want to walk across two fields in the dark!”
“You won’t have to, though. We’ve got one of those bucket loos. Camping ones,” Emily pointed out.
Izzy shuddered. “Actually, that sounds worse.”
“You could always nip behind a tree!” Maya giggled.
“Yes, but other things might be behind it with me,” said Izzy with a shiver. “You know. Foxes. Or a badger.”
“Maybe even a wolf,” Emily said, straight-faced, and Izzy stared at her in horror.
“Not really? But I thought they were only in Scotland? Oh! You’re having me on.”
“Of course I am! There aren’t wild wolvesanywhere in Britain now!” Emily shook her head, giggling.
Izzy sighed. “You’re so mean. I can’t help it, I kind of like my nice warm bathroom. And loo paper.”
“Put loo paper on the list,” Emily told her. “The nice quilted stuff.”
“Wow…” Poppy spun round slowly, staring up at the dusty rafters and the stained, dirty plaster on the walls.
Emily made a face. “I know. It’s a mess. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.”
But Poppy shook her head. “Oh no, I didn’t mean that! It’s amazing. Those wooden beam things, it’s beautiful.”
“You think so?” Emily asked hopefully, looking round at all the others. “It’s just it looks like such a lot of work – I think I’d deliberately forgotten how bad it was, and then we walked in and I suddenly remembered…” She gazed helplessly at the dusty floor, which was covered in sticks, and bits of rubbish, and something that looked like it might be a dead mouse.
“My mum and dad got married in a place that looked a lot like this,” Maya said. “I’ve seen the photos– I was only about three, so I don’t really remember it. But it was beautiful. There were loads of flowers everywhere, like long ropes of flowers hanging off the rafters.”
“We can’t do that.” Izzy shook her head firmly. “Too expensive.”
“Goodness.” Emily’s mum walked into the barn – she hadn’t run across the field like the girls, mostly because she was carrying a tent, and had sleeping bags dangling off all her fingers.
“What do you think?” Emily asked her anxiously, hurrying over to help her put the tent down.
Her mum looked around with half-closed eyes, and then smiled at her. “I think you two were very clever to spot it. But has Lucy got a ladder? I can’t see anyone having a party in here with all those spider webs hanging down. It’s making me quivery just looking at them. Can we get rid of them first?”
Poppy nodded. “I should have brought Billy. He loves hunting spiders. I don’t think he ever actually catches them, he just runs along behind them making these big snapping noises.”
“Oh, Henry catches them.” Maya shuddered. “And then he eats them, it’s disgusting. Actually, it might not be a bad idea to bring him along. I betthere’s mice in here.” She crouched down by the tiny little morsel of fur that Emily had spotted in one corner. “Yup, definitely. Henry’s a fab mouser.”
“But if it’s a party all about raising money for rescuing animals and looking after them…” Emily began.
“Ems, I don’t think that goes as far as mice,” her mum said gently. “Especially not if you’re having food at this party. Do you want to get the tent up?”
Emily sighed. “I suppose so. It feels mean to the mice, that’s all.”
“They can all move back in after the party,” Maya said, hugging her. “Henry’s just going to persuade them to go on a camping holiday for a bit. Like us.”
“It’s really odd not being able to hear any cars,” Poppy murmured.
“Mmmm…” Izzy agreed sleepily.
“Sounds just like it does at home to me,” Maya yawned. “Except usually I’ve got Henry snoring at the end of my bed.”
“Me too!” Emily whispered back. “Sukie snores, and so does my dad. Like a jet engine or something.”
“Is your mum asleep?” Maya whispered.
“Probably.” Emily sat up a bit and listened.
“You won’t have to, though. We’ve got one of those bucket loos. Camping ones,” Emily pointed out.
Izzy shuddered. “Actually, that sounds worse.”
“You could always nip behind a tree!” Maya giggled.
“Yes, but other things might be behind it with me,” said Izzy with a shiver. “You know. Foxes. Or a badger.”
“Maybe even a wolf,” Emily said, straight-faced, and Izzy stared at her in horror.
“Not really? But I thought they were only in Scotland? Oh! You’re having me on.”
“Of course I am! There aren’t wild wolvesanywhere in Britain now!” Emily shook her head, giggling.
Izzy sighed. “You’re so mean. I can’t help it, I kind of like my nice warm bathroom. And loo paper.”
“Put loo paper on the list,” Emily told her. “The nice quilted stuff.”
“Wow…” Poppy spun round slowly, staring up at the dusty rafters and the stained, dirty plaster on the walls.
Emily made a face. “I know. It’s a mess. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.”
But Poppy shook her head. “Oh no, I didn’t mean that! It’s amazing. Those wooden beam things, it’s beautiful.”
“You think so?” Emily asked hopefully, looking round at all the others. “It’s just it looks like such a lot of work – I think I’d deliberately forgotten how bad it was, and then we walked in and I suddenly remembered…” She gazed helplessly at the dusty floor, which was covered in sticks, and bits of rubbish, and something that looked like it might be a dead mouse.
“My mum and dad got married in a place that looked a lot like this,” Maya said. “I’ve seen the photos– I was only about three, so I don’t really remember it. But it was beautiful. There were loads of flowers everywhere, like long ropes of flowers hanging off the rafters.”
“We can’t do that.” Izzy shook her head firmly. “Too expensive.”
“Goodness.” Emily’s mum walked into the barn – she hadn’t run across the field like the girls, mostly because she was carrying a tent, and had sleeping bags dangling off all her fingers.
“What do you think?” Emily asked her anxiously, hurrying over to help her put the tent down.
Her mum looked around with half-closed eyes, and then smiled at her. “I think you two were very clever to spot it. But has Lucy got a ladder? I can’t see anyone having a party in here with all those spider webs hanging down. It’s making me quivery just looking at them. Can we get rid of them first?”
Poppy nodded. “I should have brought Billy. He loves hunting spiders. I don’t think he ever actually catches them, he just runs along behind them making these big snapping noises.”
“Oh, Henry catches them.” Maya shuddered. “And then he eats them, it’s disgusting. Actually, it might not be a bad idea to bring him along. I betthere’s mice in here.” She crouched down by the tiny little morsel of fur that Emily had spotted in one corner. “Yup, definitely. Henry’s a fab mouser.”
“But if it’s a party all about raising money for rescuing animals and looking after them…” Emily began.
“Ems, I don’t think that goes as far as mice,” her mum said gently. “Especially not if you’re having food at this party. Do you want to get the tent up?”
Emily sighed. “I suppose so. It feels mean to the mice, that’s all.”
“They can all move back in after the party,” Maya said, hugging her. “Henry’s just going to persuade them to go on a camping holiday for a bit. Like us.”
“It’s really odd not being able to hear any cars,” Poppy murmured.
“Mmmm…” Izzy agreed sleepily.
“Sounds just like it does at home to me,” Maya yawned. “Except usually I’ve got Henry snoring at the end of my bed.”
“Me too!” Emily whispered back. “Sukie snores, and so does my dad. Like a jet engine or something.”
“Is your mum asleep?” Maya whispered.
“Probably.” Emily sat up a bit and listened.
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