Nell: Where’s Nigel?
Me: Asleep upstairs. He did an awful lot of swimming with Harriet yesterday, so he’s tired.
Nell: Is he with Dave and Harriet?
Me: Yes. You’re going to miss him when he goes home today. He’s become part of the pack.
Nell: Pack? We’re not wolves.
Me: Don’t let Knitwear Wolf hear you say that.
Nell: Talking of Rupert, he just delivered the newspapers.
Me: Why does he still do that?
Nell: He enjoys the early morning motorcycling. He often combines it with delivering warm woollens to the cold and needy.
Me: Cold and needy?
Nell: There’s many an animal who’s been most thankful to receive of one of his soft shawls, or cardigans. Myself included.
Me: But you’re not cold and needy.
Nell: I was when we got home from the beach. Anyway, have you seen the Daily Growl?
Me: Not yet. Why?
Nell: The short list for Our Devon Darling has been announced.
Me: Who’s on it?
Nell: You’re not going to like this and I don’t really know how it happened.
Me: What do you mean?
Nell: It’s Harriet, Stephen Seagull, The Cat and Lionel King.
Me: Lionel King?
Nell: Someone must have voted for him.
Me: I’m surprised at The Cat, but Lionel King?
Nell: It’s a mystery.
Me: Each judge had a vote.
Nell: Yes.
Me: You and Dave will have voted for Harriet and Lady C will have voted for Stephen Seagull.
Nell: Probably. Birds of a feather stick together.
Me: So, either Nigel or Squirrel Nutkin voted for Lionel?
Nell: Nigel was an undercover judge. Maybe it was him?
Me: No. I think he wanted to include The Cat. It will have been Nutkin who chose Lionel.
Nell: It’s up to the public now.
Me: Harriet has to win. Sorry.
