Page 53 of Boomerville at Ballymegille

‘Looks like we’re in for a session,’ Hattie said. ‘You stay here and keep an eye on things and I’ll go and check the bedrooms, to make sure housekeeping have turned the beds down.’

Jo hardly heard. She was distracted by Finbar who’d taken the hands of a middle-aged widow from Warrington and was now encouraging her to join him in a duet. As Finbar and Fiona became Kenny and Dolly, Hattie hurried from the room, to a chorus of ‘Islands in the stream, that is what we are…’

Hattie sped along the corridor and made her way to the front door. She reached into her pocket and looked at her phone. Alf had messaged to say that they had left Cork half an hour ago and would be arriving at any moment. As she stood on the step and looked out into the night, James joined her.

‘Have you mentioned the new arrivals to Jo?’

‘Er, no, I thought you might break the news, but she knows Melissa is due at any time.’

‘Very good,’ James said. ‘Refreshments are ready and a light buffet is laid out in the music room.’

‘You’re a star.’ Hattie turned and looked at James and saw that his eyebrows were raised. ‘It’ll be alright, honestly. I had to do it like this or Jo would never have agreed to it.’

‘As long as you know what you’re doing.’

A horn tooted in the distance and they both turned as the lights from Willie’s coach came into view. It flew along the drive and came to a sudden halt, twenty feet from the door.

‘Tell her now,’ Hattie urged and raised her hands in greeting.

With a nod, James disappeared.

‘Hattie!’ voices yelled from the coach, as Willie eased himself out of his cab and trudged over.

‘Tha’s looking grand.’ Willie clenched Hattie in a bear hug, his hands encircling her waist.

‘Good to see you, Willie,’ Hattie replied, removing herself from his grip. ‘Shall we get this lot unloaded?’

Alf was first out of the coach. He placed his cap on his head and stretched his arms. He grinned when he saw Hattie. ‘Nice place.’

‘Aye, belting, now let’s get everyone in.’

Hattie approached the coach and as the party from Cumbria descended, she was caught up in a confusion of kisses, hugs and excited greetings from Audrey and the Babes. Harry and Lucinda joined in, followed by Bill, who cautiously came forward to shake Hattie’s hand.

‘Glad you could make it,’ Hattie said. She stared at a stain on Bill’s jacket and pulled a face. ‘Bumpy crossing?’

Suddenly, everyone stopped. They turned to the doorway where a figure stood, mouth agape as she stared at the new arrivals.

Hattie closed her eyes and crossed her fingers, waiting for Jo’s reaction. But as she held her breath and said a prayer, Audrey and the Babes began to sing.

‘For she’s a jolly good fellow! For she’s a jolly good fellow…’

Alf stepped forward and grabbed Jo’s hands, his voice singing out too.

‘For she’s a jolly good feeeellooow, and so say all of us!’

Jo was surrounded. She looked confused as she stared at the number of people standing on her drive. She’d been expecting Melissa to arrive, on her own, in a taxi, but to her astonishment and horror, she saw that she had many more bodies to find beds for.

As silence fell and everyone waited for Jo to say something, Hattie opened her eyes. She turned to the coach where Melissa stood on the top step, fiddling with three leads as she unleashed Bunty, Ness and Teddy.

Bunty hurled herself forward and leapt on Jo, her tongue licking and tail wagging with absolute joy to be reunited with her mistress and as Teddy followed suit, Jo’s face softened.

Hattie let out a sigh of relief and whispered a prayer to the guardian angel of the canine world as she watched Jo lean down and embrace the dogs.

It was going to be all right.

‘Refreshments are being served in the music room,’ James said, ‘if you’d all like to follow me.’

‘Aye, leave your luggage, we’ll sort all that out,’ Hattie said and began to usher everyone into the manor. She stood by the door and watched the last of the party follow James.