Alan groans. 'Leave it.'
'Should we?' I run into the kitchen and grab the receiver.
'Hello?'
It's Rachel.
'Immaculate timing. We were just leaving.'
She's breathless. 'I hope you have a great time in Sri Lanka.'
'Thanks, Rachel.'
'And I just wanted to let you know that Dannie's sent you a thousand pounds for the orphanage.'
'My God!'
'She's gone off to an Indian ashram for three weeks. It means that Mary Anne can actually go on a break with her son.'
'Fabulous news. Well, I'd better be going..'
'Just one thing.'
'What?'
She gives a little shriek, 'I've got some great news!'
'More?'
Alan is gesticulating for me to wind up the call.
'On the back of the Crown jewels event, you'll never guess who's approached us about doing their PR…'
She whispers the name into the receiver. I'm too stunned to respond.
'It would be insane to take on something, or rather someone, that big.'
'Just think, we'd have the world's press on our doorstep!'
'It would take over our lives, Rachel.'
'It would help pay for your orchard. In fact it would pay for your cattery,' she says slyly.
'Maybe.'
'Aren't you tempted?'
I smirk at the disembodied voice.
'Not today.'
'What about tomorrow?'
I laugh. 'OK, let's discuss it when I get back.'
'Great. Happy landings.'
The car rumbles out of the courtyard and along the track just as a rotund ball of wool clatters by, hell-bent on reaching our gate before it snaps shut. Another follows in hot pursuit. Ollie peers round anxiously from the back seat.
'They've done it! They've got into our garden.'
'Oh no!' I yell.
'The gate's closed.' Ollie giggles hysterically.
'It's too late to stop,' says Alan. 'We're not going to miss the plane for some damned ewes.'
We level with Rafael's finca. Alberto is pottering about the yard, examining his new home and wagging his tail.
'Do you think they belong to Rafael?' asks Ollie.
'He doesn't have any sheep now. Only lambs,' mutters the Scotsman.
'So maybe they were just a figment of our imagination?' I tease.
Alan turns left onto the lane, a smirk on his face.
'You mean phantom sheep?' says Ollie.
'Or maybe,' I add with a smile, 'It's simply the triumphant return of the vanishing duo. Ewe Number One and Ewe Number Two.'
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Cat on a Hot Tiled Roof Page 34
