CHAPTER 10
It was more than two hours since they had arrived home. The bag of goodies Mrs Tommo had given them had been quickly set out on the table and what a sight it was. Now all they had to do was wait for Pearl and Lilac to arrive home.
‘For the life of me, I simply cannot remember ever seeing such a tea, not even a birthday tea’ said Sara, hands on hips as she surveyed the table. ‘Truth is I’ve been keeping a few treats especially for tonight, but what with this gift of food, well, as I say, I’ve never seen the like. ’
‘No, because there hasn’t been one,’ replied Lou, whispering so no one else could hear. ‘If you want the truth, I find it all a bit embarrassing – all this food and the fuss they make of us; the way they are with the girls. Especially Mrs Tommo. You’d think we were life-long friends, hardly someone she has just met. Seems all a bit much, sort of strange in a way. To me it does, anyway.’
Sara patted him on the cheek ‘That’s because you are being an old grump. They are naturally nice people, you can see it in their faces and I’m sure they are just as kind to all the young people lucky enough to be working for them.’
‘Yes, perhaps you are right and maybe I’m being a little too quick to judge.’ He looked again at the table. ‘But so much food!’ he exclaimed. ‘Tell you what! Why don’t we invite Bung over to join us? That is, of course, if he’s not still at the Circus busy hobnobbing with the higher ups. He’ll not be in a hurry to leave, loves that kind of thing.’
‘Yes, I was thinking the same,’ replied Sara. ‘About inviting him over, I mean. I’ll send Tiger Lilly, see if he’s home. One thing, though! I ‘ll not have the two of you arguing the way you do. Today has been a worrying day for all of us and I’d like what is left of it to be a little more peaceful.’
‘Argue! Bung and I? Never! Friendly discussions, nothing more.’
‘Yes and with both of you fighting like turkey cocks to do each other down.’ She clicked her fingers. ‘I know what I’ll do. Sit you at either end of the table and hope it’s long enough.
‘Shall I go for Mr Ho then? asked Tiger Lilly.
‘Tiger Lilly! exclaimed her Dad. How many times have I to remind not to listen to things that don’t concern you.’
‘I wasn’t listening,’ replied Tiger Lilly. ‘Just standing here. Sometimes it’s quite hard not to hear things even when you’re not listening and it’s double hard when you are not sure whether it might be something that concerns you. Without listening that is.’
Her Dad stared at her, shook his head. ‘Yes, all right,’ he said. ‘But just go! And ask if it’s convenient, that he’s not too busy. Ask politely.’
‘What’s convenient?’ asked Tiger Lilly.
‘Oh, just go get him,’ said her Dad and so Tiger Lilly went and brought Mr Ho back with her.
‘It was convenient,’ she said.
‘I waited a while at the Circus,’ said Mr Ho, staring open eyed at the table. ‘Thought I’d walk home with the girls, but they were still tidying up after what I believe was a very busy day. Another hour, I would think, before they get here, so I’ve brought along a special bottle of wine. It’s one I’ve been keeping for my birthday, but what the heck I thought.’
‘Now you two! Promise not to start in with your arguing,’ said Sara
‘Arguing. Friendly discussions,’ said Mr Ho. Nothing more.’
And so they didn’t argue, just waited.
‘Can I give Mattie a bun?’ asked.Tiger Lilly, her eyes fixed steadily on the table. I can tell he is hungry and if he doesn’t eat something real quick, I think he’ll start in on his crying and we all know how long it takes him to stop once he gets started. Especially when he’s hungry.’
‘’Yes, all right, just one, said her Dad. ‘The girls will be here soon.’
‘I’m not so sure he likes buns,’ continued Tiger Lilly. Maybe I should try one first, see if I think he will like them?’
‘Yes,’ said her Dad, more intent on what Gung was saying.
‘The girls tell me you have had a worrying day,’ said Gung handing the bottle to Sara. ‘Heard you lost Tiger Lilly.’
‘Not lost,’ replied Lou. ‘Not lost at all. Just not where we thought she was, that’s all.’
‘Where then did you think she was?’
‘Still in her bed. Asleep.’
‘Where was she then?’
‘On her way to the circus.’ replied Lou, deciding this was one he was definitely going to lose.
‘I see,’ said Mr Ho, his eyes turning to the ceiling. ‘And you didn’t know?’
‘I’ve tried him with a honey bun but I’m not so sure he likes it,’ said Tiger Lilly tugging at her father’s sleeve ‘Maybe I should try tasting one of the lemon cakes for him instead, se if I think he’ll like them better. ’
‘No, you shall not,’ exclaimed her Dad.
‘But, Daddy, he’s still hungry and it looks like he’s just about to start. Crying I mean.’
‘Oh for heaven’s sake, try a lemon cake then. Anything!’
‘Yes and I believe there was a bit of a commotion at the circus,’ continued Mr Ho. ‘Some kind of a fuss with Tiger Lilly from what I understand. Told she was upset about something.’
‘Nothing. It was nothing. Pearl was with her.’
‘Daddy, I gave him one of the lemon cakes like you said, but he would only take one small bite, wanted a sweet pork roll instead. So I tried one and I think he’s going to like them.’
‘Tiger Lilly. Can you not see I’m talking to Mr Ho?’
‘Did you see the Prince?’ asked Mr Ho
No, we were at the circus for only a little while, decided it would be better if we returned later in the week, have a full day. You saw him though. Don’t need to ask.’
‘Yes, had quite a long conversation, matter of fact and strangely enough about horses of all things. Seems he has some kind of ideas about Yeltsin becoming some kind of horsey place – a sort of centre for breeding thoroughbreds, training them, that kind of thing. Hardly knew what he was going on about half the time. Can’t abide horses myself, big clumsy things’
Tiger Lilly gave a tug on her father’s jacket.
‘What?’
‘He didn’t like the pork roll after all. All he does is take a bite out of everything he tastes, which means I have to finish every single one. Shall I keep on trying?’
‘Yes,’ said her Dad with a mind as far away from pork rolls as a mind could ever be. A mind on horses.
‘They’re here!’ shouted Sara who had been waiting in the doorway. ‘Here at last,’ and in no time everyone was seated at the table and what a party it was! More than enough to eat, with Tiger Lilly being toasted with Mr Ho’s special wine, with a present of a comb and brush set from Pearl and Lilac and a new dress for Tiger Lilly made by her Mum when the rest of the family was asleep. After they had eaten, Mr Ho surprised everyone with a box of magic tricks: actually made a bunch of flowers disappear in a flash of smoke; let each of them have a good tug at a piece of rope that had been cut in half yet managed to mend itself, and then, after a whole host of other impossible tricks, he turned an ordinary, everyday trouser button into a copper coin which he promptly gave to Tiger Lilly. Afterwards, Dad recited a poem, Mum brought out a selection of family lockets and told their stories, and finally everyone took turn in singing a song. All except Mattie who was fast asleep.
‘As good as any good harvest day, don’t you think? Tiger was asked. It was a question asked by everyone in turn and almost very minute. All wanting it to be good for Tiger Lilly.
‘Yes marvellous,’ she would reply, truly meaning it, but wanting even more to know about the necklace; wanting to be sure it was safely back under the log.
But for once, Pearl was being quite annoying. Surely she must know how anxious she must be? All that talk about every single thing she had said, done, met, thought and seen that day - every detail about the Shanghasi; about some silly fruit machines; about the Princess’s visit, about Mr and Mrs
Tommo; about every single, solitary thing! Everything except about putting her sister’s mind at ease. All she had to do was to take a minute to say a yes or a no. A quick whisper: not much to ask!
Oh, finally and at last!
‘Did you put it back?’ she asked in the quietest of whispers.
‘No,’ Pearl whispered back. ‘People around. Don’t worry, I’ll have it back in the morning.’ She gave Tiger Lilly’s arm a quick squeeze as she pushed her to one side. ‘We’ve been asked to go back tomorrow so we’ll be leaving early again. Same as this morning. Be much better – be no one near the log that time of the morning, that’s for certain All right?’
‘Yes, all right,’ agreed Tiger Lilly.
And things were all right with Tiger Lilly for the remainder of that wonderful evening; were more than all right as she lay in bed that night thinking of all that had happened to her that day; were still all right as she lay listening to the hurried whispers of Lilac and Pearl as they crept from the house next morning and were more than all right as she sat next morning at the table with her Dad and her Mum and baby Mattie and talked about her birthday.
Then from the distance came a sound of shouting, a desperate shouting that grew louder and louder until the door was thrown hard against the wall and Lilac was suddenly there, screaming: ‘It’s Pearl! They’ve taken her away. Soldiers! They stopped us. They found a necklace in Pearl’s pocket.’