Page 108 of The Village of Lost and Found

She didn’t know how long she wailed into her pillow until she heard another sound coming from outside of the door. Not only was Keith howling and scraping at the bedroom door, there was also the sound of voices.

‘Lucy?’ called out Molly. ‘Are you OK?’

Then what sounded like Belle’s voice through the door. ‘For God’s sake, we’re coming in whether you’re dressed or not.’

The door was flung open, but before Lucy had even turned her face to see who had come in, Keith had leapt onto the bed whimpering and licking the tears from her cheeks.

‘Oh, Keith!’ sobbed Lucy, not really minding the doggy breath or the fact that he was shedding fur all over her bed linen.

She looked up to see Molly, Belle and Amber standing around the bed and found that she didn’t mind them being there either.

‘What are you all doing here?’ she asked in a choked voice.

‘Molly called us,’ said Amber. ‘She could hear how upset you were through the wall. Is it the quarry? Is it bad news?’

Lucy shook her head, trying to form a coherent sentence. ‘No. It’s not that.’ In fact, the only new discovery she had made was that dancing in Tom’s arms was heaven. That she wanted to be kissed by him. That she loved him but had lost him.

Amber looked downcast for a moment. ‘OK. Well, that’s not important right now. You need to tell us what’s up.’

Lucy shook her head. ‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘Of course it matters!’ said Molly, sitting down on the edge of the bed. ‘You’re really upset.’

‘I’m fine,’ said Lucy, automatically.

‘Listen,’ said Belle. ‘Molly called us over because she could hear you crying and I don’t break my Sunday morning lie-in for just anyone. So spill the beans. What happened?’

Keith turned around a couple of times to make himself comfortable before lying down with a whoomp of air. Then he put his soft shaggy grey head on her lap and put his paw on her hand.

The tears coursed down Lucy’s cheeks once more and she drew him close, breathing in his doggy smell. ‘You understand, boy, don’t you?’

Keith gave her hand a gentle nudge with his head and she started to stroke him.

‘The last time I saw you and Tom, you were dancing down the far end of the lane,’ said Amber, sitting down on the end of the bed.

‘Yeah. Out with it,’ said Belle. ‘What gives?’

‘I’ve just got used to having him around in my life,’ said Lucy, looking down at Keith’s head as she continued to stroke it. ‘I was going to tell him that I love him.’

The other women exchanged a look.

‘Well, I think you already have Keith’s undying love,’ drawled Belle. ‘Or were you talking about Tom?’

‘I thought that there was a spark there,’ said Lucy. ‘I thought that we had something special. But I was wrong.’

‘No, I don’t think that you are,’ said Amber, shaking her head. ‘I saw the way you two were dancing last night.’

‘It’s true,’ said Molly. ‘He’s crazy about you.’

‘Then why did he end up kissing his ex-wife last night?’ said Lucy, before beginning to cry again.

There was a large intake of shocked breath from the others.

‘You’re kidding!’ said Amber, wide-eyed.

‘Not Tom!’ said Molly, frantically shaking her head.

‘Really?’ asked Belle, looking stunned.