Me: Why are you giving me that look?
Nell: You’re not supposed to be downstairs at this time of the morning.
Me: I couldn’t sleep. And why is Dave watching me from behind the kitchen table?
Nell: He’s hoping for bacon.
Me: I’m afraid he’s going to be very disappointed. I’m only having cereal.
Nell: David is never disappointed for long. He’s not that kind of animal.
Me: I’ve been thinking about Myfanwy and her worrying news.
Nell: Here we go.
Me: If her mother is Lady Anwen does that mean she is Lady Myfanwy?
Nell: Possibly.
Me: Now that we’ve lost The Queen are the royal corgis still royal, or have they been downgraded? King Charles might choose to upgrade another kind of animal entirely.
Nell: He might.
Me: Sir Roger Blubbery has a nice ring to it.
Nell: King Charles isn’t going to have royal seals and if he is then I doubt if Roger Blubbery will be first on the list.
Me: Why not? Roger Blubbery is a local celebrity and monarchs always have seals. See what I did there?
Nell: I’m choosing to ignore you.
Me: Do we know if Lady Anwen has been in touch with Myfanwy since her escape?
Nell: I don’t think so.
Me: She’s a proper nasty piece of work that one.
Nell: Are we suddenly in the middle of a novel by Charles Dickens?
Me: I’m just getting into the feel of it all.
Nell: Well, don’t.
Me: I used to call Dave ‘The Artful Dodger’ when he stole things as a puppy. Darling Big Brave Beautiful Boy.
Nell: David is still waiting at the kitchen table, by the way. If you don’t have any bacon the least you can do is give him a bowl of cereal.
Me: Yes. Sorry.
