Starlight Over Bluebell Castle

Still looking uncertain, Elijah held out a tentative hand towards the terrier, giving a little giggle when Pippin licked the tips of his fingers. ‘It tickles.’

‘Down now, Pip,’ Tristan tap his thigh and the obedient dog came to sit at his heel. Turning back to Elijah, Tristan held out his hand. ‘Ready now?’ The boy nodded and wiggled down from the car. When he left his hand resting in Tristan’s he kept hold of it as he rose, making sure to keep his grip loose so Elijah could slip free at any time.

‘Well now, who’s this?’ Jess asked as she returned with a very sleepy Isaac in her arms and Pippin came to sniff at her feet.

‘Pip!’ Elijah said, then glanced up at Tristan as though checking he’d got that right.

Smiling, Tristan nodded. ‘His name is Pippin, but he likes to be called Pip by his friends.’ Pippin wagged his tail in agreement.

‘Making friends, already? Aren’t you a lucky boy, Eli? Now where’s your coat?’ Jess bent forward, still clutching Isaac to her hip.

Over her shoulder, Tristan surveyed the jumble of toys, pillows, colourful plastic lidded cups and other detritus spilling across the back seat and into the footwells beneath. ‘Do you want me to look?’

Jess straightened. ‘Thanks. It’s a navy puffa-type thing.’ At that moment, Isaac straightened in her arms and pulled the kind of face that portended nothing but trouble. As the first wail escaped his lips, Jess jiggled him. ‘Shh, it’s all right, bubba. We’re here now.’ Paying no heed to her assurances, the toddler continued to cry.

‘Take him in,’ Tristan nodded down the drive. ‘I’ll find Elijah’s jacket and we’ll be right behind you.’

‘Okay, sorry.’ Jess gave him an apologetic smile before heading towards the castle, crooning nonsense words to Isaac as she tried to console him.

Crouching once more, Tristan began to turn over everything in the back of the car, but the jacket remained stubbornly elusive. Giving Elijah a quick glance, he asked ‘Any idea where your coat is hiding?’ Elijah shook his head, his expression falling.

Fearing more tears, Tristan decided to abandon the hunt. The rain was nothing more than the odd spot now, and the boy’s sweatshirt looked warm enough for the couple of minutes it would take them to get inside. ‘Brave men like us don’t need coats, right?’

Clearly liking the sound of being a brave man, Elijah nodded. ‘Right!’

After closing the car door, Tristan held out a hand. ‘Come on then, let’s get inside. Betsy’s been working hard all afternoon to make you a very special welcome tea.’

Elijah linked fingers with him, eyes bright with curiosity. ‘Who’s Betsy?’

‘She’s our cook,’ Tristan said, starting towards the castle. He kept his stride short to make sure the boy could easily keep pace with him. ‘Our house is very big, so we need lots of people to help take care of it, and us.’ It suddenly occurred to him how overwhelming all this must be and paused to crouch so he was at eye-level with Elijah. ‘I’m sure this is all a bit scary for you, but I promise that everyone here at Bluebell Castle is very excited about you and Isaac and Mummy coming to stay with us. If anything upsets or bothers you, tell your mummy straightaway and we will sort it out.’ He squeezed Elijah’s hand very gently. ‘And you can always come and talk to me, okay?’