“That sounds typical Piano behaviour,” Sophie laughed. “But it doesn’t matter. He’s no trouble, is he? And he seems quite pleased to be out.”
“That’s true.”
In fact Ferdinand was looking very happy indeed. Unusually he was being taken in the opposite direction to the park; it was a new adventure for him and he totally perked up. He trotted along with his head held high, as if he was in a dog show. It made Ellie giggle to see him high-stepping his way along the street.
It didn’t take too long to walk to the huge exhibition centre. Unfortunately, at the entrance there was a sign saying No Animals. Ellie was crestfallen. “If only Angel hadn’t caught me!” she said, but Sophie yanked her past the entrance.
“Don’t stop,” she muttered. “Come over here.”
Ellie joined her at the corner of the building. “What are you doing?” she said. “Look, I can’t go in, but you can. Here’s your ticket. It’s so annoying. I’ll miss the filming! But it can’t be helped. I’ll go to the park now. I can’t take Ferdinand back yet, Angel would kill me!”
“Don’t be such a wimp,” said Sophie. “It’s getting on towards the end of the day. The people on the door aren’t going to be taking much notice. Didn’t you say that when you first saw Ferdinand under Angel’s arm you thought he was some sort of hairy handbag? Why not carry him round? They’ll never notice.”
Ellie spluttered with laughter. “We can’t do that!” she said. “What if they did notice? And don’t they check everyone’s bags at the door?”
“Well they won’t be able to look in this one,” said Sophie, starting to laugh too. “Go on. Just give it a try.”
They both looked down at Ferdinand, who gazed back at them, wagging his tail. “Well…” Ellie bent down and picked him up, stifling a giggle.
“Tuck him under your arm more,” said Sophie, looking at them critically. “His feet are dangling down. That’s better.” She stood back with her hands on her hips. “That’s fi— Oh.” Ferdinand had raised his head and licked Ellie’s chin.
“It’s no good,” said Ellie, giggling in spite of her disappointment. “I’d never get away with it.”
Sophie looked stubborn. “Yes you will. If—” she took hold of the light raincoat Ellie had put on to come out. “I know! Button him inside your coat. Go on. They’ll never notice him then. They’ll just think you’re a bit plump.” Sophie saw Ellie’s doubtful expression and laughed.
“What’s the worst they’re going to do?” she said. “Throw you out, that’s all. And if they do I’ll go with you. Come on. It’ll be a laugh. And what harm can it do? Ferdinand won’t disgrace himself will he? He’ll be on the lead.”
“Well…”
“I’d hold him, but he knows you better than me.” Sophie shook Ellie’s arm. “Go on. Say yes. I’ll link arms with you, and I’ll hand in the tickets. You said you wanted to take my mind off my problems. Well come on then!”
Ellie couldn’t help laughing, even though she was scared at the idea of being caught by the ticket collectors. “I thought you were sensible!” she said.
“I am usually,” said Sophie. “And I wouldn’t have suggested bringing Ferdinand just so we could try this trick…but we’re here now, and we have him with us…and it seems a shame to just give up. Isn’t tomorrow the last day?”
Ellie looked at the huge sign outside the exhibition hall. “Yes. But the filming is today.”
“Well then. Come on. If it doesn’t work I won’t mind. We can go to the park instead, and I’ll buy you an ice cream…unless it rains, in which case we’ll have to go to a café and leave Ferdinand tied up outside.”
“I couldn’t do that! Angel would have a fit. Imagine if he got stolen! She’d never forgive me.” Ellie gave him an awkward stroke through her coat. “Okay then. Let’s try it. But I hope my mum never gets to hear about this. She’d go almost as ballistic as Angel.”
Sophie grinned. “I won’t tell her if you don’t. Right. Tuck Ferdi in, and I’ll do your coat up to hide him.”
They were both giggling uncontrollably by the time Ferdinand was properly buttoned inside Ellie’s coat. “You look pregnant,” said Sophie, as she stood back to look at Ellie.
“Well thanks a bunch!” said Ellie, trying to sound affronted and failing. “Come on. If we’re going to do this we ought to do it now. He’s not going to stay still for very long.”
“All right. Let’s go.” Sophie checked that Ferdinand’s nose was well out of sight and the two girls hurried to the entrance. Sophie was right, the ticket collectors weren’t very interested in them. There were two of them, having a chat. They took the complimentary tickets, looked briefly into Sophie’s bag and waved the girls through the security gates, and continued their conversation. In a matter of moments Ellie, Sophie and Ferdinand were all inside, and the girls were trying not to collapse with laughter.
“Where’s this pretend harbour with real water and boats then?” said Sophie, trying to sober up a bit.
“I don’t know,” said Ellie. “The harbour is where the filming will be, but here it’s all just trade stands.”
In fact, it was all trade stands as far as they could see, rows and rows of them, all showing anything and everything that a sailor could possibly want. Some of the stands looked unbelievably boring, with lots of gadgets that meant nothing to Ellie or Sophie. But others were more promising. There was a boot stand that had a huge array of colourful sailing boots and shoes.
“There are boots with built-in trousers!” said Ellie with a squeal. “Look! They’ve got braces to hold them up.”
“Haven’t you ever seen those before?” said Sophie.
Ellie shook her head. “Look at those sunglasses!” she said. “They are really cool.”
“Steady,” said Sophie, pulling Ellie’s collar closer around her neck. “Ferdi’s nose is peeping out.”
“I don’t blame him,” said Ellie. “I expect there are lots of new smells for him. And it’s hot in here. Carrying him in my coat is like holding a hot water bottle.”
“Oh look!” said Sophie. “I’ve always wanted to have a go on one of these.”
She hurried to a nearby stand that had a board rigged up so that you could try windsurfing on dry land. Ellie followed more slowly. She was getting very hot, and she suspected Ferdinand was too, by the way she could feel him panting. She opened her collar again and he pushed his little black nose out under her chin. He seemed happy enough, in spite of being hot. She could feel his tail trying to wag against her stomach.
Sophie was talking to the man in charge of the windsurfer, and now he seemed to be urging her to have a go. Ellie groaned. The show certainly seemed to be cheering Sophie up, but Ellie wished there was somewhere to sit down while Sophie tried the windsurfer. Ferdinand might be small, but he felt increasingly heavy as the minutes passed. And Ellie was getting hotter and hotter.
To distract herself from thinking about how uncomfortable she was, Ellie started walking slowly past some of the other stands in the same row as the windsurfer. She didn’t want to lose Sophie, but she couldn’t stand still any longer. Besides, she really ought to go and find the set for the video filming, or she’d miss seeing Maia Tonkin in Adam’s dresses. She wandered down one side of the row, passing innumerable stands selling yacht insurance, residential sailing courses and security items for boats. They were all totally boring. She got to the end and turned round to come back. The stands on the other side were no better. There were estate agents offering apartments and houses with mooring facilities, lots of navigation equipment that meant nothing to Ellie, and more sailing courses.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, Ellie noticed something that she recognized. To begin with, she wasn’t quite sure what it was that had caught her eye. It was something about the way the little stand was laid out. And yet it looked much like lots of others. There was a table, with brochures advertising moorings for sale in an “alternative” marina. There were a couple of comfy seats, blown-up
photographs of the marina pinned to the back wall and a few decorative features to make the stand seem more inviting. At the back, in one corner, was a large floor lamp next to a low table that had a bowl of nuts on it, and in the other corner was a large pot, filled with some dried grasses.
Ellie stared at the pot. Until she’d met Sophie, one pot had looked much like another, but she was sure she recognized this one. Taking note of the number of the stand she hurried back to Sophie, who still hadn’t finished her go on the windsurfer. She was flushed and looked to be hugely enjoying herself. She noticed Ellie and waved to her, almost overbalancing as she did so. A couple of minutes later she climbed off the simulator and joined Ellie.
“That was the most fun I’ve had in ages!” she said. “I really must try windsurfing next time I’m at the sea.”
“Never mind that,” said Ellie impatiently. “Come and look at this!”
“What is it?” said Sophie. “Hang on. Don’t go so fast. I’m feeling a bit wobbly now I’m back on dry land.”
Ellie shot Sophie a sceptical look and kept going. As soon as she arrived back at the stand she stopped. “You know I promised not to mention the word P.O.T.S.?”
“Yes?” Sophie laughed. “Ha! You just have!”
In reply, Ellie simply pointed to the dried grasses, sitting decoratively at the back of the stand. Sophie looked, and Ellie heard her gasp. “My pot!”
In a couple of seconds she was kneeling on the floor, running her hands over the blue glaze, her face ecstatic. “It is mine! I can’t believe that it’s here. I didn’t know that it had been sold!”
“I thought it must be one of yours,” said Ellie, feeling very pleased with herself for spotting it.
“The gallery must have sold it for me,” said Sophie, looking up. “It’s the twin of the one I keep in the post room. Oh, Ellie. I can’t believe it!”
A man had appeared from the next-door stand. “Can I help you?” he asked, looking a bit bemused.
Sophie scrambled to her feet, while Ellie hitched Ferdinand to a more comfortable position. “It’s just that…this is my pot…I mean, I made this pot,” said Sophie. “And I just wondered if you knew who had bought it.”
“Oh. Right.” The man looked relieved. “I wondered what you were doing. People usually want to see the literature rather than the decorations.” He paused. “Actually the pot is Mark Kettle’s, he owns the marina. He’s just nipped off to get a sandwich. If you wait a few minutes I’m sure he won’t be long. I’m just keeping an eye on his stand for him.” He looked at Ellie and then back to Sophie. “Perhaps your friend would like to sit down while you wait? She looks tired…can I get you something?” he went on to Ellie. “A drink of water perhaps?”
Ellie would have loved to sit down, but she was sure that if she did she’d start giggling again, and Ferdinand would start wriggling. In fact, he was beginning to wriggle now. She clasped her hands more firmly around her bulging raincoat, hugging him to her and shook her head. “It’s okay, thanks,” she said to the man, managing not to dissolve into hysterics. “I think I’ll go and find the harbour, while Sophie waits. Do you know where it is? There’s some filming going on there.”
“Don’t you have a map of the show?” He offered his. “Along there, turn right, and right again. You can’t miss it. Just head for the masts.” He pointed up and Ellie saw a cluster of masts, swaying slightly above the stands. Of course! She should have thought to look up before. “Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked Ellie.
“I’m fine,” she said quickly. “I’ll try and find Maia Tonkin,” she said to Sophie. “Text me when you’re ready.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course!” Ellie practically ran from the stand and the helpful man, hitching Ferdinand higher as she did so. The poor man had obviously thought she was expecting a baby! He had been so kind. She would have hated him to think she was laughing at him. She dodged quickly along the way he had shown her. With luck she’d be in time for the filming and maybe she’d find a quiet corner to sit and watch until Sophie turned up.
She kept going, thinking of Sophie’s pot, and the boats, and of how lovely it would be to sit down when the unimaginable happened. Suddenly, Ferdinand gave an almighty wriggle. He slid out of her arms and under the coat, ending up sprawled on the floor by her feet. But before she could grab him he had gone, galloping gleefully away, trailing his lead behind him.
Ellie had felt Ferdinand sliding, and done her best to hold him, but with her raincoat buttoned over him it was impossible. Before she could grab his lead, he’d scampered off. Ellie chased after him; however, it was a lot busier in this part of the exhibition hall, and he dodged easily between people’s legs, while Ellie had to keep saying “Excuse me” and trying to push past as quickly as possible without annoying anyone too much.
Ellie’s heart felt as if it was trying to leap out of her ribcage and into her throat. She was choking with anxiety, and getting so hot she was beginning to fear that she might pass out. She pushed stubbornly on, desperate not to lose Angel’s dog. The thought of going back into the office without him was simply unimaginable. What if he was caught by an official and put in a dog pound? Would she ever find him again? Or what if someone dognapped him? He would be helpless. He wasn’t the sort of dog that bit people. He trusted everyone.
Ellie had never been concerned about dognappers before, but then Ferdinand had never been out of her sight before now. Angel tended to hold him under her arm like a handbag; well sometimes dogs got stolen to make bags. Ellie was almost sure of it. She’d watched a programme about it years ago, and had had nightmares afterwards. Angel trusted her to take care of her little dog, and now she’d gone and betrayed that trust.
Ellie wormed her way between two large men wearing sailing caps and caught a sudden glimpse of tall masts waving at her. Boats were sitting on the water, and seagulls were screaming overhead. The sun seemed to be burning down and making her feel dizzy, which was odd, because she knew she was indoors. She saw the harbour wall, with a row of pastel-painted houses on the far side. Near to her there was a café, with busy, outside tables bathed in the sunshine. It all seemed unreal. There was something wrong with the picture, but she couldn’t work out what it was. Then she caught a glimpse of a little dog scampering along the harbourside. She wanted to call out, but her head was spinning, and the waving masts, mewing seagulls and the people at the café tables were becoming blurred. All at once, Ellie felt her legs go from under her and she passed out.
She could only have been out for a few seconds, because when she came to, a woman was still lowering her to the ground, while a couple of waiters kept the crowd away to give her some space and air.
Ellie tried to sit up, but the woman pushed her back again. “Don’t struggle,” she said in a kind voice. “I’m a doctor. It’s lucky I was nearby. I could see you weren’t well, and I was afraid you were going to hit your head, but between me and another lady we managed to catch you.”
“I’m all right,” said Ellie. “I just got too hot.”
The doctor helped her off with her coat and someone brought a drink of cool water. The doctor allowed her to take a few sips of the water while she kept an eye on her. After a few more minutes, Ellie was allowed to get up and sit on a chair. All the time she was fretting about Ferdinand, but didn’t want to admit that she’d brought a dog into the exhibition hall.
“Thank you so much for helping me,” she said after a few more precious minutes had passed. “I feel fine now.”
“Well, I don’t think you ought to be in a hurry to move,” said the doctor. “Just sit here for a bit longer and enjoy the view.”
Ellie looked out over the harbour and saw the row of houses again; except now she could see that there weren’t any houses at all. The view was actually a painted backdrop to the little artificial harbour that had been made for the Boat Show. The sun was just some bright white lights shining down, and the seagull sounds were obviously recordings. She could see
now that most of the harbour was an illusion. There was water, but it had to be in a huge sunken tank in the floor, and there were a few boats tied up to a mock-up of a harbour wall. The ground under Ellie’s feet looked like paving stones, but now she realized it was some sort of artificial flooring, with a few tubs of real flowers near the harbour wall to reinforce the illusion. The effect was lovely, but Ellie was worrying about the glimpse she thought she’d had of Ferdinand, just before she passed out. Had it really been him, or had she imagined it? And what on earth was she going to do about finding him? He could be anywhere by now.
She had to get hold of Sophie. She didn’t want to interrupt whatever she was doing, but this was an emergency. Ellie pulled out her phone and texted. I’m at the Harbour Lights café. Are you going to be long?
In a couple of minutes a text came back. All finished here. I owe you!!!! Be with you in a few minutes.
Ellie sighed with relief. Sophie would know what to do. And the kindly doctor would be much more likely to let her patient go if she had someone with her. “My friend is on her way,” she said to the doctor. “Thank you so much for looking after me, but I’ll be fine now. I don’t usually make a habit of fainting.”
The doctor smiled down at her. “That’s good. Yes, I’m sure you’ll be fine. But if you do start getting fainting fits do go and get a check-up. I expect you’re right though. It is pretty hot and airless in here, and you were much too hot in that coat.”
“I know,” said Ellie. “It was silly of me to keep it on.” She saw Sophie making her way towards her and waved. “Here’s my friend. Thanks again. I really appreciate it.”
“I’ll leave you to it then.” The doctor waited until Sophie arrived and then gave them both a friendly wave. “Bye then. Enjoy the rest of your day. Just take it steady from now on.”
Sophie plonked herself down in the chair next to Ellie and picked up the menu. “Sorry I was so long, but I have just had the most unbelievably fantastic time! You won’t believe this…I actually met Mark Kettle! And he wants another of my pots. I owe you big time, Ellie…Ellie? What’s the matter?”
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