‘Flo! There’s a hand in the hedge!’
As quick as a bolt of lightning, Flo grabbed the hoe that was leaning up against the shed.
‘Get out of my hedge!’ she shouted, thwacking the hand with the hoe.
‘You crazy old woman!’ a voice came from the other side as the bony hand withdrew.
‘You leave my eggs alone, you hear me?’
They waited a moment, making quite sure that the hand wasn’t going to return, and then they walked back to the house.
‘What was all that about?’ Bryony asked.
‘Dr Skegby – he keeps stealing my eggs. Says he has a right to them because of the noise the donkeys make.’
‘That’s outrageous!’
‘He’s always been a miserable sod.’
Bryony bit back a grin because Flo didn’t look amused.
‘Hey, where’s Sonny?’ Bryony asked. The boy was no longer sitting at the kitchen table, but his Maths book was still open.
‘Sonny?’ Flo called through the house.
A loud clattering sound came from the living room and they ran through to find Sonny crouched in the fireplace. He’d knocked over the old copper kettle which stood there and his hair was covered in cobweb.
‘What are you doing, Sonny?’ Flo asked.
He looked startled for a moment, but then shrugged. ‘I wanted to see up the chimney.’
‘That horrible, spidery place? I wouldn’t go sticking your nose up there if I were you.’
‘He’s a boy, Flo – he’s bound to stick his nose in horrible places,’ Bryony observed.
‘Did you finish your homework?’ Flo asked him.
‘Sort of.’
‘Sort of?’
‘I got stuck at the end.’
‘Oh, well, it won’t break the world if you miss one or two questions. Let’s make some tea.’
Bryony joined them and they talked about the books they were all reading. Flo was still enjoying The Darling Buds of May and was looking forward to the book club meeting when they’d be discussing it. Bryony was reading Dodie Smith’s I Capture the Castle because she was in the mood to relive the pain of first love, and Sonny was reading The Twits and took great delight in showing them all the illustrations.
‘Did you know Roald Dahl scribbled down his idea for The Twits in a notebook? He wrote, “Do something against beards.”’
Flo giggled. ‘Well, there are beards and there are beards. Take your Ben’s beard.’
‘He’s not my Ben,’ Bryony quickly said.
‘His beard is quite handsome,’ Flo declared.
Bryony wrinkled her nose. ‘How can you say that?’
‘Well, he wouldn’t lose his dinner in it, would he?’ Flo said.
‘I would hope not.’
‘Auntie Flo?’ Sonny said. ‘Can I grow a beard?’
‘Maybe when you’re older,’ Flo told him.
‘Oh, please don’t, Sonny. Girls don’t like beards.’
‘Why do you want to grow one?’ Flo asked her great-nephew.
‘To hide things in,’ he said.
‘Like what?’
‘My Maths homework.’
Bryony and Flo laughed.
‘Ah!’ Flo suddenly said, ‘that reminds me. Bryony, dear, would you be able to take Sonny to school in the morning? I’ve got an appointment in Bury that I can’t get out of.’
‘Sure,’ Bryony said. ‘I’ll pick him up. What time?’
‘Twenty past eight should do it. You don’t mind? I know it’s a bit earlier than you open your shop.’
‘That’s okay,’ Bryony said. ‘It’ll give me a chance to clear out the stock room ahead of opening. It’s a job I keep putting off.’
‘I owe you,’ Flo said.
‘Not at all. I’m glad to be able to help.’
When Bryony got back from Flo’s, she logged straight on to the Country Catches website. Sure enough, there was a message from Ben. Her fingers hovered over it for a moment, wondering what he’d written. There was only one way to find out. She clicked open.
Hello Bryony. I was so pleased to get your message. Pleased and perplexed.
She frowned. Did he suspect something? Had she come on too strong?
You did ask me out on a date, right? I mean to that dance? I didn’t know you liked dancing. Remember that sixth form one when we sneaked out and sat under the stars? You said Mr Darcy didn’t approve of dancing and neither did you. You were always quoting Darcy and Elizabeth back then.
Bryony smiled, cursing Ben for his memory.
If you want to go dancing then I’d be a very happy partner. But can we meet to talk first? I feel there’s so much we need to talk about. Ben. X.
She swallowed hard. She didn’t want to talk to Ben. That wasn’t part of the plan. She reread his message, noticing the big kiss at the end. This was all moving way too quickly for her. She’d thought she was in charge of the pace of things, but Ben seemed to have taken the reins.
Her fingers poised over the keyboard ready to type her reply. There were two things you could do with a question: answer it or ignore it.
I had such a big crush on Mr Darcy, didn’t I? I suppose I still do, along with many other fictional heroes, of course. B.
She pressed send. It was the coward’s way out, she knew that, and he’d probably just ask to meet up again, but she’d handle that if and when it happened.
Flo was waiting by the front door with Sonny when Bryony pulled up in her car the next morning.
‘All ready?’ Bryony called from her open window.
Flo nodded and patted Sonny on his shoulder and Bryony watched as he struggled towards the car with his bag.
‘Hi Sonny,’ she said as he opened the back door and climbed in.
‘Hi,’ he said in that quiet way of his.
‘Looking forward to school?’ Bryony asked, turning round to smile at him.
‘Suppose.’
‘What lessons have you got today?’
‘Maths.’
‘Ah, the dreaded Maths homework due in?’
‘Yes.’
‘Good luck with that.’
She pulled out and drove the short distance to Castle Clare.
‘Is it always so busy?’ she asked as they reached the centre of town a couple of minutes later. Never having done the school run before, she didn’t envy her sister Polly the morning rush. Indeed she could see her sister up ahead with young Archie who was in the year below Sonny. Now that Polly was living in town, she was able to walk Archie to school so that saved the problem of parking at least.
Bryony, though, had to park a short distance away from the school.
‘I’m afraid this is as close as I can get,’ she told Sonny. ‘I’ll walk with you to the gate.’
‘’sokay,’ he said.
‘It’s no bother.’ She got out of the car and opened his door for him, watching as he hauled his massive bag out after him. He walked ahead of her on the pavement and she couldn’t help noticing the strange angle at which he was leaning, his bag obviously weighing him down.
‘Here, let me carry that,’ Bryony said. ‘It looks way too heavy for you.’
He shook his head. ‘I can do it.’
‘I’m sure you can, but your arm might double in length in the process.’ Bryony reached forward and took the bag from him. ‘Heavens! What on earth have you got in here – an entire football team?’
Sonny didn’t seem to appreciate her humour.
‘Sweetheart, I don’t think you need to be carrying all this around. Are you sure you haven’t packed more books and kit than you need?’ The boy didn’t answer her and Bryony frowned. ‘I’m sure we can sort it out,’ she said, placing the bag on the ground for a moment and unzipping it.
‘Don’t!’ Sonny cried, but it was too late.
Bryony stared at the contents of the bag in alarm. This was no ordinary school bag. She’d expected to find a tennis racket or a small mountain of books, but what she saw was a pair of sil
ver candlesticks, a large framed print of a Labrador, a bronze figurine and a pink ceramic piggy bank that must surely be full by the weight of the bag.
‘Sonny!’ she exclaimed, swallowing hard as she looked up at him. ‘Why are these things in your bag?’
His face had turned to an unearthly colour.
‘Do these all belong to your aunt?’
He didn’t answer her, but she could tell from his expression that they did. Where else would he have got them from?
‘Oh, Sonny!’ she exclaimed. ‘What are you doing with all these things?’ Bryony picked up the pink piggy bank and shook it. It rattled with coins. She put it back and picked up a silver candlestick. ‘I don’t understand – what were you going to do with all this because it looks like you’ve stolen them.’
He looked down at the ground and Bryony thought she saw his bottom lip quiver.
‘I think we need to talk to your aunt about this, don’t you? We should get you home.’
‘I mustn’t miss school,’ he said.
‘You’re not going to school this morning,’ Bryony said. ‘You’re coming home with me and we’re waiting until Auntie Flo gets home to sort this out.’
‘Please don’t tell her!’ he cried, his eyes filling with tears. ‘I was made to do it.’
Bryony frowned. ‘Someone made you take these things?’
‘I can’t miss school. He’ll be waiting.’
‘Who’ll be waiting? Sonny, what’s going on?’ She moved closer to him, placing her hands on his little shoulders and then it all came pouring out in a torrent of tears and sobs. Bryony listened, her mouth open in shock at what she was hearing.
When he’d finished, she ushered him into the car, keeping the bag which she placed in the boot of the car. She then walked to the school and explained to one of the teachers that Sonny wasn’t feeling well. And then she rang Flo’s mobile.
‘Bryony? Is everything alright?’
‘I’m bringing Sonny home from school,’ she told Flo.
‘Oh, dear? Is he ill?’
‘Not exactly.’
‘Then what’s the matter?’
‘He’s got something he needs to talk to you about.’
‘Oh!’ Flo said. ‘Well, I’ll be home as quickly as I can.’
‘Don’t worry and rush. I’ll keep him at mine in the meantime,’ Bryony said.
As soon as they got back to her house, Bryony poured Sonny some orange juice and watched as he sat on the sofa, his face miserable.
‘It wasn’t your fault, Sonny,’ Bryony assured him, but you should have told Auntie Flo. She would have been able to help.’
The little boy didn’t say anything and Bryony decided not to torture him anymore with her opinions She was sure he’d have enough to cope with once Flo knew what was going on.
‘Listen, I’ve got to make a phone call. Why don’t you choose yourself a book from that box over there?’ She pointed to a box of books she’d been sorting through for the charity shop.
Sonny got up off the sofa and tentatively looked through the titles, choosing a boys’ adventure with a lurid green cover.
Bryony left the room and called her sister.
‘Polly? Can you get in to open the shop this morning? I’m afraid I’ve got to take care of something here.’
‘Everything okay?’ Polly asked her.
‘It will be. I’ll fill you in later, alright?’
Bryony hung up and took a deep breath. Well, that was another thing taken care of. It was the next part of the day she wasn’t looking forward to, but she knew it had to be done even though it was bound to break Flo’s heart when she heard what had been going on.
Chapter Thirteen
Flo rang Bryony’s mobile once she was back from Bury St Edmunds and Bryony and Sonny made the short journey to Cuckoo Cottage. Ordinarily Bryony would have walked, but Sonny’s bag was so heavy that walking wasn’t ideal.
An anxious Flo was hovering in the front garden when they pulled up by the kerb.
‘Now what’s going on here?’ she asked her great-nephew as he got out of the car. Bryony joined him a moment later having retrieved his school bag from the boot.
‘We’d better go inside,’ she told Flo, her stomach churning for the older woman at the news she had to impart.
Once they were all seated in the living room, Flo looked across at her great-nephew who was looking very awkward in the old armchair next to the fireplace.
‘Sonny, dear?’ she began. ‘What’s the matter?’
He didn’t answer. Instead he looked to Bryony.
‘You tell her,’ he said.
‘I think you should, Sonny,’ Bryony told him. ‘Just tell her what you told me.’
Flo was looking deeply worried by this stage.
‘She’ll be mad at me,’ Sonny said. ‘She’ll hate me.’
Flo gasped. ‘I won’t hate you, monkey! I could never hate you! Just tell me what’s going on. I won’t be able to help if you don’t tell me.’
He swallowed hard, looking so awkward with his hands hidden under his legs.
‘I took things,’ he began.
‘What do you mean?’ Flo asked.
‘Silver things. Jewellery. Some money.’
Flo looked baffled by this confession and gave a nervous sort of laugh. ‘What?’
‘He’s telling you the truth, Flo,’ Bryony assured her. ‘His school bag is full of things from the house.’
‘What things?’
Sonny’s gaze was fixed on his shoes.
‘A pair of silver candlesticks, a framed print, a bronze figurine and a piggy bank,’ Bryony said.
‘My piggy bank?’
Bryony nodded.
Flo took a moment to absorb this information. The school bag was sitting on the floor in front of them and she stared at it as if it were a malevolent thing and then she looked back at Sonny.
‘Did you take my cake knife, Sonny?’
Sonny nodded.
Flo’s mouth dropped open. ‘But what did you want with a cake knife? I don’t understand.’
‘Tell her, Sonny,’ Bryony said, resting a hand on his thin arm.
He looked up. ‘He made me do it.’
‘Who?’ Flo asked.
‘Dad.’
There was a pause.
‘Mitch?’ Flo said. ‘Mitch asked you to steal things? But why?’
Sonny didn’t answer, but he didn’t need to because realisation seemed to dawn on Flo and she looked at Bryony.
‘When I went to his house, it was full of things. Old things. He’s been selling stuff. I guess online.’
‘Like eBay?’ Bryony asked.
‘He says eBay is safer,’ Sonny piped up.
‘Less risky,’ Bryony added. ‘I guess buyers don’t ask so many questions about how sellers came by their goods.’
‘But how were you getting the goods to your father, Sonny?’
Bryony swallowed hard. Flo wasn’t going to like this.
‘At school,’ Sonny said.
‘How do you mean?’
‘At lunchtime. He’d wait by the hedge at the back of the playing field. There’s a gap there. I’d pass the bag to him.’
Flo shook her head in disbelief. Bryony had never seen her look so pale.
‘My own nephew,’ she whispered. ‘How could he do this to me? And to use the school for his crime!’ Suddenly she cupped her hands over her mouth. ‘He planted Sonny here. He planned this from the start. And here was I thinking he was just a bit busy at work. I thought I was helping him, but he was just using me.’
‘Oh, Flo!’ Bryony said in sympathy, moving closer to her on the sofa and resting a hand on her shoulder.
‘I can’t believe it. My own nephew stealing from me. Plotting and stealing!’ Flo suddenly cried out. ‘The fireplace! Sonny – what were you doing in the fireplace yesterday?’
The little boy’s bottom lip quivered.
‘He told you, didn’t he? He told you about the secret hidi
ng place. Oh my god! Whatever did I tell him that for?’
‘What is it, Flo?’ Bryony asked.
‘There’s a loose brick.’ She stood up and crossed the room, her head disappearing up the chimney. ‘I told him about it once. Oh, how stupid was I to trust him?’
‘You weren’t to know, Flo,’ Bryony said.
‘I should’ve known!’ Flo said. ‘He’s always been a no good…’ her voice petered out. She obviously didn’t want to bad mouth Sonny’s father in front of him.
Bryony stood up. ‘Can I help?’
‘It’s alright, my dear. It’s still there,’ Flo said, her head appearing from out of the fireplace again.
‘What is it?’ Bryony asked. ‘Sorry – it’s none of my business.’
‘It’s okay, my dear. It’s just a bit of jewellery I inherited from my mother. It’s not much, a couple of nice rings and an old watch. The secondhand value would be so little, but they mean a lot to me.’ Suddenly, there were tears in Flo’s eyes. ‘I can’t bear to think of them gone. To imagine them up for sale on eBay. My mother’s precious things!’
Bryony moved forward, putting an arm around Flo and guiding her back to the sofa.
‘They’re safe,’ she told her.
Flo took a minute, her hand diving into the pocket of her dress for a hanky. She dabbed her eyes and blew her nose.
‘Has he done this before, Sonny?’ she asked once the hanky had done its business. ‘I mean, has he got you to stay in somebody’s house so you could steal things from them?’
Sonny shook his head.
‘At least that’s something,’ Bryony said.
‘Have you stolen for him before?’ Flo asked. ‘Like in a shop?’
Sonny’s eyes looked huge and full of anxiety. It was as if the truth was on the tip of his tongue and he was desperate to unburden himself, but he was also afraid to.
‘You’ve got to tell me, Sonny. Now’s the time for the truth.’
Sonny gazed down at the floor. ‘He told me to once,’ he confessed after a pause. ‘In Castle Clare. But I got scared.’
Flo nodded. ‘You did the right thing.’
‘He got mad at me.’
Flo frowned. ‘He’s never hurt you, has he?’
‘He shouted at me and pushed me into my room when we got home.’
Natural Born Readers (The Book Lovers 3) Page 14
