Me: Look what Sylvia sent me. You as a puppy at the studio with Kev. How adorable were you?
Nell: Some may say I still am.
Me: Would that be a certain someone you had afternoon tea with yesterday?
Nell: If you mean Detective Inspector Lionel King then it’s certainly something he would say, although after yesterday’s fiasco I’m not sure if he will be inviting me out again.
Me: Why? Wasn’t the tea very nice?
Nell: The tea was delightful, if not quite up to Poppy’s standards. A selection of sandwiches, crusts off, scones with jam and cream and a choice of cake.
Me: You’re making me hungry. What went wrong then?
Nell: Let me just say that when I agreed to have afternoon tea with a handsome lion I was not expecting a wolf and a tiger to be sitting at the next table.
Me: That’s a bit unkind, Nell. The hotel is open to all guests.
Nell: If I tell you the wolf was wearing a knitted cardigan and the tiger was carrying a trumpet it might help you understand.
Me: Oh. You mean Rupert and Beauregard?
Nell: I do.
Me: What a coincidence. Fancy them deciding to have tea on the same day as you in the same place.
Nell: And at the same time.
Me: Where was Oliver? He’s usually with Beauregard.
Nell: Oliver was at the other table with a large black Labrador, a flamingo, two woodlice and an octopus.
Me: At least Gladys wasn’t there.
Nell: Gladys was performing in the bar with the llamas.
Me: Well, you couldn’t make that one up.
Nell: I think we both know that you could. Don’t pretend you didn’t know what they were planning.
Me: We just wanted to keep an eye on you, Nell. Sorry.
