Me: You’re looking rather serious.
Nell: Catkin is a very naughty kitten.
Me: She’s absolutely adorable, Nell. How can anyone resist that sweet little face?
Nell: She made a hole in my favourite shawl. She stuck her tiny claws in it and started pulling out threads of wool.
Me: Oh dear.
Nell: It was a present from Rupert.
Me: I’m sure Knitwear Wolf can organise another one, or have it mended for you.
Nell: It’s past saving. It’s not only unravelled, it’s covered in flour. Like the living room.
Me: Don’t you mean the kitchen?
Nell: No. Herr Hoffmann was making a cake in the kitchen and Catkin jumped in the bowl.
Me: Oh dear.
Nell: And then walked flour all over the house.
Me: That is a little bit naughty.
Nell: She also bounced Malcolm when he wasn’t looking and you know how shy he is. And she was dressed as a pirate.
Me: That reminds me of Poppy. Where did she get the outfit?
Nell: From The Cat’s dressing up box.
Me: Did Malcolm really mind being bounced?
Nell: He said he didn’t, but he lost his colour for a while.
Me: He needs to eat more prawns.
Nell: Princess has promised to bring some back. She and Sir Roger have gone fishing.
Me: I bet Catkin would enjoy a prawn.
Nell: I’m not sure she deserves one. The Cat is at the end of its tether. It says it can’t cope a minute longer.
Me: She’s just being a kitten.
Nell: And now she’s disappeared.
Me: She won’t have gone far. She’s probably fallen asleep somewhere. They do that when they’re tiny.
Nell: You can help the others look for her. I’m going to have a lie down. I’m too old for all this.
Me: Yes. Sorry.
