Alfie The Holiday Cat

Chapter Eleven

Franceska was right. On Sunday morning, Aleksy looked horrified about the idea of going to church rather than the beach; Tommy rebelled against having to wear trousers and proper shoes rather than shorts and bare feet; Summer didn’t actually understand so she didn’t mind; Martha was the same, she was happy to wear a pretty dress whatever the occasion; Toby had never been to church so he was interested, but Henry complained because he was told he couldn’t take his games tablet with him. Even in the cold light of day, the adults questioned the wisdom.

‘My head hurts,’ Claire said. ‘I think I drank too much wine last night.’

‘The local cider is probably stronger than in London, which would explain why we thought it was a good idea to go to church,’ Matt moaned.

Franceska rolled her eyes, fed everyone a big cooked breakfast, made them drink lots of juice and in the end they were all ready to go, or as ready as they would ever be.

‘Meow?’ I said as I sat by the front door. I wanted to go with them. Claire crouched down and rubbed my head.

‘Alfie, you can’t come to church, I don’t think they allow pets, but honestly, you’ll be much happier here.’ I turned to look at George but then I noticed Tommy had him in his zip-up jacket, his little ginger head poking out of the top. I felt jealous and excited at the same time. I knew I was a bit big to fit into the children’s jackets these days, so I tried not to mind too much. I looked at Tommy as if to tell him to look after George.

‘Don’t worry, Alfie, I’ll take care of him,’ he whispered. I flicked my tail to say I understood. I would have liked to go with them but actually, l was being given some alone time, which I was quite grateful for.

I went to finish off my breakfast, but as I was doing so, I heard the cat flap open and the elusive Gilbert appeared. I knew he had been in the house, but I hadn’t seen him since our chat.

‘Hi,’ I said.

‘Alright,’ he said. He really was a fine-looking cat, and I wondered, again, why a cat like him would choose to be homeless.

‘Well everyone is out, apart from me,’ I said.

‘I saw them all go, I assumed you were with them, but never mind.’ He started sniffing round the food bowls.

‘Glad you’re pleased to see me,’ I joked. Gilbert just looked at me. OK, so not much of a sense of humour this cat. ‘Anyway, it’s nice to see you,’ I continued. ‘It’s all been a bit hectic here.’ I filled him in on the story of Liam and his sabotage and how Andrea wanted the cottage and the exchange that George had seen.

‘They don’t sound like very nice people,’ he concluded when I finished.

‘No, they aren’t. The children are scared of her children, the women are scared of her, I mean it’s ridiculous. But her aim is to get her hands on Seabreeze Cottage as I’ve said and now I’m getting worried that she really is going to stop at nothing to do so.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘She’s got Liam working for her when he should be working for us, and what else? Gilbert, don’t you see? I know you don’t much like family life and you don’t want to get involved with us here, but if Andrea does get her hands on this place then our days are numbered and so are yours.’

He stopped eating and sat down, licking his paws thoughtfully.

‘OK.’

‘Look, I get you don’t want to tell me why you live here or how you came to live here, and that’s fine. I’m a good listener, if I do say so myself, but I’d never pry where I shouldn’t. However, this cottage is important to me and my families and it’s also important to you as you see it as your home, so surely you wouldn’t want her to get it?’

‘No, I suppose I wouldn’t.’

‘So you’ll help me?’ I felt hope spring up in me. Finally, I might just have an ally.

‘I don’t see how, but then I also don’t see what choice I have. Right, Alfie, what do you need me to do?’

After Gilbert had finished eating and had drunk plenty of water, I gave him a tour of the attic rooms and filled him in on what we knew so far. I had to admit, saying it out loud, it wasn’t much.

‘Right, so this Liam needs keeping an eye on. You say your boy’s helping with that.’

‘Yes.’ I thought about telling him about George’s crush on Chanel but I didn’t want to overload him with information. ‘And I’m keeping an eye on him too. He’s definitely in cahoots but I really would like him caught red-handed with her.’

‘That won’t be easy. But you know I am good at lying low, as you’ve already seen. You’ve been good to me, feeding me and, well, you’re not too nosy either, so I’ll think about what I can do to help. You never know.’

‘Thanks, Gilbert. Look, so this will be the girls’ room when it’s finished.’

‘Nice up here, isn’t it?’ he said, and it was. There was a patch of floor which the sun shone down on, through the new skylights. ‘Don’t mind if I do,’ Gilbert said as he lay down and stretched out.

‘Hey, help yourself. Honestly, if my humans see you they won’t mind you being here, they’re cool like that.’

‘That’s as may be but you know I’m not in the market for a family and I wouldn’t want them to get any ideas about me going home with you at the end of the holiday.’

I could see why he’d worry; they might think he needed a home and insist on taking him back with us. They were very caring people after all.

‘You know what, Gilbert, I think we can sort it so you can be Seabreeze Cottage’s guard cat when we’re not here.’

‘A job? I like the sound of that.’ He stretched his spotted limbs out again. ‘You know, I could get used to this.’

‘Enjoy a spot of sunbathing. I’ll leave you to it. They won’t come up here anyway, it’s not finished.’

‘Right you are, Alfie, and I’ll have a think about how I can help you, seeing as you’ve helped me.’

I left happy; it seemed that Gilbert and I had reached an understanding.

My peace was shattered. It was pandemonium as the front door flung open and my families rushed in.

‘Tommy, you are very naughty, imagine smuggling George to church. Ah, there you are, Alfie, I hope you weren’t too worried,’ Franceska said.

‘MEOW!’ I pretended I was. Aleksy winked at me.

‘You have to admit though, Frankie, it was quite funny when George jumped out of the jacket and went to see that Persian cat.’

‘Chanel,’ Claire added.

‘The whole congregation stopped and they were supposed to be singing “All Things Bright and Beautiful”. Then Chanel yelped as if she’d been attacked, Andrea screamed and the whole service descended into chaos.’ Matt was laughing.

‘But, George, why on earth were you fixated on that cat?’ Jonathan asked. ‘She hissed at you and swiped at you but you didn’t move!’

George turned to me as if to say that they had no idea.

‘You shouldn’t encourage him,’ Franceska said but I saw her lips twitching.

‘I don’t think we should be allowed to go to church again,’ Toby said.

‘No, I think it’s just George who isn’t allowed,’ Henry told him.

‘Oh my, Tommy, that was naughty, you can go to your room now.’ Tommy didn’t object, he was giggling too much.

‘Oh, Frankie, don’t be too hard on him, it was priceless just to see the look on Andrea’s face,’ Polly said.

‘Oh and the way she said we had invaded her church and that we ought to be ashamed of ourselves,’ Claire added. ‘God wouldn’t like it!’ She had tears running down her cheeks.

‘It didn’t help that George started running around the pews meowing like a lovesick … well, a lovesick cat,’ Matt laughed.

‘I think the vicar seemed quite pleased, he shook my hand warmly at the end, and said we were welcome any time.’ Jonathan smiled.

‘She probably terrorises the vicar too,’ Polly pointed out.

‘Well, I know I said that she was nice when we first met her, but after what I heard last night and what I’ve seen today, I think that woman would terrorise God,’ Matt finished.

Everyone went to get changed and then they decided to drive out to another village which had a cliff railway and yet another beach, and after that they were going to go for something called afternoon tea. Of course George and I weren’t invited. The men weren’t getting a train back until tomorrow morning, and I guessed they needed to get out of the village for a while to escape from the excitement of church. I was a bit sad that I didn’t get to go to church after all; it sounded eventful.

‘What shall we do?’ I asked George when we were alone.

‘I better go and see Chanel.’

‘Do you think she’s angry about what happened in church?’ I asked, trying to sound diplomatic.

‘No, but I think I scared her by jumping up at her suddenly, so I should apologise. I mean, I’m sure she would have been very pleased to see me.’

‘Even though she hissed at you?’

‘It was a very affectionate hiss.’

There was no way I was going to win this one as I went with my boy to take up his hedge vigil once again.

This time, though, there was something for us to see. The two girls were playing in the garden, although they were playing with dolls and being very dainty and quiet. Andrea was with them, lying on a sun lounger and speaking loudly into a phone. I tried to edge as close as I could without being seen.

‘Who on earth does he think he is?’ Andrea screeched into the handset. Thankfully my hearing was good but I could still hear only one side of the conversation. There was a pause. ‘I know I said they’d be gone by now but they are quite mad. Honestly, I mean who takes a cat to church?’

You do, I thought. As the other person spoke — I wished I could hear them but I couldn’t — Andrea drank from a large wine glass.

‘You’re supposed to be on my side,’ she snapped. ‘I’m doing my best. Those Londoners come and act as if they own the village.’

There was a longer gap this time.

‘I know, I know,’ she hissed, a bit like her cat. ‘I need that house. And I am going to damn well get it. I thought they’d just sell it, I offered a decent sum for the dilapidated hovel, and I know I don’t have much time.’ Chanel looked a bit surprised as Andrea banged her fist on the sun lounger.

‘Of course, and trust me, they’ll be gone before you know it,’ Andrea replied, throwing the phone down as Chanel nuzzled her in agreement. I felt my fur go cold as I processed the words. Whatever she was doing, she seemed determined to get our house. Our home.

I looked over at George, to see if he’d heard what I had, but he was fast asleep. Some stalker he was turning out to be.