Poppy had never enjoyed a meal so much – all the excitement had given her quite an appetite. They had Aunt Marigold’s tasty vegetable broth with crusty bread to start with, followed by fish, chips and peas and then pineapple upside-down pudding and custard. After supper Poppy pushed Honey back to their room very slowly – she was so full up she could hardly move.
The girls lay on their beds chatting and reading, and when it was bed time, they had a lovely deep sleep as new residents of the Hedgerows Hotel.
Chapter Eight
THE NEXT MORNING Poppy woke up before anyone else so she decided to make use of the amazingly luxurious bathroom. She ran a deep bath and poured in all the little sample bottles of bubbles and oil that she could find and splashed about happily. By the time she had finished, everyone else was awake and keen to use the bathroom before they went down to breakfast. While they did that, Poppy got dressed and they all went down to the dining room together.
It had snowed all night and she was keen to go outside. While they were eating the yummy food that had been prepared by Granny Bumble and Mrs Woodchester, Dad and some of the other villagers were discussing what needed to be done that day. It was decided that they would split into two groups. David,Ted and Mr Woodchester would go out on the tractor to clear the road that led to the main highway, and Dad and Mr Atkins, the local builder, would take Mr Atkins’s digger and try to clear the road between Honeypot Hill and Camomile Cove, via Barley Farm, so that supplies could get through.
“Can I come with you, Dad?” asked Poppy as she polished off a boiled egg with soldiers.
“It’s going to be really cold and hard work,” Dad replied. “I don’t think you’ll enjoy it.”
Poppy’s face fell. “Aww, please, Dad. I won’t be any trouble. It’ll be an adventure and I don’t mind hard work,” she said.
“All right then – as long as you promise not to whinge about being cold,” said Dad.
Mum looked worried. “If you’re taking Poppy with you, make sure you don’t stay out too long – she feels the cold much more than you do, James.”
Dad winked at Poppy. “We’ll be fine, won’t we? We’re the rescue team!”
Dad was optimistic that they would soon return, laden with fresh provisions. Ideally he wanted to clear the road all the way to Camomile Cove, but at the very least he needed to get down to Barley Farm to collect bags of corn and also milk, cheese, eggs and butter for everyone in the hotel, and to check on the Meadowsweets. Their daughter, Sally, who ran the Lavender Lake Garden Centre, was very worried about her elderly parents out there on the farm with only the animals for company, especially since the phone and electricity lines were down.
“They should have come up here yesterday with me but they are very stubborn!” Sally explained to Dad. “Silly old doughnuts!”
“We’ll try to persuade them to come back with us!” promised Dad.
“Thanks, James,” said Sally. “They might listen to you!”
Poppy dashed off to her room to get ready to go out while Dad went to the kitchen to find some supplies for their journey.
“I’ll meet you in the lobby in ten minutes,” he called after her.
Poppy, Dad and Mr Atkins were wrapped up so well that only their eyes were visible, but at least they would be warm. They walked out to the car park, where Mr Atkins had left his digger. When Poppy got outside she couldn’t believe how much snow there was. It came up higher than her knees, and some of the drifts were taller than she was. Everything was so covered in snow and looked so different to normal that Poppy half expected to see polar bears and penguins roaming around the village!
“Wow!” she said when they reached the digger. “I’ve always wanted to ride in one of these. Now I’m part of the rescue team – I really am a rescue princess! Cool.”
Mr Atkins climbed into the driving seat and started the engine while Dad lifted Poppy up into the cab, loaded up their supplies and equipment, then clambered in beside her.
The digger’s progress was slow but steady and it had finally even stopped snowing. The three pioneers, Poppy, Dad and Mr Atkins, sang songs as they ploughed their way through the deep snow. They were soon well on their way to Barley Farm.
“The wheels on the digger go round and round, round and round, round and round . . .” sang Poppy cheerfully as they bounced along, with Dad and Mr Atkins joining in for the chorus.
Then, all of a sudden, the digger juddered and spluttered and finally came to a halt, just over the bridge near the Village Hall.
“Oh no!” cried Mr Atkins. “This old thing never lets me down.”
He turned the key in the ignition several times but the digger just coughed, so he got out and looked around the machine.
“Everything seems fine,” he said. “I don’t understand it – I’ve just had her serviced. Maybe it’s the cold, but I’m sure I put some anti-freeze in. I’ll pop open the bonnet.”
Dad jumped down too and they both peered at the engine.
“Starter motor’s fine . . . fan belt hasn’t snapped . . . oil looks OK and so does the water,” muttered Mr Atkins, scratching his head.
“What could it be then?” asked Dad, who wasn’t too sure about engines in normal cars, never mind industrial diggers.
Sitting in the cab of the digger all on her own was boring and Poppy was getting fed up. Surely they’ll fix it soon, she thought, then we can be on our way. I was having such fun!
“The only thing I can think of is that we’ve run out of fuel, James,” admitted Mr Atkins when he could find nothing else wrong with his digger.
Dad’s face crumpled. He hadn’t thought to ask how much petrol they had. “Have you got any spare in the cab?” he asked.
“No, that I have not,” said Mr Atkins, looking embarrassed. “This heavy work fairly sucks up the fuel. I’m sorry, folks. We’re going to have to leave the digger here. They’ll have some spare at Barley Farm – the tractors run on the same stuff.”
Poppy thought this was a terrible situation. It had taken them ages to get this far in the digger, even though the distance they had covered wasn’t that great. She was beginning to feel cold, hungry and tired and she wished she’d stayed at the hotel. Everyone back there would be lovely and warm – they’ve probably just had a yummy hot lunch. And it had started snowing again!
“I don’t think we have any choice,” said Dad. “We’re going to have to walk – no one is going to come looking for us in this weather. It’s a long way back to the hotel so we’ll have to make our way to Barley Farm and sit it out with the Meadowsweets. If we can get some fuel from them for the digger, Mr Atkins and I can walk back, fill her up and then collect you from the farm. How does that sound?”
“Well, it sounds like a good solution to me, James,” said Mr Atkins.
“But I don’t want to walk,” wailed Poppy miserably. “I’m freezing.”
“Come on, sweetheart,” said Dad. “You wanted to come and you promised not to whinge. It’s an adventure and you’ll warm up as soon as you start walking.”
Dad caught Poppy as she jumped down from the cab. Through the blizzard, in the far distance, they could see the smoking chimneys of the farmhouse on Barley Farm. The three of them set off, using the smoke to guide them.
“How will Mum know where we are?” asked Poppy when they’d been walking for ten minutes or so. “Saffron said the phone lines are down on the farm.”
Dad looked stumped. “Don’t worry, Poppy, she’ll know we’re safe,” he said, looking at Mr Atkins.
“Yes, I’d agree. She knows we’re looking after you,” said Mr Atkins. “And we’ll soon be back at the hotel, safe and warm, hopefully with some supplies, before your mum even has time to worry, Princess Poppy.”
“See, darling,” said Dad reassuringly. “It’s all going to be fine – we just need to keep walking.”
“That’s right. There’s no point moaning at this stage. Let’s make our way to the farmhouse. I’m starving too – the sooner we get
there, the sooner we eat!” said Mr Atkins.
Chapter Nine
MEANWHILE, BACK AT the Hedgerows Hotel everyone was having a ball. Mr and Mrs Woodchester supervised everything and made sure that it was all running smoothly. Aunt Marigold had organized relay races, pass the parcel and quizzes too. Grandpa kept score and acted as the referee. Honey, Mimosa, Sweetpea and Abigail were playing cards, while some of the other children built snowmen in the hotel grounds. A group of adults were having a friendly argument about the rules of Monopoly, and those who had been assigned the task of cooking that day were busy in the kitchen making delicious cottage pies and various other tasty treats. Everyone was looking forward to hearing good news from the two scouting parties that had gone out earlier in the day.
“I do hope they manage to bring Mum and Dad back with them,” said Sally Meadowsweet.
“I’m sure James will do his best,” Mum assured her. “He can be very persuasive when he wants to be.”
Their conversation was interrupted by Mrs Crowther bursting into the room.
“Dr Latimer, come quickly, please! It’s my Ernest – he forgot to bring his medicine with him and he’s having a bad turn. I’ve tried giving him as many sweet snacks as I can – that usually revives him – but it doesn’t seem to be working.”
Gosh, I’m glad we never did tell tales on them, thought Honey as she watched the drama unfold. Poor Mr Crowther!
Dr Latimer grabbed his medical bag and followed Mrs Crowther to her room. He was finding life very busy at the Hedgerows Hotel. He soon re-emerged with the good news that although he was keen to get Ernest checked out at the hospital as soon as possible, he was going to be fine; along with the babies and children, he was a food priority and must get exactly what he needed – little and often. The people working in the kitchen were beginning to realize that food supplies were fast running out.
By mid afternoon the team that had been clearing the snow on David’s tractor had arrived back at the hotel with kindling and logs from Wildspice Woods as well as some food from the school kitchens and the café at the Lavender Lake Garden Centre.
“The digger seemed to be making good progress down towards the farm!” they reported to Mum, who was delighted to hear the news.
“They were certainly moving faster than we were!” said David. “I expect they’ll be back soon, although they did have further to go.”
When Dad, Poppy and Mr Atkins were still not back by tea time, Mum began to worry since it wouldn’t be long before dark. She tried to keep busy but she was so anxious that she couldn’t concentrate on anything, and in the end Grandpa had to feed and bath the twins for her. Every time Mum heard a noise she rushed to the lobby in the hope that it would be them, triumphantly returning with lots of fresh provisions. But it was always just the wind and snow battering the hotel.
“They only had one thermos of soup between them,” said Mum. “The poor lambs will be absolutely ravenous.”
“Don’t worry, love,” said Granny Bumble. “I’m sure they’ll be fine. You know that James would never let anything happen to Poppy. She’s got two big strong men to look after her.”
“I know,” replied Mum, “but I just don’t understand why it’s taking so long. They’ve been gone for hours and the weather’s getting worse all the time.”
“These jobs often take a lot longer than you expect. Perhaps they’ve been waylaid by an elderly person who needs their help, or maybe someone has made them a meal. There are still a few people in the village who decided to stay in their own homes, you know, dear.”
“Of course, you’re quite right,” said Mum, in an effort to pull herself together. “They’ll walk through that door at any minute.”
Supper time passed and they still hadn’t come back. Poor Mum couldn’t eat a thing. When it was time for the children to go to bed and there was still no sign of Poppy, Dad and Mr Atkins, Mum couldn’t bear it any longer.
“We’ve got to do something!” she said. “What if they’re in trouble and need our help? If they’re outside, they won’t last long in this terrible weather. And look, the snow is falling more heavily than ever.”
“You’re right, Lavender,” replied David. “This is serious – we’re going to have to send out a search party.”
David organized everything very quickly. Before long, a search party, which included David,Ted, Mr Woodchester and Hector Melody, was assembled. They wrapped up warm, grabbed some torches, spades, a tow-rope and a thermos of hot tea and set off in the tractor towards the farm and the coast, following the path made by the digger.
The fresh snow meant that the tracks the digger had made had almost disappeared, so progress through the village towards Barley Farm was slow.
“Well, the digger looks like it did OK in the snow,” said David, trying to sound cheerful and keep everyone’s spirits up.
“Yeah, but why haven’t they come back yet if it was all going so well?” wondered Ted out loud.
No one knew the answer to that and they continued in silence.
“What’s that!” said Mr Woodchester as he saw something in the road in front of them, lit up by the tractor’s headlights.
“Looks like a massive snowdrift to me,” replied Hector Melody.
But as they got closer, they realized that it couldn’t possibly be a snowdrift – it was simply too huge. David stopped the tractor and they got out to have a proper look. As they approached, they all realized what it was at the same moment: Mr Atkins’s digger, almost completely buried by snow.
They wiped the snow away and had a good look around the digger, calling out for Dad, Poppy and Mr Atkins as they did so.
“It just looks like it’s been abandoned,” said Ted, “and there is no sign of James, Poppy or Mr Atkins.”
“They must have broken down,” said David. “Maybe they decided to head for Barley Farm instead of turning back. It is closer, after all.”
“You’re probably right,” replied Mr Woodchester, “but the road’s completely blocked by the digger and the snow. We can’t reach Barley Farm now.”
“He’s right,” said Ted. “We’ll never get past it. We’d better return to the hotel and report back. You can tell Lavender Cotton the news, David. I don’t want to.”
Chapter Ten
POPPY, DAD AND Mr Atkins had found it very hard going, trudging their way towards the farm. Poppy felt as though the deep white snow would go on for ever, but just as dusk fell she heard the familiar yapping of the farm dogs. They were nearly there. At last! The knowledge that they were so close to the farmhouse gave Poppy a huge burst of energy, and very soon they were standing at the front door, stamping their feet to keep warm and ringing the bell.
Mrs Meadowsweet came to the door wearing an apron over her dress.
“Hello! Come in, come in, you’ll catch your death out there,” she said as she ushered them into the big, cosy, candle-lit house. “What are you doing out in the dark in weather like this – and with Poppy?”
“You wouldn’t believe what’s happened to us,” said Dad, “and how pleased we are to see you.”
“Well, you can tell me all about it over supper – you’ve timed it perfectly.” Mrs Meadowsweet smiled at them. “I’ve made a stew with dumplings and a rhubarb pie for pudding. There’s far too much for the two of us. Take off those wet things and come and sit down.”
Poppy ran in and flopped down in front of the big open fire, delighted to be warm again.
They enjoyed a hearty and warming meal with Farmer and Mrs Meadowsweet in the cosy farm kitchen. The huge wood-burning stove was surrounded by puppies, kittens, hens and ducks. After the day she’d had, Poppy couldn’t quite believe that she was safe now, but as soon as she’d had supper, she started to worry about Mum. She was desperate to speak to her and tell her that they were all OK. She knew what a worrier Mum was.
Dad tried to cheer her up but he was concerned too – he wanted to see his wife and the twins and to reassure Lavender that everything was all righ
t.
Back at the hotel, the search party returned empty-handed. They shifted from one foot to the other as they worked up the courage to tell Lavender what they had found.
Grandpa was waiting for them in the lobby. “Hello!” he cried. “You’re back.”
“Grandpa – bad news, I’m afraid. The thing is—” began David.
“Well, have you found them?” interrupted Grandpa.
“Not exactly, no. But we did find the digger! It seems they abandoned it – they must have broken down. All of a sudden their tracks just stop and there’s just the digger blocking the road,” said David.
“Where on earth could they be?” wondered Grandpa, searching for a logical explanation.
“We’re pretty sure they’ll be at the farmhouse or in one of the outbuildings on the way there,” said Hector Melody.
Mum appeared at Grandpa’s side. She gathered that Dad, Poppy and Mr Atkins had still not been found and she began to panic. Everyone reassured her that there was nothing to worry about but she wouldn’t listen. Her husband and her eldest daughter were missing. She couldn’t just do nothing!
“I’m sure David’s right and they’ve gone to Barley Farm. They’re probably having a meal with the Meadowsweets as we speak, but let’s call the emergency services, just for peace of mind,” said Grandpa, putting his arm around his daughter.
Ted dialled the number nervously and explained the situation.
“They’re giving it priority because there’s a child missing,” he reported when he’d hung up the phone. “They’re starting the search right away. Don’t worry, Lavender, they’ll find them.”
Poppy’s mum was beside herself with worry. “‘Missing’ – that just makes it sound even more awful and serious,” she said quietly. “Why did I let her go?”
The Rescue Princess Page 3
