And Berry Came Too Read Free

down here, stamping holes in the flags. He’d just hit his head on the lintel, but she hadn’t seen that bit and thought he was going gay. And then he looked up and saw her… It was an awful moment – I think we all feared the worst. And then Wolsey dropped his orange, and his mule kicked him well and truly while he was picking it up. I still think he did it on purpose. Any way, the situation was saved. They heard the King’s laughter at Windsor – that’s twelve miles off.”
    “And what did Wolsey do?” bubbled Jill.
    “Rose to the occasion,” said Berry. “I can see him now. He just looked round: then he pointed to the mule, whose name was Spongebag. ‘Non Spongebag, sed Shoelift,’ he said.”
    Here the wicket-door was opened, and, Daphne and Jill alighting, Jonah drove off to the coach house to berth the Rolls beside his.
    One by one, we entered – delicately. It was extremely easy to hit your head.
    As I bowed to the presumptuous lintel—
    “Captain Pleydell, sir?” said the night-porter.
    “That’s right,” said I.
    “I’ve a telephone message for you, sir.” He turned to a pigeon-hole. “Come through about ten o’clock.”
    I glanced at the note. Then I called to the others and read the message aloud.

    Very much regret to say the Knave cannot be found. Gave him his dinner myself at half past four, but has not been seen since. Respectfully suggest the dog may have gone off to find you.
    Falcon.

    When I say that the news shocked us, I am speaking no more than the truth. For one thing, we had no doubt that the butler’s surmise was correct; never before had all of us left the Knave. For another, the roads were death traps: the Knave had never run free upon anything greater than a lane. Finally, we cherished the dog. On the day that he came to White Ladies, an unsteady scrap of a playmate that knew no gospel but that of faith and goodwill, he scrambled into our hearts, and now, after twenty-two months, his understanding and beauty, his devotion and handsome ways had made him as much one of us as a dog could be. He was ‘lovely and pleasant in his life’: and now, though he came direct, that life was to be imperilled for seventy treacherous miles.
    After a dreadful silence—
    “What do we do?” said Daphne. “My brain’s a blank.”
    “We go to meet him,” said I. “Not now, but tomorrow morning, as soon as it’s light.”
    “That’s right,” said Berry. “We go to bed early tonight, and at dawn on Monday morning—”
    “Monday?” screamed Jill. “You can’t wait till—”
    “I meant ‘today’,” said I. “We’d better tell the porter to call us at five.”
    “I see,” said Berry, thoughtfully. “If we don’t clean our teeth, that’ll give us a good two hours.” He laughed wildly. “What did I come here for? To be able to sleep. And now you suggest… Of course, you must be out of your mind. We shan’t be able to see straight. As for looking about for dogs – why, you’ll have your work cut out to keep the car on the road.”
    “We must drive by turns,” I said stoutly. “It’s got to be done. And the one who isn’t driving must keep a look-out.”
    My brother-in-law swallowed desperately. Then—
    “Someone,” he said, “must stay here – in case the dog comes. I mean, cases have been known… Exactly. Very well. If we all go out, and he gets here to find us gone – I hardly like to say it, but our faithful, footsore friend will set off again.”
    “Oh, I can’t bear it,” said Daphne.
    “I know,” said Berry. “I know. Neither can I. And if I stay here in the drive—”
    “That’s Daphne’s job,” I said grimly. “Jill must go with Jonah, and you with me.”
    “Normally, yes,” said Berry. “Normally, yes. But here we must have the best sight. And my eyes—”
    “You can wear your glasses,” said Jill.
    “That’s just what I can’t do,” said Berry. “I left them behind.”
    “I didn’t,” said his wife. “They’re in