Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange by Jenny Kane (the little red hen ebook .txt) 📗

then, lying almost flat on the floor to avoid the sensation of falling, he’d slithered to the table. Once there, he’d knelt up, grabbed the packet of food, and slithered outside.

It had been ten minutes before he’d been calm enough to eat, but he’d done it. Sam knew, however, that it was not a technique that would look good in front of guests.

Sam checked his watch. It was almost two o’clock, and although Thea had assured him that at least Shaun would arrive at Mill Grange that day, even if the rest of Landscape Treasures had to admit defeat and stay in Cornwall, he was conspicuous by his absence. He hoped she was right. Guilt at keeping the Treasure Hunters offer open until the last minute, and potentially disappointing his friends, was gnawing at him, despite knowing it was the right thing to do for Mill Grange

‘Probably just as well they aren’t here anyway.’ Sam mumbled as the aroma of Mabel’s fresh-cooked chicken sandwiches on home-made bread taunted his nostrils. ‘Ajay and Andy would have a field day if they caught me on my belly on the kitchen floor, working an army-style assault mission just for a sarnie.’

Sam stared at his food. ‘Less than ten seconds. That’s all it will take. Less than ten seconds. The door will be open the whole time. I walked into Malvern House kitchen to prove a point to Father, so I can do it here for food.’

Sam’s stomach gave another nudge of encouragement. He needed to eat if he was going to last until the evening meal with or without their guests. And if he wanted to escape the kitchen before Mabel came in and fretted about not knowing how many people she’d be catering for that night, his time was running out.

Getting cross with himself for having to adopt such an unscientific approach to conquering his problem, Sam dived into the room at high speed, whipped the package off the table, spun on the soles of his boots and was back outside before he could register he’d ever been inside at all.

Crashing onto the nearest bench, Sam tore off the paper wrapping and sank his teeth into the delicious bread and meat.

‘You did it!’ Tina was by his side in seconds. ‘I was watching from the corner.’

‘That’s a bit sneaky.’ Sam spoke with a full mouth.

‘Yep.’ Tina gave a conspiratorial wink. ‘I was also making sure you didn’t sneak off to Sybil’s, the pub, or the village shop.’

‘And how did you imagine I was going to go inside any of those places, if I can’t walk into my own kitchen?’

‘Don’t be prickly – you could have asked someone to go in for you.’ Tina pointed to the sandwiches. ‘I’m also glad to see they’re sandwiches. Mabel was going to leave you soup. I’m not sure that would have survived such speed. You’d probably be wearing it down your front.’

‘These are delicious.’ Sam chewed as he listened to Tina.

‘You just went inside to fetch your lunch. And tomorrow you’ll do it again, and it’ll be easier, because you succeeded today. By Monday you’ll be able to walk inside rather than run, I’m sure of it.’ She hugged Sam as he ate. ‘Bert will be delighted. Mabel tells me he is feeling guilty for suggesting this.’

‘But it’s working.’

‘I know, but it’s a bit harsh. I felt bad eating my lunch at first, knowing you were hungry.’

‘No need.’ Sam took his last mouthful. ‘After all, I agreed to this, and Bert would never have suggested it if there was any medical reason why I shouldn’t do it.’

‘I know.’

‘Perhaps we should go and see him. I don’t like to think of Bert worrying, when he’s trying to help.’

‘We could, although shouldn’t we wait in case Shaun turns up.’ She checked her watch. ‘What time did you tell Shaun you’d email Treasure Hunters?’ Tina’s smile faded.

‘Midnight.’ Sam sighed. ‘You know I’m not happy about this don’t you, but…’

‘It’s okay. I understand completely.’ She patted Sam’s leg. ‘This place, getting it up and running, that’s what matters. Shaun and Thea understand that.’ Tina’s gaze shifted towards the walled garden. ‘And I would love that greenhouse to be restored to its former glory, so if Treasure Hunters do end up digging here, at least something good will come from it, as well as the endless TV marketing.’

Giving Tina a gentle kiss, Sam got up. ‘I’m going to find Bert and invite him over to dinner tonight. Time we stopped worrying about these television types and got on with things. Agreed?’

‘Agreed.’

‘Come on then, I’ll go and see Tom and Helen, you find Thea and we’ll tell them we’re having a meeting.’

‘Aren’t we going to see Bert?’

‘We are. The meeting is going to be around a bonfire later, with jacket potatoes cooked in the flames, just like we did before I bought the house.’

‘That was after the fire, after the last time you came into the kitchen properly.’

‘So it was.’ Sam glanced over his shoulder at the kitchen door. ‘Yes. So it was.’

*

The bonfire roared as a whistling Bert threw on another old chair leg. Mabel, wrapped in a thick winter coat and startling pink bobble hat, was busy laying out old travel rugs under the trees, so that everyone had something dry to sit on. Trying, but not quite succeeding in wondering if he should email Treasure Hunters now and simply accept that Shaun wasn’t going to make it, Sam poked another potato wrapped in foil into the flames as Thea and Helen came out of the kitchen with trays of bread, butter and crispy bacon.

‘That smells incredible.’ Tom looked on in amazement. ‘If I’d known this sort of thing happened at work meetings here, I’d have been picketing the gate until you let me in long ago.’ He surveyed the scene. ‘Dylan would love this.’

Sam smiled. ‘He could come. The spuds won’t be ready for half an hour yet if you want to fetch him.’

‘That’s kind, but his mother