Me: Do you think Dave and Nigel are worried about me?
Nell: What do you mean?
Me: Nigel climbed on the bed while I was writing and stood guard and then Dave almost climbed on top of me.
Nell: David can be a little overprotective of those he loves.
Me: I could hardly breathe.
Nell: David has no concept of his size.
Me: Nigel was definitely on alert. Do you think they’re picking up on my worry about getting the little cottage in the middle of nowhere?
Nell: No. I think it’s about the Stuffed Tiger.
Me: The Stuffed Tiger?
Nell: You’re doing that repeating thing again.
Me: What about the Stuffed Tiger? It’s just sitting on top of the wardrobe.
Nell: Exactly.
Me: Minding its own business.
Nell: Ha! That’s what it wants you to think.
Me: It’s stuffed.
Nell: The question is, what with?
Me: Stuffing.
Nell: And?
Me: Nothing else.
Nell: You can think that, if you like, but we know otherwise.
Me: Nonsense.
Nell: The biscuits have gone, you know.
Me: Yes. We cleared them away. We can’t have biscuits on top of the wardrobe.
Nell: But you can have tigers.
Me: It’s a little unusual, but it enjoys the view. It can see out of the terrace window and it doesn’t feel quite so alone.
Nell: What about the candles?
Me: They aren’t real. They give a lovely light in the evening.
Nell: Why does the Stuffed Tiger need a lovely light?
Me: It’s all alone up there, Nell.
Nell: Is it? Mothew isn’t too sure.
Me: Don’t start all that again.
Nell: Anyway, until we know more, David is your regular bodyguard and Nigel is a visiting one.
Me: You can’t have a visiting bodyguard.
Nell: This photo says you can.
Me: Yes. Sorry.
