Hello down there.
It’s Emily speaking from upstairs. Oliver has disappeared again. Back to the girl on the hot island I think. He’s in love! I’m sure of it because he’s never been like this before; dreamy, confused and always babbling on about what she was doing last time he saw her. It’s very silly of course, falling for an earth walker. The Captain has had his fancies but never become smitten like Oliver. I do wonder what she looks like and how she has captured the heart of a very old teenager. Maria, Charles and Sophia’s Mum, finds it funny, positively glowing when I told her my thoughts.
She’s here because she’s keeping an eye on her son. Another boy in love. Maria says Brigitte is not what she seems but in my experience is anyone? Earth walkers in the main, are chameleons; they change to fit the situation seamlessly. I have watched a few struggling with this ability though, Charles being one of them. It’s not that he’s shy he just finds people difficult to be around and can often disappear off at social gatherings, preferring his own company to the restless nattering of the crowd. Old William however, thrives surrounded by family and friends, entertaining them with his tales of the past and the occasional ancient joke, accompanied by a few large goblets of red wine. It’s wonderful to watch when he is in full swing, old eyes sparkling and spitting to get his words out in excitement.
Anyhow, Maria thinks Brigitte is going to dump him. At first she was overjoyed he had found himself an intelligent, clean and good looking mate but as time has passed ,Brigitte’s aloofness and cold humour has made her watch the relationship closer. Charles is head over heels for the pretty woman and will do anything for her as she marches in and out of the Hall. I bet if she asked him to paint all the white roses in the garden red he would (slightly begrudgingly) do it. I think the expression a closed book applies to Brigitte and there is nothing we can really do to help.
Big Baby
I am in love with Baby, who does look like an overgrown ginger cat and loves her tummy being scratched. I use twigs to itch her as my hands aren’t strong enough. She is horribly beautiful. When a storm comes and she sits in the rain, yowling to the night, sometimes sharpening her nails on the stump of the old chestnut tree, she is truly magnificent.
Old William visits her now in his robot wheelchair and sits in the cage, the tigers head on his knee. He stares out at nothing, his memories providing the view as he strokes the big cats’ ears. I think Baby likes Old William the best. He is so gentle, his movements slow and deliberate and he murmurs to her, occasionally laughing and tugging her pelt. With Charles she is boisterous and flirtatious, hugging him and swatting his legs in play.
With Brigitte, she is more guarded, watchful, making sure she sees every move the woman makes. Ultimately very obedient but she just doesn’t shine when she’s around the vet. Could be a girl thing I suppose. Baby is the first tiger I have ever seen, so I don’t know how they normally behave. Do you?
A few days ago a couple of men came from a zoo to see Baby. Apparently she is a golden tabby tiger, a very rare creature with a very cute name. It just makes her more adorable to me. The zoo man, Morris, broke out into a sweat when he saw her and fumbled for his phone, taking pictures and sounding very excited. I’m not sure Charles is though; he would much rather keep our cuddly cat. Even Brigitte looked sad or possibly a little disappointed, I’m not sure. It’s a bit hard to tell with her, as you know. Rare usually means money though, so I think I will be saying goodbye to her soon. She is a killer after all and I do mean Baby, not Brigitte. No matter what Maria thinks…
And now for the good news…
The great news is Old William with his robot chair. At last he has dragged himself out of bed and can get about the house; reasonably fast but slightly inaccurately. This obviously does have its downsides. In the toilet there is a special seat which takes him ages to struggle with and accidents can happen and do. He also leaves a trail of newspapers and coffee cups everywhere he’s been and you can almost trace his movements during the day by the remnants discarded on numerous plates balanced in obscure places around the Hall. Julie found a plate with an old lamb bone and some very dry pickle behind a curtain in the bathroom yesterday, followed by a bowl caked with muesli and banana in the shoe cupboard.
“What can you do?”she said to the mirror she was cleaning.
My thoughts exactly…