there, his little tail wagging and those big adoring eyes looking up at me. He gave me such affection and love, and never asked for anything in return.’
Her voice broke; she wiped her eyes and apologised again. ‘You’re right,’ she told her friend, ‘I know it’s only a dog, but I had him from a puppy when I was ten years old. Twelve years I had him, and he was my best friend. Whenever anything went wrong in my life, he was always there to help me pick up the pieces.’
‘Can I ask you something, Mary?’ her friend said.
Mary nodded. ‘Course you can.’
‘Would it help to get a puppy…another border terrier like Jasper?’
Mary shook her head. ‘I don’t think so,’ she answered quietly. ‘I miss him too much to even think of replacing him.’
For a while they were quiet with their thoughts. Then they were talking about shopping and work. ‘That was good of Sally Parker to let you have the day off,’ her friend told Mary, ‘she’s such a nice person.’
‘Yes, she is,’ Mary agreed. ‘She said I should take a day off, especially after that rush we had on yesterday. We had six wedding bouquets to prepare, and about eighteen different bridesmaid bouquets.’
She gave a long, weary sigh. ‘What with that building work going on right outside the Harpur Centre, it’s taking us all our time to keep the dust out of the shop. I can’t help feeling guilty, leaving her on her own today.’
‘But today’s not so hard is it? I mean, you did all the hard work yesterday, and Monday is always quiet in Bedford.’
‘Yes, but don’t forget she let me have the day off the other week, when my brother came down to stay with me.’
Pete was so excited he wanted to shout for joy. Her name was Mary! Lovely, wonderful Mary! The name suited her like no other could.
What’s more, the guy from the train was her brother , and not her boyfriend! His heart was pounding, and he felt as though he’d won the lottery after all!
When the train stopped at Bletchley, the girls remained on board while Pete got off, his mind buzzing with an idea.
Chapter Eight
Pete arrived at the office all nervous and excited. ‘Is my car back fron its service?’ he asked the secretary.
‘Not till Friday,’ she told him. ‘That’s why you’ve been given local appointments.’
‘Will you do me a swap?’ he asked his colleague; a tall thin man called Tim, ‘I really need to be in Leighton Buzzard.’
Tim had a smile that would frighten the devil. ‘Suppose I could.’
‘It’s that first appointment…the one at the old vicarage just down the road?’
‘What’s it worth?’
‘Lunch and a bottle of wine to take home.’
Tim’s face lit up. ‘Go on then.’
‘Thanks!’ Pete was over the moon. ‘I owe you one.’
‘I won’t let you forget it neither,’ Tim drawled.
‘Do you need your car?’
‘How long do you want it for?’
‘An hour at most. It’s really important.’
‘Okay. No more than an hour, or I can’t domy other appointments.’ Digging into his pocket he threw Pete the keys. ‘Anyway, what’s so special about Leighton Buzzard?’
Pete grabbed his appointment book and hurried out the door. ‘Tell you later!’ he said as he ran.
It took him fifteen minutes to get to Leighton Buzzard, where he parked the car and ran up the slope. There was a pet shop halfway down the high street. ‘Quick!’ Running inside he accosted the nearest salesperson. ‘I’d like to see some puppies.’
Startled, the girl said, ‘We’re not allowed to keep animals on the premises, but we might be able to get you a puppy. What kind are you looking for?’
Pete had to think. ‘What did she say?’ he mumbled. ‘Some sort of terrier, I think.’
‘Was it a Jack Russell?’
‘No.’
‘A Scottie?’
‘No.’
‘Well, I’m sorry, I can’t help you if you don’t know what kind of breed you want.’
Pete thought and thought, turning the conversation over in his mind. ‘She asked why didn’t
Her voice broke; she wiped her eyes and apologised again. ‘You’re right,’ she told her friend, ‘I know it’s only a dog, but I had him from a puppy when I was ten years old. Twelve years I had him, and he was my best friend. Whenever anything went wrong in my life, he was always there to help me pick up the pieces.’
‘Can I ask you something, Mary?’ her friend said.
Mary nodded. ‘Course you can.’
‘Would it help to get a puppy…another border terrier like Jasper?’
Mary shook her head. ‘I don’t think so,’ she answered quietly. ‘I miss him too much to even think of replacing him.’
For a while they were quiet with their thoughts. Then they were talking about shopping and work. ‘That was good of Sally Parker to let you have the day off,’ her friend told Mary, ‘she’s such a nice person.’
‘Yes, she is,’ Mary agreed. ‘She said I should take a day off, especially after that rush we had on yesterday. We had six wedding bouquets to prepare, and about eighteen different bridesmaid bouquets.’
She gave a long, weary sigh. ‘What with that building work going on right outside the Harpur Centre, it’s taking us all our time to keep the dust out of the shop. I can’t help feeling guilty, leaving her on her own today.’
‘But today’s not so hard is it? I mean, you did all the hard work yesterday, and Monday is always quiet in Bedford.’
‘Yes, but don’t forget she let me have the day off the other week, when my brother came down to stay with me.’
Pete was so excited he wanted to shout for joy. Her name was Mary! Lovely, wonderful Mary! The name suited her like no other could.
What’s more, the guy from the train was her brother , and not her boyfriend! His heart was pounding, and he felt as though he’d won the lottery after all!
When the train stopped at Bletchley, the girls remained on board while Pete got off, his mind buzzing with an idea.
Chapter Eight
Pete arrived at the office all nervous and excited. ‘Is my car back fron its service?’ he asked the secretary.
‘Not till Friday,’ she told him. ‘That’s why you’ve been given local appointments.’
‘Will you do me a swap?’ he asked his colleague; a tall thin man called Tim, ‘I really need to be in Leighton Buzzard.’
Tim had a smile that would frighten the devil. ‘Suppose I could.’
‘It’s that first appointment…the one at the old vicarage just down the road?’
‘What’s it worth?’
‘Lunch and a bottle of wine to take home.’
Tim’s face lit up. ‘Go on then.’
‘Thanks!’ Pete was over the moon. ‘I owe you one.’
‘I won’t let you forget it neither,’ Tim drawled.
‘Do you need your car?’
‘How long do you want it for?’
‘An hour at most. It’s really important.’
‘Okay. No more than an hour, or I can’t domy other appointments.’ Digging into his pocket he threw Pete the keys. ‘Anyway, what’s so special about Leighton Buzzard?’
Pete grabbed his appointment book and hurried out the door. ‘Tell you later!’ he said as he ran.
It took him fifteen minutes to get to Leighton Buzzard, where he parked the car and ran up the slope. There was a pet shop halfway down the high street. ‘Quick!’ Running inside he accosted the nearest salesperson. ‘I’d like to see some puppies.’
Startled, the girl said, ‘We’re not allowed to keep animals on the premises, but we might be able to get you a puppy. What kind are you looking for?’
Pete had to think. ‘What did she say?’ he mumbled. ‘Some sort of terrier, I think.’
‘Was it a Jack Russell?’
‘No.’
‘A Scottie?’
‘No.’
‘Well, I’m sorry, I can’t help you if you don’t know what kind of breed you want.’
Pete thought and thought, turning the conversation over in his mind. ‘She asked why didn’t
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