your Uncle has two dogs, I believe.’
‘They’ll be OK. They’ve met Mutt and Tibs when Uncle Jason has been down to see us.’
‘Oh, good, and we can take Mutt for a walk—Hyde Park isn’t far away, is it? And Tibs—will she settle down nicely?’
‘She’s my cat,’ said Gloria. ‘She sleeps on my bed.’ She sounded sulky. ‘Mrs Buller says we may have our supper in the kitchen; Uncle won’t be home for ages. I’ll unpack in the morning.’
‘We’ll go upstairs and unpack now,’ said Araminta, ‘otherwise you’ll have to waste the morning doing it, when you might want to be doing something more interesting.’
‘You’re awfully bossy,’ said Gloria. ‘I suppose you’ll eat in the kitchen with Buller and Mrs Buller and Maisie?’
‘I dare say,’ said Araminta equably. ‘Never mind about me—let’s get our things put away.’
‘Patty always saw to our things for us,’ grumbled Jimmy, tumbling shirts into the elegant little tallboy in his room.
Araminta