Sunshine and Spaniels Read Online Free

say goodbye to her dog; the little girl fighting back tears.

    ‘Where’s Emma?’ she asked Olaf, who was shivering, depleted of exertion and confidence. ‘Where’s your family?’
    ‘I think you might be looking for these two?’ It was Joe, ushering a couple of young girls towards her.
    ‘Olaf!’ the older one squealed. They were both crying loudly, and looked ragged despite their bright sundresses and sandals.
    ‘Is he yours?’ Cat held the puppy out to the older girl. She recognized four-year-old Emma, and there was something familiar about her sister too, despite her being too old to attend nursery. ‘Hey,’ she said gently, ‘there’s no need to cry. He’s had an adventure and now he’s tired, but he’s fine.’
    ‘And you did well to keep up with him,’ Joe added. ‘I saw how fast he was going. Maybe you two need to think about careers in athletics.’
    The older girl started to sniff, restraining her tears, and reached out to take her pet. She cuddled him against her, and Olaf nuzzled her cheek. Cat thought she was probably about ten or eleven, skinny, with long, flyaway mousy hair and freckles. Emma was still sobbing, one hand gripping onto her sister’s dress.
    ‘You’re Emma, aren’t you?’ Cat asked.
    The little girl nodded through her tears.
    ‘I’m Cat, from the nursery. Do you remember me?’
    Again she nodded, then gulped and wiped her eyes with her hands. ‘Alison made you leave because you were too funny.’
    Cat tried to hide her grin, which wasn’t easy when Joe was rolling his eyes.
    ‘Alison and I weren’t always best friends, Emma, but I loved all of you, and I miss you.’
    ‘We miss you too,’ Emma said. ‘And your puppy.’
    ‘But you’ve got one of your own. Olaf. Is this your sister?’

    The older girl gave her a small smile. ‘I’m Lizzie. I’m ten.’
    ‘Nice to meet you, Lizzie. I’m Cat, and this is Joe. Were you bringing Olaf to the park?’
    They both nodded, Lizzie’s eyes cast down to the ground. ‘Mum said could we take him out, because she’s busy with Henry. That’s our brother.’
    ‘He’s only ten months,’ Emma added, ‘and a handful.’
    ‘Shhh,’ hissed Lizzie. ‘Mum said not to say.’
    ‘Your mum told you not to say anything?’
    ‘About how stressed she is,’ Lizzie blurted, then gasped, her eyes filling up with tears again.
    ’That’s OK,’ Cat said reassuringly. ‘I won’t say anything. Do you want me to come with you and explain about Olaf to your mum?’
    Lizzie shook her head. ‘No, it’s OK. We can take him back. Mum doesn’t need to know he got off the lead.’
    ‘You took him off!’ Emma squealed.
    ‘I really don’t mind,’ Cat said, trying to head off a squabble between the girls. ‘Our event’s done now, and I’d like to say hello to your mum again. Do you live close by?’
    ‘Number twelve Primrose Terrace,’ Emma said proudly.
    ‘Of course!’ Cat said. That’s where she remembered the older girl from – she’d passed them in the street on more than one occasion.
    ‘What?’ Lizzie asked, her slender brows lowering.
    ‘I live on Primrose Terrace too. Oh, this is perfect. I’ll just go and get Chips, and we’ll all walk back together.’
    ‘Of course,’ Joe said brightly. ‘We can’t get away with not knowing about one of our neighbours, can we?’
    Cat shot him a sideways glance and went in search of Polly and Chips.

Chapter 2
    The primroses that characterized Primrose Terrace lasted all the way through the spring, filling the wide grass verges opposite the houses with whites and pinks and blues, as well as the more common yellow. It looked like an intricately weaved carpet, and Cat wondered who tended to them, making sure they bloomed so spectacularly every year. She wondered whether the primroses had given the terrace its name or if it was the other way around.
    The houses only ran along one side of the road. Opposite them, and beyond the colourful verges, was a high, redbrick wall