by KT King
“What is it?” Sophie asked Stella.
“Jennifer is coming,” Stella replied. “I don’t know what all those journalists are doing here, it’s probably nothing to worry about. You’d better go. You know Jennifer doesn’t like anyone else visiting.”
Sophie left by the back entrance with a feeling of dread inside her. Something was about to blow and she knew it.”
~ * ~
That evening at No. 1 Daisy Place, the girls and Jack all sat looking glum in the Café apartment. It was not a happy Valentine’s Day for any of them. Jimmy was working, so Lucy felt the sting of rejection, and Sophie had no admirers at all. Jack had wanted to ask out Adela, but Lancelot had got there before him, and he was not in the mood to hook up with any of his usual dates. Lucy decided they should have an impromptu friends Valentine’s gathering that evening, instead of a romantic one. She invited everyone, but in the end it was only Jack, Minnie, Linnet, India and Mr T who came over. They all sat around on the sofas eating a takeout from Nico’s, followed by Fudge and Bunny’s sweetheart ice-cream, but even that could not cheer them up. They had little to say to each other that did not make them all feel even more depressed.
When Lancelot unexpectedly appeared looking dejected, with his dinner jacket over his shoulder and his tie hanging out of his pocket, they all wanted to know what was going on.
“Don’t ask!” Lancelot said to them, as they were about to enquire why he was not with Adela at the Assembly Room ball.
“Put the television on,” he told them. They asked him why, but he replied, “Just put it on.”
A few minutes later the local news started and they were amazed to see Jennifer, Collins and Robin Shaft giving his statement outside the hospital.
“The heartless bitch!” Sophie exclaimed.
“The lying bitch!” Minnie added.
“The stupid bitch!” India finished.
“Now the whole of Little Eden will know. We must call an emergency residents’ meeting,” Lancelot told them. “There will be panic if they are left without answers!”
Suddenly, everyone’s phone started to ring, txts started flying in and Lucy wished she had not looked on Twitter!
Sophie rushed to the window to see if there were any residents in the square. She half expected to see hordes of them brandishing pitchforks, all heading towards Bartlett Crescent to lynch Jennifer and Collins from the nearest tree. She opened the window onto the grim night to get some air. It was spitting with rain and she felt evil whispering amongst the trees. She shivered to her bones.
“This is what we need to do,” Lancelot told them. “We’ll hold a residents’ meeting at ten o’clock tonight and I will give a speech. Tell everyone to tell another five people and it should be all around the town in twenty minutes or less.”
“Where though?” India asked him. “If everyone needs to come it’ll have to be a bigger venue than the Pump Rooms.”
“We could use the stage in the park,” Lucy suggested. “It’s nearly ready for the concert.”
“But what will you say?” Sophie asked. “In the speech, I mean.”
Lancelot shook his head and took a spoonful of ice-cream from the tub saying; “I have absolutely no idea!”
Chapter 26
~ * ~
The friends sat around just looking at each other in despair, trying to get their heads around what to do for the best.
Lancelot suggested that they hold a residents’ vote. “There is no point in us trying to save Little Eden if the residents are not with us one hundred percent. I suggest we try to pay off Collins and Lucas, and let everyone vote as to whether or not to try and raise enough money.”
“How much do you think they will want?” Jack asked him.
“At least two billion each, I would think,” Lancelot replied.
“But, that’s far too much money!” Lucy exclaimed.
“Doesn’t Robert have any money of his own?” Minnie asked. “Can’t the Trust just pay them off?”
“The Trust hasn’t much cash flow,” India said.
Lancelot laughed sadly. “As for Robert, he doesn’t even take his full annual stipend. He has nothing of his own.”
“It’s not just about the money!” Sophie reminded them. “If Robert dies or goes to prison, that would put the Trust firmly under Collins’ and Lucas’s control. There would be no need for a buy-out. We’d have lost it all anyway.”
Lucy burst into tears.
“He won’t die or go to prison; it will never come to that, old girl!” Jack said, hugging Lucy. He thought for a moment and then added, “I have some money - only a few hundred thousand - would that help?”
“I have some money saved too,” India said. “If we start a fund, perhaps others may follow.”
“A Save Little Eden Fund, you mean?” Sophie asked.
“That’s a jolly good idea. I could put in a million to start the ball rolling,” Lancelot offered.
“I have about fifteen thousand saved, but that’s all I’m afraid,” Minnie said.
Lucy and Sophie looked at each other and sighed. They were both skint!
“Any money is welcome, but we are still talking drops in the ocean here!” India said. “We need some serious cash!”
“Why don’t we ask the other Bartlett-Harts to help?” Jack suggested.
“There are some wealthy Bartlett-Harts around the world,” Lancelot agreed. “But they have their own estates and businesses to look after.”
“The American side have shed loads of money,” Lucy said. “Jennifer is always moaning about how they are billionaires and she is only a millionaire and how unfair it is!”
“They have not been part of Little Eden for hundreds of years, I doubt they would help us now,” Lancelot said, regretfully.
“This might sound like a crazy idea,” Sophie interjected, “But there might be money beneath our feet - literally - if we could find it!”
“What do you mean?” Jack asked.
“I’m thinking of Genevieve Dumas, who is looking for the gold and booty she stole when she was a highwayman!” Sophie giggled. “Or, highwaywoman, I should say!”
“That’s just a ghost story!” Jack said. “There’s no real treasure, old girl!”
“Let’s keep spirits and ghosts out of this, shall we?” India suggested. “We need concrete ideas.”
“Hold on a minute, though!” Jack replied, “If we are moving onto the subject of treasure hunting, there’s the gold from the Civil War that was never found. It was supposed to have been delivered here by boat, when the old river still came to Little Eden from the Thames. It could be down in one of the tunnels! I’ve always wanted to try and find it, but never seemed to have the time. Robbie and I did some scouting around when we were boys, but we found nothing back then. But, that’s not to say it’s not there somewhere.”
“The American family would be our best avenue. They might give us a loan, perhaps?” India suggested.
“But even if they did loan us the money, how would we ever pay it back?” Lancelot reminded her.
India shrugged. She felt as if they were getting nowhere fast! “I just don’t think a treasure hunt is a realistic way to go,” she protested. “We can’t promise the residents they can keep their homes based on some missing treasure that may not even exist.”
“Anything is worth a try at this stage!” Sophie said. “There was also treasure from the Abbey that was taken to France at the Reformation. Stella says rumour has it that it went to Chartres. It might be worth a million or two?”
“I think we need some cake!” Lucy said. “I always think better with cake.” She went to the fridge and fetched some millionaire’s shortbread. She looked at it and smiled at the irony. “I must have known!” She laughed. “I made this earlier but wasn’t sure why!” She put out slices for everyone to help themselves to
and put the kettle on.
No one had any more bright ideas however, even with the help of tea and cake.
“We will just have to see what the residents think,” Lancelot said. “If they want to try and raise the money, then at least we are all in this together.”
By ten o’clock, the outdoor theatre in the park was filled to the brim, not only with all the Little Eden residents, but with reporters and strangers too. The drizzle and the biting cold had not deterred them. Rain clouds loomed heavy above their heads and filled the sky with a black swirling menace, and by the time Lancelot stood on the half-built stage, the atmosphere was electric with panic and fear.
Lancelot took the microphone from Cubby Mayhew, who had managed to plug it into one of the amplifiers, and he tried his best to calm everybody down. But, if there was a moment of quiet, it was interrupted again by someone shouting out, which in turn, kicked off a wave of fear and despair. Although the residents were minus pitchforks, there was plenty of hate towards Jennifer and Collins swirling around, which, if unchecked, could have been enough to do someone an injury! Lancelot called for order over and over, but it was a hopeless task. Johnathon Grail and Cubby pushed the crowds back from the stage and managed to stop one of the reporters getting punched in the eye by a resident who was less than pleased at the presence of the press!
In the end, it was India who got the crowd’s attention, and it was she who gave the speech, which went something like this:
“This afternoon, some of you may have heard that our town of Little Eden is under threat of sale and demolition.”
The crowds jeered and called out obscenities, but India continued…
“To save our town, our businesses and our homes, we must stand together, as a community, as friends - nay, I say- as family!”
The residents cheered and wolf-whistled at that part!
“I tell you now, we need to raise four billion pounds if we are to rest easy in our beds!”
Muttering and chuntering swept through the throng as people shook their heads and frowned over the enormity of the task.
“What if Mr Robert doesn’t return?” someone shouted from the crowd.
“Robert will return to us any day now!” India replied with as much conviction as she could muster, but with a stab of doubt in her heart. “But Robert, Lancelot and I cannot save Little Eden alone! We are dedicated to Little Eden and everything it stands for. We are dedicated to you all. But we need each and every one of you here to stand with us and never give up, no matter how hard the road ahead of us may seem!”
The mood was beginning to change for the better and some people started clapping. India began to find her stride and continued, “Little Eden is the last bastion of independence and sanctuary in Britain! Little Eden is a place where justice is more important than money! Where mutual respect is more important than individual power! And, where peace and tolerance are the most important things of all!”
The crowd went wild at this point, with ‘hear-hears’ and the stomping of feet, in general approval.
“Our children, our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren - they all need us to stand up against the ever-growing wave of selfishness and greed. We must show the future generations that people can work together to do what is right and that they will stand together to do what is right!”
The crowd now roared with gusto and pride!
India put her hand on her heart and said, “I pledge myself, before you now, as a guardian of Little Eden and everything it stands for! Who amongst you will join me to save Little Eden for all the generations to come?”
There was no containing the excitement of the crowd which burst into cheering, whistling, shouting and singing! Some held hands, some high-fived each other, and some started a Mexican wave, which went right around the theatre several times over. India had never felt so alive! It was as if the energy of each and every resident was plugged into her and she was physically buzzing with electrical energy. She felt light-headed one minute yet rooted to the spot the next. She felt as if her whole heart had opened up and an invisible beam of light was pouring out of her into the crowds. She could almost feel the light burning a hole in her chest!
Sophie and Blue, who were standing in the wings, could see the astral beam of white light pouring out of India’s heart chakra and into the hearts of all the people. Sophie also caught sight of the spirit of Aunt Lilly, who was standing beside India. She smiled to herself, knowing that Aunt Lil was not giving up either! The crowd, now bathed in a wave of invisible light, became so enthusiastic that some even started waving twenty pound notes in the air!
India realised at once that this was a chance to start the fundraising and she looked around for something to collect money in. She grabbed some yellow workmen’s hats, which had been left on the half-made stage, handed them to Tambo and Elijah, Jack and Lancelot, and sent them off into the crowds. In minutes they were back with their hats brimming with notes, coins, rings and watches - someone had even put some diamond earrings in.
The atmosphere became more and more electric as people started climbing onto the stage! Taking the microphone from India they began making pledges of money.
“I pledge a thousand pounds,” one resident shouted down the mic.
She was quickly followed by another who called out, “I pledge two thousand pounds!”
Lancelot got out his phone and jotted down who they were and the amount that they promised so that he could collect it later on.
Some of the wealthiest residents hesitated to join in at first, not wanting to part with their money too rashly, but when they saw Stella get up and pledge her life’s savings, they were not to be outdone! More and more of them mounted the stage, opening the floodgates. The collecting went on for over thirty minutes, until everyone ran out of steam and out of money!
When most people had finally gone home, Lancelot and India went back to the Café and counted up. There was a massive pile of coins and notes in the middle of one of the tables. Lancelot sipped his cappuccino as he totted up the pledges. Minnie came in to see if they wanted any help. “How much did we get so far?” Minnie asked, as she made herself some hot chocolate.
India looked on her tally sheet. “We have one hundred and twenty million pounds so far, give or take a few!”
“Wow!” Minnie replied. “That’s pretty good going for the first day of fundraising!”
India nodded and smiled. “I would never have expected people to be so generous!”
“Don’t get too hopeful,” Lancelot cautioned. “There’s still a long way to go.”
“Do you think four billion pounds is do-able?” Minnie asked, as she stacked pound coins up into piles.
India shrugged. “Between me and you, no I don’t, but if we can delay the sale by even a few months with the promise of a pay-off, or the threat of finding this Uncle Frith, I will pretend anything’s possible right now!”
Just then, Alice and Tambo appeared in their Pjs, holding their hands behind their backs. “We brought you something,” Alice said to India, and they both held out their hands, which were full of coins.
“We emptied out our piggy banks,” Tambo said, as they poured the shrapnel onto the table.
“Will it be enough?” Alice asked, with tears in her eyes. “I don’t want Mummy to lose the flower shop and I don’t want Tambo to lose his home.”
Minnie felt tears welling up and took Alice’s hand. “That is just the amount we needed!” she said smiling. “Just enough!”
Alice smiled and was happy to believe Minnie that everything was going to be alright.
~ * ~
Lucy could not sleep that night and she was not alone in that! She came into the conservatory to get some hot milk and found Jack was still up. He was sitting on the sofa bed watching television with headphones on, his duvet around him and eating popcorn.
She sat down nex
t to him and he put his arm around her. “What do you think, Jack?” she asked him. “Do you think Robert will wake up to find we have raised four billion pounds and we have saved Little Eden?”
“It will take years to come up with even half that amount,” Jack mused.
“Don’t say that!” Lucy said, feeling tearful.
“Okay, then!” he replied. “Of course it’s all going to be alright! Robert will wake up and all will be just fine and dandy, old girl. Don’t you worry.”
Lucy hit him playfully on the chest, but it was what she had wanted to hear.
She looked at the television. “Isn’t this ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’*?’” she asked.
“Yep,” he replied.
“It’s a sign!” Lucy said, jumping up from the sofa in excitement.
“A sign of what?” Jack asked her, bewildered.
“A sign from Aunt Lilly, silly!” Lucy replied. “This was her favourite film and we watched it every Christmas Eve with her, don’t you remember? She always said, ‘If life is going badly, we should always remember there is an angel watching over us’.”
“Oh, good grief!” Jack said rolling his eyes. “Not more praying and angels!”
Lucy walked up and down the room, trying to think what to do. “It’s a sign! I just know it is. Aunt Lil is here with us right now! She wants us to do something! I can feel it! But what? What is it, Aunt Lil? What do you want us to do?” She looked up at the ceiling as if Aunt Lil was floating up there somewhere.
Jack ignored her and carried on watching the movie.
“We have to go to the hospital and see Robert!” she said, suddenly.
“In the middle of the night?” Jack replied. “Be serious, old girl. They wouldn’t even let us in!”
“Then we will sneak in!” Lucy said, with gusto.
“You’re serious!” Jack replied, astonished.
“Yes!” Lucy said. “I know it in my bones! We must go now!”
“You’re losing it, old girl!” Jack said. “It’s blowing a gale out there and pissing it down too! And, how do you propose to sneak into a hospital?”
