Me: You know I was talking about Dave being Dave?
Nell: Yes.
Me: I think Harriet heard me because now Harriet is being Harriet.
Nell: What are you talking about?
Me: She’s lying on the sofa with her ear over her eye.
Nell: That’s just one of the Harriets. There are lots of them.
Me: What do you mean?
Nell: There’s Shy Harriet, Thoughtful Harriet, Worried Harriet and Bold Harriet, to name but a few.
Me: Bold?
Nell: Have you seen her rush into the sea?
Me: True.
Nell: Harriet can be who she needs to be. It’s part of her skills as a spy.
Me: Yes. She’s definitely much tougher than she appears to be.
Nell: Remember how she would tell David to behave when she was a tiny little puppy and not even half his size?
Me: I do. And Dave would listen.
Nell: He still does. She was the first born of the litter.
Me: I remember the day when Kev went with me to see the puppies and he fell in love with Harriet.
Nell: You had already lost your heart to Dave.
Me: I had, and then Harriet came over and lay on Kev’s foot and he picked her up and that was it.
Nell: Love at first sight.
Me: Yes. Kev said, ‘Sara, I know it’s madness but do you think we could take both of them?’
Nell: And you said, ‘Yes’.
Me: I did. At once. There wasn’t a moment’s hesitation. They were meant to be with us.
Nell: Even though you had three dogs at home.
Me: Yes, Mutley, Poppy and you.
Nell: The puppies’ aunt.
Me: We made the right decision. Even if it was a little crazy.
Nell: Harriet made the decision, by the way.
Me: Yes, she did. Sorry.
