spread out below him. The town followed the line of the horseshoe bay and sprawled northward into the surrounding hills. There were chalk cliffs to the east and rolling hills tumbling almost to the promenade to the west, and from here, Ron could see the gun emplacements that dotted those hills, and the enemy plane which had been shot down and was now rusting into the remains of the pier.
It was still an attractive place if you didn’t look too closely, but it had grown during the war, with ugly factories and emergency prefab houses springing up where there had once been green fields. Now the sun shone on glinting barrage balloons and emphasised the stark reality of the bomb sites that scarred the once orderly lines of Victorian terraces.
He gave a deep sigh and returned to the problem of finding Harvey. There was no guarantee that he was even here, and if he wasn’t, then this whole enterprise was a waste of time. Ron eyed the hedge and considered the more prudent approach might be to go the long way round and enter the estate from the woodland at the back where he was less likely to be seen by Agatha Fullerton – but he dismissed the idea almost immediately. It was yet another long trek and he was in no mood for going much further on an empty stomach.
Hitching up his baggy corduroy trousers, he looked up and down the deserted road and then, satisfied no one could see him, eased his way through a narrow gap in the rhododendrons. It was cool and deeply shadowed amongst the tangled branches, and he knew he was well camouflaged in his dusty brown clothes, so he squatted down, regarded the terrain in front of him and thought about a plan of action.
If his information had been correct and Harvey was here, then no doubt he’d be circling the house trying to find a way in. And if Agatha Fullerton caught him, there would be ructions and no mistake. Harvey was well known in this town and instantly recognisable. One glimpse of him would have Agatha on the doorstep of Beach View Boarding House causing untold trouble for him and his dog – and upsetting Peggy into the bargain.
Ron chewed on the stem of his unlit pipe as he eyed the large lake between him and the house. If Harvey did appear, then Ron didn’t have a hope in hell of getting round that lake and grabbing him before he ran off – and he certainly wouldn’t come to a whistle, not with all the distractions of that whippet bitch. He would have to find another hiding place nearer to the house, and just hope Agatha wasn’t looking out of one of her many windows.
He crouched lower and studied the ornamental lake. There was a clump of pampas grass and another of bulrushes and irises which might provide cover, and if he made it across the gravel path to the house, there was the jut of the porch he could hide behind. Though he’d have to be quick to catch the old bugger as he shot past, for Harvey could run like the wind, and was an expert in evasion tactics.
His gaze trawled the tranquil water, noting that the small flock of quacking ducks was huddled together at one end and looking very put out about something. This was odd behaviour and Ron frowned as he looked more carefully to see if he could spot what had disturbed the birds. If it was a big eel, then maybe he’d come back tonight and see if he could net it for the dinner table – it had been a long while since he’d had jellied eel and the thought made his mouth water.
Then something stirred beneath the lily pads in the middle of the lake, and a brindled head and two ears emerged, swiftly followed by a pair of eyes and the top of a long, pointed nose.
Ron had to bite his lip to smother his laughter. Harvey was using commando tactics to win his prize. God love him, the old lothario must be desperate.
The ears and head didn’t move beneath the lily pads as the eyes darted back and forth, the brows wriggled, and the water stirred gently around the nose at every breath. Harvey was perfectly camouflaged and
It was still an attractive place if you didn’t look too closely, but it had grown during the war, with ugly factories and emergency prefab houses springing up where there had once been green fields. Now the sun shone on glinting barrage balloons and emphasised the stark reality of the bomb sites that scarred the once orderly lines of Victorian terraces.
He gave a deep sigh and returned to the problem of finding Harvey. There was no guarantee that he was even here, and if he wasn’t, then this whole enterprise was a waste of time. Ron eyed the hedge and considered the more prudent approach might be to go the long way round and enter the estate from the woodland at the back where he was less likely to be seen by Agatha Fullerton – but he dismissed the idea almost immediately. It was yet another long trek and he was in no mood for going much further on an empty stomach.
Hitching up his baggy corduroy trousers, he looked up and down the deserted road and then, satisfied no one could see him, eased his way through a narrow gap in the rhododendrons. It was cool and deeply shadowed amongst the tangled branches, and he knew he was well camouflaged in his dusty brown clothes, so he squatted down, regarded the terrain in front of him and thought about a plan of action.
If his information had been correct and Harvey was here, then no doubt he’d be circling the house trying to find a way in. And if Agatha Fullerton caught him, there would be ructions and no mistake. Harvey was well known in this town and instantly recognisable. One glimpse of him would have Agatha on the doorstep of Beach View Boarding House causing untold trouble for him and his dog – and upsetting Peggy into the bargain.
Ron chewed on the stem of his unlit pipe as he eyed the large lake between him and the house. If Harvey did appear, then Ron didn’t have a hope in hell of getting round that lake and grabbing him before he ran off – and he certainly wouldn’t come to a whistle, not with all the distractions of that whippet bitch. He would have to find another hiding place nearer to the house, and just hope Agatha wasn’t looking out of one of her many windows.
He crouched lower and studied the ornamental lake. There was a clump of pampas grass and another of bulrushes and irises which might provide cover, and if he made it across the gravel path to the house, there was the jut of the porch he could hide behind. Though he’d have to be quick to catch the old bugger as he shot past, for Harvey could run like the wind, and was an expert in evasion tactics.
His gaze trawled the tranquil water, noting that the small flock of quacking ducks was huddled together at one end and looking very put out about something. This was odd behaviour and Ron frowned as he looked more carefully to see if he could spot what had disturbed the birds. If it was a big eel, then maybe he’d come back tonight and see if he could net it for the dinner table – it had been a long while since he’d had jellied eel and the thought made his mouth water.
Then something stirred beneath the lily pads in the middle of the lake, and a brindled head and two ears emerged, swiftly followed by a pair of eyes and the top of a long, pointed nose.
Ron had to bite his lip to smother his laughter. Harvey was using commando tactics to win his prize. God love him, the old lothario must be desperate.
The ears and head didn’t move beneath the lily pads as the eyes darted back and forth, the brows wriggled, and the water stirred gently around the nose at every breath. Harvey was perfectly camouflaged and
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